Ambient Sound Investments

Ambient Sound Investments OÜ is a private investment firm based in Tallinn, Estonia, established in 2003 by four founding engineers of Skype. Initially created to hold a minority stake in Skype, the firm has since evolved into a family office specializing in direct and fund of fund investments. It focuses on private equity and venture capital across various stages, including incubation, seed/startup, and growth capital, while also investing in private equity and real estate funds. Ambient Sound Investments targets technology-driven companies in sectors such as information technology, software, and social media, primarily in the United States, Europe, and Asia, with a particular interest in Eastern European markets like Russia and the Nordic countries. The firm typically invests between €0.5 million and €2 million, preferring to maintain a minority stake of around 25 percent in its portfolio companies, although it may pursue a majority stake in incubators. Additionally, Ambient Sound Investments engages in co-investments and has begun investing in public equity.

Priit Kasesalu

Co-Founder

Tauno Tats

Chief Executive Officer

30 past transactions

Ampler

Venture Round in 2021
Ampler Bikes OÜ, founded in 2014 and headquartered in Tallinn, Estonia, specializes in the manufacture and marketing of light electric bikes tailored for urban cyclists. The company offers a range of bike models, including curt, stout, and stellar options, with various frame sizes to accommodate different preferences. Ampler aims to promote sustainable urban mobility through its innovative electric bikes, which are designed to enhance the cycling experience by measuring road conditions and surroundings, thereby assisting riders in navigating their environments. In addition to its product offerings, Ampler operates a flagship store in Berlin, Germany, further solidifying its presence in the urban mobility market.

Pomelo Fashion

Series C in 2019
Pomelo Fashion Co., Ltd. is an online fashion retail company based in Bangkok, Thailand, specializing in women's apparel. Founded in 2013, Pomelo designs and produces its products in Asia, catering to a global consumer base. The brand emphasizes modern fashion trends and aims to provide stylish clothing at competitive prices. In addition to its online presence, Pomelo also operates physical retail stores, allowing customers to experience its offerings in person. Pomelo's mission is to empower women by helping them express their unique style and enhance their confidence through fashion.

Cgates

Private Equity Round in 2017
Cgates is largest independent pay TV and internet service provider. It provides digital and interactive television, fibre-optic broadband internet and fixed telephony to subscribers across the country. The company was founded in 1991 and has developed into a leading telecom operator via numerous acquisitions and organic growth. Investor consortium led by Livonia Partners acquired a significant minority stake in September 2017 to support growth of the company and further network and technology upgrades.

Senseg

Series B in 2014
Senseg Oy specializes in tactile interface technology, primarily through its innovative E-Sense solution. Founded in 2006 and based in Espoo, Finland, the company creates hardware and software that enable users to experience the sensation of virtual buttons on smooth surfaces such as smartphones and computer screens. Unlike traditional haptic technologies that rely on mechanical motors, E-Sense utilizes a motionless system that employs electrical fields to simulate tactile sensations, providing users with realistic feedback without physical movement. This unique approach enhances user interaction by allowing for a more intuitive feel of textures and friction on touch interfaces. Senseg Oy became a subsidiary of O-film Global (HK) Trading Limited in 2016.

Frenzoo

Venture Round in 2012
Frenzoo is a mobile game startup creating a new class of 3D lifestyle games for girls and women. The company’s offerings include the hit Me Girl™ series, enjoyed by millions around the world. The company's app is based on a flexible and innovative avatar technology platform that brings characters to life.

Blaast

Seed Round in 2010
Blaast is a platform aimed at enhancing mobile online usage for the next billion users expected to come online, primarily through their mobile phones. It focuses on creating a faster and more efficient mobile experience by partnering with mobile network operators to establish a unique subscription-based app store. This model not only provides developers with recurring revenues but also gives them access to large subscriber bases. Blaast's innovative approach has attracted substantial interest globally, with coverage from prominent media outlets. The company is backed by notable investors, including the founding engineers of Skype and various venture capitalists from Europe and Asia.

Modesat

Series A in 2010
Modesat Communications is a rapidly growing privately held technology company specializing in the design, development and commercialization of high throughput FPGA or ASIC based digital modems for microwave, millimeter wave and satellite communications applications. Products developed by the company incorporate Modesat’s patented PilotSyncTM synchronization technology, which enables higher throughput, lower bill of materials cost and increased operational reliablity.

