CULTURE

Napster acquired by Hivemind, Algorand at undisclosed price

May 11th, 2022

Napster, once popular in the early 2000s for peer-to-peer audio file sharing, has been acquired by Hivemind and Algorand, the teams announced today.

Emmy Lovell has been named interim CEO of Napster, where she previously served as chief strategy officer, according to her LinkedIn. Lovell is a music industry veteran, with previous gigs at Warner Music Group, EMI Music, Bauer Media, and the BBC.

Hivemind is a crypto-focused investment firm based in New York.

“Volatile market and uncertain times often bring exciting opportunities. At Hivemind, we believe in developing thesis and building enduring value.

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Music x Web3 is one of the most exciting spaces we’ve come across," Matt Zhang, Hivemind's founder and managing partner, wrote in a LinkedIn post announcing the acquisiton.

Two weeks ago, Hivemind undertook a similar effort in backing LimeWire with the aim of bridging a once-infamous file-sharing brand with web3.

“One of our core theses is in the value in nostalgic web1 and 2 brands combined with the technological potential of web3,” Hivemind had written on LinkedIn about the Limewire funding.

The terms of the Napster acquisition are unknown, including the exact structure given the role of two acquiring firms, and Hivemind did not release further information about the deal when asked to comment. Algorand did not respond to requests for comment.

Curated By

Kaito Tanaka
Strategic Innovation Consultant | Technology Investment Analyst | Operations Research Director
Kaito Tanaka is a futurist journalist who approaches news through the lens of optimization and efficiency. Specializing in cutting-edge technologies like CRISPR, robotics, and supply chain innovations, he distills complex developments into their most actionable insights. Known for his clinical analysis style, Kaito cuts through traditional narratives to identify systemic inefficiencies and opportunities for progress. His commentary reflects a pragmatic worldview where sentiment yields to solutions, and every story is evaluated based on its potential to advance human capability. When he's not tracking breakthrough research, you'll find him optimizing his own workflow or planning his next travel adventure with mathematical precision.

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