Flightradar24 Sells 35% Stake for $175 Million

Flightradar24, the popular Swedish flight tracking platform, has sold a 35% stake to London-based private equity firm Sprints Capital, in a deal that values the company at $500 million. The transaction allows the company’s founders, Mikael Robertsson and Olov Lindberg, to receive a combined $175 million while retaining a 65% ownership and full operational control.

Founded in 2006 as a hobby project, Flightradar24 has grown into a global leader in real-time air traffic tracking. The company’s business model is based on a mix of premium subscriptions, advertising, and commercial data sales.

The investment from Sprints Capital is expected to support the company’s next phase of international growth. However, since the deal involved the sale of existing shares, the proceeds went directly to the founders and not into the company’s corporate expansion funds.