Progeniq

Series A in 2010
Progeniq provides hardware accelerators that speed up computationally intensive applications by up to 5x over standard multi-core CPUs. Progeniq is reinventing the way computing is done by creating small, low-power hardware cards that can be retrofitted into existing servers. At 25W power consumption per accelerator, these offer a significant advantage in performance-per-watt and performance-per-dollar over increasing the size of a serverfarm with more standard rack-servers. Progeniq's RenderBoost product line targets the Visual Effects / animations industry, cutting down full-quality rendertimes per frame from hours to minutes. Progeniq is working with leading rendering software providers and is backed by the Singapore investment funds BAF Spectrum Pte Ltd (www.bafspectrum.com) and SPRING SEEDS Capital Pte Ltd (www.spring.gov.sg) as well as Estonia-based Ambient Sound Investments (ASI) (www.asi.ee). The company is headquartered in Singapore and additional information is available at www.progeniq.com

Armorize Technologies

Series B in 2009
Armorize Technologies delivers end-to-end security solutions safeguarding enterprises from hackers seeking to exploit vulnerable Web applications. Armorize is headquartered in Santa Clara, CA, with its R&D center in the Nankang Software Park in Taipei, Taiwan. The Armorize Appsec Suite builds on the WAVES and WebSSARI projects which garnered best paper nominations at the prestigious 2003 and 2004 World Wide Web Conferences. These publications have received over 150 SCI citations from organizations such as Google, Microsoft Research and a host of highly respected academic institutes. Subsequent corporate recognition for innovative technology and business practices include the Red Herring Asia Top 100 and Red Herring Global Top 10 Innovators awards.

United Dogs and Cats

Series A in 2009
United Dogs and Cats is an interest based niche online community for dog and cat loving people to express their passion and have fun. They are all about pet related user generated content. On their website all pet lovers can express their passion by posting status updates, blog posts, photos and videos on their profile page and tap into a “public brain” though their forum. A pet owner could also create a profile page for his/her pet and create a full timeline of events so they always have a place to go to and relive the fun moments together. Of course they enable users to share all their amazing content with other Uniteddogs / Unitedcats users and friends on other social networks. Their iPhone application enables users to snap and edit photos of their pets and add status updates on the go. Now sharing is possible virtually anywhere and all great moments with your pet can be posted to other community members immediately.

Kublax

Angel Round in 2009
Kublax is a secure online personal financial management platform which automatically aggregates all of your UK bank and credit card accounts into one place. Kublax participated in [Seedcamp](http://www.crunchbase.com/organization/seedcamp) 2007.

FlowPlay

Series A in 2009
FlowPlay is the company behind the most powerful immersive gaming platform for casual and sports games, virtual worlds and social casinos. A developer, operator and publisher, FlowPlay serves both consumers and businesses with engaging online and mobile free-to-play experiences. Partners turn to FlowPlay for its extensive multiplayer infrastructure, industry-leading monetization rates and proven track record helping businesses launch custom-branded online games. FlowPlay’s consumer products include ourWorld, one of the most popular teen virtual worlds, and Vegas World, the industry’s most engaging multiplayer social casino. Together, they have been played by a loyal community of more than 75 million users around the world. FlowPlay dominates a cross-section of industries including online and mobile games, fantasy sports and casinos – consistently creating opportunities in high-growth and emerging markets. Based in Seattle, FlowPlay was founded in 2006 and is primarily funded by Intel Capital and the creators of Skype.

Mendeley

Series A in 2009
Mendeley is a global research collaboration and networking platform that facilitates the organization, sharing, and discovery of academic knowledge. Launched in 2009, it has attracted over 3 million users across 180 countries, including prominent institutional clients such as Harvard, Stanford, and MIT. Mendeley's platform enables users to collaborate in numerous groups, fostering a community dedicated to advancing research. With over 500 million documents uploaded, it has established one of the largest research databases worldwide. The data accessible through the Mendeley API supports more than 200 third-party applications aimed at promoting open and social scientific engagement.

LogoneX

Seed Round in 2009
LogneX is an inventory management system delivered as internet service. While traditional solutions are typically deployed in-house, LogneX employs SaaS (Software as a Service) model.

Blip

Series B in 2008
Blip is an online media platform that offers users access to a variety of video clips and programs focused on media and entertainment. The platform features content across multiple categories, including general entertainment, comedy, music, drama, television, food, and video games. It organizes its offerings into segments such as editors' picks, current trends, and new episodes. Additionally, Blip provides producers with tools to host, distribute, and monetize their web series. Founded in 2005 by Charles Hope and Jared Klett, Blip is headquartered in New York City.

