Audio streaming platform developer Spotify purchased Betty Labs, the US-based developer of social sports audio app Locker Room, for an undisclosed amount on Tuesday, allowing corporates Alphabet and Amazon to exit.
Locker Room hosts live audio conversations focusing on sports, and Spotify plans to expand it into areas like music and culture in the coming months.
The company secured $9.3m in an October 2020 seed round led by Alphabet’s GV subsidiary and backed by e-commerce and cloud services group Amazon’s Alexa Fund, Lightspeed Venture Partners and professional athletes including Kevin Durant, Andre Iguodala and Baron Davis.
Spotify’s chief research and development officer, Gustav Söderström, said: “Creators and fans have been asking for live formats on Spotify, and we are excited that soon, we will make them available to hundreds of millions of listeners and millions of creators on our platform.
“The world already turns to us for music, podcasts, and other unique audio experiences, and this new live audio experience is a powerful complement that will enhance and extend the on-demand experience we provide today.”
