Michael Breidenbruecker
Michael Breidenbrücker | |
|---|---|
 Breidenbrücker in 2014 | |
| Born | 6 January 1972 Vorarlberg, Austria |
| Alma mater | University of Applied Arts Vienna |
| Occupation | Entrepreneur |
Michael Breidenbrücker (born 6 January 1972) is an Austrian entrepreneur, technologist and artist whose work has spanned three technology cycles from the late 1990s. He is best known as co-founder of Last.fm, founder of RjDj, Founding General Partner of 3-A.vc, and co-founder of Raidical.one. He has worked with musical artists such as Hans Zimmer, Imogen Heap, Air and Booka Shade. In 2011 he produced Inception The App with Christopher Nolan and Hans Zimmer, which reached number 5 in the US App Store charts.[1]
Business ventures
Last.fm
In 2002, Breidenbrücker co-founded the Internet radio site for streaming music Last.fm Ltd. and managed it as CEO from 2002 until 2005. Using a recommend system called Audioscrobbler, Last.fm records users' different musical tastes and makes recommendations. The site also offers different social networking features, allowing users to share their tastes. In May 2007, the company was acquired by CBS Interactive for US$280 million (UK£140 million).[2] In 2003, Last.fm received an Honorary Mention in the Prix Ars Electronica in the category Net vision.[3]
RjDj
In 2008, he founded RjDj (Reality Jockey Ltd.), a London-based music technology startup pioneering augmented sound and reactive music. RjDj produced and distributed a network of mobile applications that composed real-time ambient soundtracks based on the listener's environment. Writing for Wired in 2009, author and futurist Bruce Sterling described RjDj as "augmented sound design, under-rated", adding: "Maybe someday 'silent augmentation' will be classified like silent cinema."[4]
Mobile applications created with RjDj:
- RjDj App
- Trippy Replay
- Rj Voyager
- Inception The App
- Dimensions The Game
- Situ
- The Dark Knight Rises Z+
RjDj ceased trading in 2013. In 2016, a revised edition of the RjDj App was released under the name "Hear", which reached the top 10 in the App Store Health & Fitness charts.[5][6]
Speedinvest
In 2011, Breidenbrücker joined the founding team of the Vienna-based venture firm Speedinvest, initially serving on the investment committee.[7] In 2015, he became General Partner and founded Speedinvest Studio, a company builder based in Dornbirn, Austria, developing digital startups in partnership with corporate partners across traditional industries.[8] The studio operated until 2025.
3-A and Raidical
In 2026, Breidenbrücker co-founded 3-A.vc, an early-stage venture fund based in London,[9] and Raidical.one, pioneering the concept of lean exits, which also operates Raidical.academy.[10]
Life
Breidenbrücker was born in Vorarlberg, Austria.[11] After high school he studied engineering in Austria and worked on microgravity experiments in Sweden with Saab Space. He then studied digital art at the University of Applied Arts Vienna under Peter Weibel.[12] He subsequently moved to London, where between 2000 and 2002 he headed the masters programme in interactive digital media at Ravensbourne College of Design and Communication.[13]
References
- ↑ Brown, Mark. "Inception app acoustically augments your reality". Wired. Archived from the original on 11 December 2010. Retrieved 29 August 2022.
- ↑ Havenstein, Heather (30 May 2007). "CBS ups social networking ante with Last.fm acquisition". Computer World. Retrieved 28 July 2014.
- ↑ "2003 Prix Winners: Net Vision / Net Excellence". Ars Electronica. Archived from the original on 16 March 2016. Retrieved 29 August 2022.
- ↑ Bruce Sterling (17 August 2009). "Augmented Reality: RjDj". Wired. Retrieved 11 April 2026.
- ↑ Markus Lust (25 April 2016). "The Founder of Last.fm Is Creating the Future of Audio Technology". vice.com. Retrieved 2 May 2024.
- ↑ AJ Dellinger (28 April 2016). "This app will change the way you hear the world". dailydot.com. Retrieved 2 May 2024.
- ↑ Brandstaetter, Helmut (3 March 2015). "Speedinvest befeuert Startups mit Kapital" [Speedinvest fuels startups with capital]. Kurier (in German). Retrieved 29 August 2022.
- ↑ Christina Cassala (27 July 2016). "Speedstartstudio beschleunigt in Hochgeschwindigkeit". deutsche-startups.de. Retrieved 11 April 2026.
- ↑ "3-A — Officers". Companies House. Retrieved 11 April 2026.
- ↑ "Raidical — Officers". Companies House. Retrieved 11 April 2026.
- ↑ "Michael Breidenbrücker, CEO, RjDJ". NEXT18. Archived from the original on 4 November 2018. Retrieved 29 August 2022.
- ↑ "Michael Breidenbrücker". zBreagaz (in German). Archived from the original on 27 March 2015. Retrieved 29 August 2022.
- ↑ "Michael Breidenbrücker". DLD. Retrieved 29 July 2014.
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