Niklas Zennstrom
Uppsala University, Sweden · Skype
The Swedish Student Who Made International Calls Free
23 February 2026
Niklas Zennstrom studied engineering physics and business at Uppsala University in Sweden. After graduating, he met Janus Friis and they built several peer-to-peer technology companies, including the controversial Kazaa file-sharing network.
Free Calls Over the Internet
In 2003, Zennstrom and Friis applied peer-to-peer technology to voice calls, creating Skype. The premise was revolutionary: make international phone calls completely free using the internet.
300 Million Users
Skype grew explosively, reaching 300 million registered users. It was initially acquired by eBay for $2.6 billion in 2005, then bought back by an investor group before the landmark deal.
$8.5 Billion Microsoft Acquisition
Microsoft acquired Skype for $8.5 billion in 2011. Zennstrom went on to found Atomico, one of Europe's most influential venture capital firms. His journey shows how technical innovation — applying existing technology to new problems — can create massive value.
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