Opinion and Reporting By Mathew Carr

June 26, 2025 — Interests associated with Spotify’s Daniel Ek boost European military investment and spending via his new stake in Helsing.

Arguably this was a theft by a middle man taking an unfairly high portion of revenue from music artists etc and then using that money to create warmongering. Ek might argue he’s seeking to protect Europeans against real adversaries.

I tend to side with the notion that tech bros are deliberately creating fear to control and suppress the 99.9% of people.

Watch this video:

https://vm.tiktok.com/ZNdySk4n6/

Laura Bird Burhenn calls for people to stop sending money to Spotify, stop selling music/podcasts via Spotify.

Press release:

Helsing raises €600m to invest in European technological sovereignty

• Series D funding led by Prima Materia, with participation from existing and new investors
• Strategic funding accelerates Helsing’s leadership in all-domain defence innovation

London, Munich, Paris, 17 June 2025 – Helsing, the leading European defence technology company, today announced its €600 million Series D funding round. The round was led by Prima Materia, alongside existing investors Lightspeed Ventures, Accel, Plural, General Catalyst and SAAB and new investors BDT & MSD Partners.

“As Europe rapidly strengthens its defence capabilities in response to evolving geopolitical challenges, there is an urgent need for investments in advanced technologies that ensure its strategic autonomy and security readiness,” said Daniel Ek, Founder, Prima Materia, and Chairman, Helsing. “Helsing is uniquely positioned with its AI leadership to deliver these critical capabilities in all-domain defence innovation. By doubling down on our investment, Prima Materia reaffirms its commitment to empowering Europe’s technological sovereignty—an ambition Helsing perfectly embodies.”

Today’s announcement follows Helsing’s Series C funding of €450m in July 2024, involving General Catalyst, Elad Gil, Accel, Saab, Lightspeed Ventures, Plural and Greenoaks.

The financing round is subject to certain approvals.

For more information contact:

René Gribnitz
rene.gribnitz@helsing.ai

+4915157929284

Helsing context from ChatGPT:

Thanks — you’re asking about Helsing AI, the European defense tech company.

Is Helsing “bad news”?

Not necessarily bad, but it is controversial. Here’s a balanced breakdown:

✅ Why some see Helsing as good news:

European defense independence: Helsing builds AI-powered defense systems for Europe, reducing reliance on U.S. or Chinese tech. Support for Ukraine: Helsing has donated AI tools and partnered with Ukraine’s armed forces, especially to improve battlefield awareness. Tech innovation: Backed by top investors (like Spotify’s Daniel Ek), it’s one of Europe’s fastest-growing defense startups.

⚠️ Why others see Helsing as bad news or worrying:

AI in warfare: Critics fear autonomous systems could make killing faster and more detached from human judgment. Lack of transparency: Like many defense startups, details of their tech are secretive — making democratic oversight harder. Civilian-military crossover: Some worry about private tech firms gaining too much influence in military decision-making.

Bottom line:

Helsing isn’t “bad news” by default — but it’s a symbol of a new era: AI is becoming central to defense strategy. That raises urgent ethical and political questions. Whether that’s “bad” depends on where you stand on military AI and European security policy.

Would you like a short summary of their most recent projects or controversies?