Drimki

Seed Round in 2008
Drimki is a French online real estate technology company. Drimki's founding team comes from [Yahoo](http://www.crunchbase.com/organization/yahoo) and [Kelkoo](http://www.crunchbase.com/organization/kelkoo).

Senseg

Seed Round in 2008
Senseg Oy specializes in tactile interface technology, primarily through its innovative E-Sense solution. Founded in 2006 and based in Espoo, Finland, the company creates hardware and software that enable users to experience the sensation of virtual buttons on smooth surfaces such as smartphones and computer screens. Unlike traditional haptic technologies that rely on mechanical motors, E-Sense utilizes a motionless system that employs electrical fields to simulate tactile sensations, providing users with realistic feedback without physical movement. This unique approach enhances user interaction by allowing for a more intuitive feel of textures and friction on touch interfaces. Senseg Oy became a subsidiary of O-film Global (HK) Trading Limited in 2016.

Programeter

Seed Round in 2008
Programeter provides solutions for measuring software development life cycle metrics for software development managers. It offers a software development life cycle metrics platform that monitors the software development life cycle metrics and reports on the project performance indicators, such as development team's activity days, team's effort and contribution, the number of active coders, testers, and bug fixers assigned in the project. Programeter was formerly known as SourceKibitzer OÜ. The company was founded in 2006 and is based in Tallinn, Estonia.

United Dogs and Cats

Angel Round in 2008
United Dogs and Cats is an interest based niche online community for dog and cat loving people to express their passion and have fun. They are all about pet related user generated content. On their website all pet lovers can express their passion by posting status updates, blog posts, photos and videos on their profile page and tap into a “public brain” though their forum. A pet owner could also create a profile page for his/her pet and create a full timeline of events so they always have a place to go to and relive the fun moments together. Of course they enable users to share all their amazing content with other Uniteddogs / Unitedcats users and friends on other social networks. Their iPhone application enables users to snap and edit photos of their pets and add status updates on the go. Now sharing is possible virtually anywhere and all great moments with your pet can be posted to other community members immediately.

Kindo Network

Seed Round in 2008
Founded in 2007, London-based Kindo is an internationally-focused web-based family networking platform that spans generations. On Kindo users can build their free next generation family tree and stay in touch with their loved ones. Kindo is available in 14 different languages with Arabic, Chinese, Turkish and Russian being exotic examples. The company is funded by high-profile business angels and venture capitalists, including Saul and Robin Klein from The Accelerator Group (TAG), Stefan Glaenzer (last.fm, myblog.de, ricardo.de) and Ambient Sound Investments (ASI), the investment company of Skype's founding engineers.

Treatwell

Series A in 2008
Treatwell is an online platform that specializes in booking beauty and wellness treatments, connecting customers with over 2,500 salons, spas, and studios across 60 cities in the Benelux region, including Amsterdam, Cologne, Antwerp, Düsseldorf, and Berlin. The platform allows users to search, compare, and book various services, such as hairdressing and waxing, based on community reviews. Treatwell aims to enhance the customer experience by providing a convenient way to make appointments at any time while also helping salon owners attract new customers and improve their business performance. With offices in Amsterdam and Berlin, Treatwell is part of the Wahanda Group, which is recognized as a leading marketplace for beauty and wellness services in Europe.

EGeen

Venture Round in 2008
EGeen business is to advance the drug development of biotech and pharmaceutical companies by offering fast, high quality and cost-effective clinical trial management services.

FlowPlay

Series A in 2007
FlowPlay is the company behind the most powerful immersive gaming platform for casual and sports games, virtual worlds and social casinos. A developer, operator and publisher, FlowPlay serves both consumers and businesses with engaging online and mobile free-to-play experiences. Partners turn to FlowPlay for its extensive multiplayer infrastructure, industry-leading monetization rates and proven track record helping businesses launch custom-branded online games. FlowPlay’s consumer products include ourWorld, one of the most popular teen virtual worlds, and Vegas World, the industry’s most engaging multiplayer social casino. Together, they have been played by a loyal community of more than 75 million users around the world. FlowPlay dominates a cross-section of industries including online and mobile games, fantasy sports and casinos – consistently creating opportunities in high-growth and emerging markets. Based in Seattle, FlowPlay was founded in 2006 and is primarily funded by Intel Capital and the creators of Skype.

