Ambient Sound Investments
Tallinn investment company set up in 2003 by four founding engineers of Skype; invests the founders' capital in VC funds, private and listed equity, and Estonian real assets.
USEFUL FOR Fund managers raising capital · Founders · Business owners seeking a long-term partner · Co-investors
Family & background
- HEADQUARTERS
- Tallinn, Estonia
- FOUNDED
- 2003
- OUTSIDE CAPITAL
- No — own capital only
Investment approach
- SECTORS
- Software & SaaSArtificial IntelligenceMobility & LogisticsFintechClimate & EnergyReal Estate & PropTech
- GEOGRAPHY
- EuropeNorth AmericaAsia-Pacific
- STAGES
- SeedSeries A
- ROUTES
- Direct investments · Funds (as LP)
- STRATEGIES
- Venture capitalFunds (as LP)Private equityPublic equitiesReal estateDirect investments
Overview
Ambient Sound Investments (ASI) was formed in 2003 as an equal partnership of four founding engineers of Skype — Jaan Tallinn, Ahti Heinla, Priit Kasesalu and the late Toivo Annus — to hold a minority stake in Skype, which it sold to eBay at the end of 2005. It now runs as a private asset manager for its owners, describing itself as a family-office type of team of about 10 people. Its portfolio of around 40 holdings spans early-stage VC (now mainly via funds), minority private-equity stakes, a value-based listed-equity portfolio, and Estonian land, forest and real estate.
Investment thesis
Venture capital at seed and Series A, now mainly through early-stage VC funds; minority private-equity stakes in high-growth, mostly non-tech regional businesses; a concentrated value-investing listed portfolio of 10–15 holdings; locally focused real assets.
Holdings & investments (13)
- Starship TechnologiesNOTABLEMobility & Logistics
- LHVNOTABLEFintech
- SkypeNOTABLESoftware & SaaS · Exited
- NanotronicsArtificial Intelligence
- Luminar TechnologiesMobility & Logistics
- PomeloConsumer & E-commerce
- FrenzooMedia & Entertainment
- WaybillerSoftware & SaaS
- EleportMobility & Logistics
- Eesti KillustikIndustrial & Manufacturing
- Ammende VillaReal Estate & PropTech
- Nelja EnergiaClimate & Energy · Exited
- EcoRusmetalIndustrial & Manufacturing · Exited
People
- Arko KadajanePortfolio Manager · source
- Kaspar DaljajevInvestment Manager · source
- Jaan TallinnFounder · source
- Ahti HeinlaFounder · source
- Priit KasesaluFounder · source
- Tauno TatsCEO · source
- Keiu HeinpaluGeneral Counsel · source
- Triinu ArukaevuFinancial Manager · source
- Siim TomsonCEO of Multiland · source
Classification
Single Family Office. Manages one family's own capital, with no outside investors. The family bears every loss. How family capital is classified →
FAQ
Ambient Sound Investments is a single family office based in Tallinn, Estonia, founded in 2003.
Ambient Sound Investments invests directly in companies and in third-party funds as an LP. Its stated asset mix includes venture capital, funds (as lp), private equity, public equities, real estate and direct investments.
Ambient Sound Investments invests at Seed and Series A stages in Software & SaaS, Artificial Intelligence, Mobility & Logistics, Fintech, Climate & Energy and Real Estate & PropTech.
Key people at Ambient Sound Investments include Jaan Tallinn (Founder), Ahti Heinla (Founder), Priit Kasesalu (Founder) and Tauno Tats (CEO).
Ambient Sound Investments's holdings and investments include Starship Technologies, LHV, Skype, Nanotronics, Luminar Technologies, Pomelo, Frenzoo and Waybiller, among others.
No. Ambient Sound Investments invests its own capital and does not raise money from outside investors.