Storytel AB
TypePublic
IndustryAudiobooks
Founded2006 (2006)
FoundersJonas Tellander
Jon Hauksson
HeadquartersStockholm, Sweden
Websitestorytel.com
audiobooks.com

Storytel AB is a Stockholm-based e-book and audiobook subscription service.

It is available in more than 25 countries.[1] Its English audiobook service Audiobooks.com is available in more than 150 countries.[2]

History

Storytel was founded in 2006 by Jonas Tellander and Jon Hauksson.[3] The company bought one of Sweden's largest book publishers, Norstedts förlag, in 2016.[4]

In 2016, Storytel acquired the Danish book service Mofibo.[5]

In 2017, Storytel acquired the Danish publisher People's Press.[6]

In 2017, Storytel expanded its services to Russia, Spain, India and the United Arab Emirates.[4]

In 2018, Storytel purchased the Turkish audiobook service Seslenen Kitaplar, and Turkey became the 19th country in which Storytel services exist.[7]

In September 2019 it acquired Finland's oldest publishing house Gummerus.[8]

In July 2020 it acquired a 70 percent stake in Icelandic publishing house Forlagið.[9]

In January 2021 it surpassed 1.5 million paid subscribers.[10]

In November 2021, RBMedia announced that its property Audiobooks.com was being sold to Storytel for $135 million.[11][12] At the time of purchase, Audiobooks.com was used by about 17% of audiobook buyers, and the acquisition was seen as a way for Storytel to enter the large English-speaking marketplace.[11]

On February 18, 2022, co-founder and CEO from the beginning, Jonas Tellander, stepped down from his position for personal reasons; he is on the board of directors.[13]

In August 2022, Johannes Larcher, a former executive at HBO, was appointed as Storytel's new CEO.[14]

References

  1. "Audiobook streamer Storytel sees pandemic spurring subscriber growth". Business Insider.
  2. "Storytel enters the U.S. with acquisition of Audiobooks.com". Reuters.
  3. "Sweden's Storytel Continues Its Global Expansion". PublishersWeekly.com. Retrieved 2021-05-04.
  4. 1 2 "Sweden's Storytel to enter four new markets". Reuters. March 24, 2017 via www.reuters.com.
  5. "Storytel køber bogtjenesten Mofibo | Mofibo". via.ritzau.dk (in Danish). Retrieved 2021-10-13.
  6. "Storytel opkøber forlaget People's Press". mediawatch.dk (in Danish). 2017-03-02. Retrieved 2021-10-13.
  7. "Türkiye, 19 ülke içinde en hızlı büyüyen oldu". Ekonomist (in Turkish). 2020-04-28. Retrieved 2022-04-12.
  8. "Kirjojen suoratoistopalvelu Storytel ostaa Suomen kolmanneksi suurimman kustantamon Gummeruksen". Helsingin Sanomat. 2019-09-17. Retrieved 2023-01-04.
  9. "Storytel Purchases Majority Share in Forlagið, Iceland's Largest Publisher". July 3, 2020.
  10. "Storytel has surpassed the milestone 1.5 million paying subscribers". Storytel.
  11. 1 2 Ruth Comerford (November 13, 2021). "Storytel extends into English language market with $135m Audiobooks deal". The Bookseller. Retrieved November 13, 2021.
  12. Heloise Wood (April 11, 2017). "Newly formed RBmedia buys Audiobooks.com". The Bookseller. Retrieved October 22, 2017.
  13. "Jonas Tellander to step down as Storytel CEO – search process for a new CEO initiated". Storytel. Retrieved 2022-02-18.
  14. https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/international/international-book-news/article/90204-sweden-s-storytel-appoints-hbo-exec-as-ceo.html
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