Prima Materia

Overview
Prima Materia is a Stockholm-based investment firm founded in 2020 by Spotify co-founder Daniel Ek and early Spotify investor Shakil Khan. It backs long-term, science- and technology-driven companies addressing foundational challenges, with a stated focus on European deep-technology ventures.

Why this entity matters
Prima Materia concentrates large, patient commitments on a small number of ambitious deep-technology companies. By anchoring major rounds, it helps European frontier-technology firms raise the scale of capital more often associated with US markets.

Role in the startup, technology, investment, or innovation ecosystem
The firm invests as a lead backer in deep-technology and science-led companies. It led the first major funding round of European defence-AI company Helsing in 2021 and, in 2025, led a 600 million euro financing in the company; Daniel Ek serves as chairman of Helsing in his professional capacity.

Selected relationships and affiliations
Prima Materia is the lead investor behind Helsing and has made further commitments in deep-technology and longevity-science companies. Daniel Ek acts as founder and Shakil Khan as co-founder.

Startuprad.io relevance
Prima Materia features in Startuprad.io's coverage of Helsing as the company's lead backer. Its role illustrates founder-led European capital financing defence and deep-technology ventures at scale.

Public source context
Investment details reflect Helsing's 2021 and 2025 financing announcements and contemporaneous business-press reporting; firm background reflects Prima Materia's public disclosures at <a href="https://primamateria.com/">primamateria.com</a>.