Blip

Series A in 2007
Blip is an online media platform that offers users access to a variety of video clips and programs focused on media and entertainment. The platform features content across multiple categories, including general entertainment, comedy, music, drama, television, food, and video games. It organizes its offerings into segments such as editors' picks, current trends, and new episodes. Additionally, Blip provides producers with tools to host, distribute, and monetize their web series. Founded in 2005 by Charles Hope and Jared Klett, Blip is headquartered in New York City.

Markit

Seed Round in 2006
More than 9500 companies in 35 countries trust and use Markit to purchase their IT products, including 20+% of the Global Forbes 2000 and Fortune 500 companies. Companies such as ABB, AGA (Linde AG), Coca-Cola, Danfoss, Ericsson, Johnson & Johnson MetLife, Rezidor/Radisson, Roche, Sanofi, Schott, SEB, Siemens, Skype, Telenor, Tieto, TIKTOK and many more are solving numerous indirect IT purchasing issues with Markit. In 2019 they saved an average of 12.5% on average market prices and thousands of hours in reduced purchasing process time. Our clients compare prices and delivery times in real time in our catalogue of 3.4 million IT products, sourced from approximately 325 of the world’s leading IT distributors. Markit offers local to local deliveries with local invoicing in the relevant currencies across 35 countries. The average delivery time for orders is approximately 3 days. In addition, clients get transparent visibility of spend, dynamic proof of savings plus supplier and invoice consolidation options, all backed by dedicated client support in local languages. Contract management and SLAs are simplified with a group level consolidated agreement, potentially reducing the client’s IT supplier count to one. At Markit, we believe IT purchasing should be simple, transparent and efficient – in a way that not only saves money on product prices but reduces purchasing process time massively. We're passionate about helping our clients succeed in achieving the lowest possible total cost of purchase. Our Net Promoter Score is 64.5% and rising. In 2019 Markit’s turnover was 111.9M euros. Markit was founded in Estonia in 2003. Full markit Factsheet available at www.slideshare.net/markit/markit-fact-sheet-239054692

Evikon MCI

Venture Round in 2006
Evikon MCI designs, manufacturers and markets sensor-based electronic measurement instruments for industrial automation applications. The company located in Tartu, Estonia, operates on the instrumentation market since 1991 and aims to take a leading position in this sector in Baltic region.

Modesat

Seed Round in 2006
Modesat Communications is a rapidly growing privately held technology company specializing in the design, development and commercialization of high throughput FPGA or ASIC based digital modems for microwave, millimeter wave and satellite communications applications. Products developed by the company incorporate Modesat’s patented PilotSyncTM synchronization technology, which enables higher throughput, lower bill of materials cost and increased operational reliablity.

Ecofleet

Seed Round in 2006
Ecofleet Group develops global positioning (GPS) system based fleet and team management software. The company was founded in 2006 and is based in Birkerød, Denmark. As of January 31, 2018, Ecofleet Group operates as a subsidiary of Fleet Complete.

Clifton

Series A in 2006
Clifton has developed an industrially stable process for gallium arsenide Liquid Phase Epitaxy, and is using it to manufacture dies for high temperature ultra-fast recovery PIN power diodes. Compared to conventional Silicon diodes, GaAs has superior performance characteristics, including: * higher maximum junction temperature (up to +260 Celsius) * temperature independent dynamic recovery characteristics * lower leakage current * radiation hardness * high reverse voltage capability (up to 1000V)

MyHeritage

Series A in 2004
MyHeritage is the global destination for discovering, preserving and sharing family history. Our platform and DNA kits make it easy for anyone, anywhere to embark on a meaningful journey into their past and treasure their family stories for generations to come. Our powerful technology does the searching for you, revealing fascinating new details about your family history — effortlessly. The company was founded in 2003 by our CEO – entrepreneur and family historian Gilad Japhet. From a humble garage startup, MyHeritage has grown into a global company with 90 million users across 196 countries. Our 370 employees work out of bright, spacious offices in Israel, North America, and Europe to deliver an exceptional user experience in 42 languages. Guided by our core values of innovation, compassion and diversity, our team undertakes many voluntary community initiatives, using our expertise and technology to reunite families. We are delighted to go the extra mile for our users, offering 24/7 support and striving to create a true sense of community in the world of family history. In October 2013 MyHeritage was named the most promising Israeli start-up for 2013-14 by "Globes" magazine.