Elektron responds to acquisition concerns: “It strengthens our ability to realise our plans quicker”On 8 April, Swedish synth creator Elektron was acquired by Bonnier Capital, an investment arm of Swedish family-owned media conglomerate, Bonnier Group. The buyout was touted as “the beginning of a more ambitious journey” for Elektron, according to Alexander Hellström, CEO of Elektron. The immediate reaction online, however, was less optimistic — comments on MusicTech’s social media post of the news saw synth fans concerned about Elektron’s future.
Following MusicTech‘s reporting earlier this week, we reached out to Elektron with questions about the acquisition, what it means for the future of Elektron’s staff and ethos, and whether Elektron fans and customers will see a change to the brand’s beloved product line. The Elektron Team has responded in detail to each question, which you can read in full below.
MusicTech: What was the price of the acquisition? Are you making this publicly available?
Elektron: “We can’t comment on that, unfortunately, which is standard practice for acquisitions of this nature. But we can state that the acquisition took place with Elektron already in a very stable economic position. As such, we have been courted by many prospective parties. This has allowed us to be very careful in choosing the right owner or partner. Bonnier has a long-term commitment to all its investments and is investing from its own balance sheet using its own internal funds for acquisitions, without using loans or debt. We are therefore now in an even stronger financial position.”
MT: Why Bonnier Capital and why now? Was Elektron actively seeking investment, or did Bonnier approach Elektron?
E: “Elektron has been open to and received investment over the last 15 years. Our current CEO joined the company through that process a couple of years ago. The previous investment group, with Jonas Hillman as the main owner, had been leading the company since he took over in 2005. When Bonnier Capital approached us, they stood out through their long-term perspective and genuine understanding of Elektron — not just as a business, but as a company rooted in creativity and music culture.
“As custodians of the Elektron name and legacy, that was the most important factor in our decision. Many of us are Elektron users ourselves, and so that perspective is integral to how we think about the company and its direction. Bonnier Capital becoming majority owners is in many ways a continuation of the previous method, rather than a big change in the ownership process. Jonas Hillman and the management team have reinvested as part of this transition, underlining their continued commitment to Elektron.”
MT: The press release mentions that Elektron’s existing staff will remain — does this mean a commitment to no lay-offs during the transition period?
E: “The transition period is already complete. There are no plans for restructuring or lay-offs. Bonnier’s position is one of a long-term commitment to supporting already exceptional brands and teams, helping them grow and develop over time. Examples are companies such as Acast, Adlibris, and BookBeat.”
MT: Does this change any product roadmaps Elektron had that customers were anticipating?
E: “The acquisition does not change our product roadmap. If anything, it strengthens our ability to realise our plans quicker and more efficiently than we were previously able to. We remain committed to developing exciting new instruments — with some already in the works — and supporting and improving existing machines with fun OS updates and extra features — a core part of our DNA.”
Learn more about Elektron at elektron.se. Read more music tech news. 
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