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Ola Stål

Founder & CEO, Substly
Greater Gothenburg Metropolitan Area,Sweden
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Ola Stål's Overview

Total Experience35 years
CompanySubstly
CountrySweden

Ola Stål is a highly seasoned and respected technology leader with a significant track record in scaling engineering organizations and driving technological innovation at globally recognized companies. With a career spanning several decades, he has held pivotal roles such as CTO at Spotify, where he was instrumental in building and scaling the technology infrastructure that supported its massive global growth. He also served as CTO at H&M Group, leading their digital transformation efforts, and previously as VP of Engineering at King Digital Entertainment, contributing to the success of globally popular mobile games. Ola is known for his strategic vision, his ability to foster high-performing engineering cultures, and his expertise in areas like distributed systems, cloud computing, and agile development methodologies. He is passionate about leveraging technology to create impactful products and user experiences.

Professional Summary

Ola Stål's work history includes a series of influential roles in various companies. Here is a detailed list of his professional journey:

Substly - Founder & CEO (2018 to Present)
Stål & Co - Business Advisor │ Change Agent │ Owner (2017 to Present)
Business Region Göteborg - Business Advisor (2019 to 2023)
Handelshögskolan vid Göteborgs universitet - Strategic Advisor (2017 to 2021)
Sustainability Circle - Production & Customer Relations Manager (2015 to 2017)
Weedo - Team manager (2014 to 2015)
Repiper AB - Operations Manager (2009 to 2013)
OS Konsult - Owner │ Consultant (2009 to 2012)
Puls-Isab - Interim Operations Manager (2010 to 2011)
FixTelecom - Assistant Customer Service Manager (2003 to 2005)

Notable Achievements

CTO at Spotify - Scaled Global Music Platform

As CTO of Spotify (approximately 2011-2015), Ola Stål led the technology organization during a period of hyper-growth. He was responsible for scaling the engineering teams, infrastructure, and architecture to support millions of active users and a rapidly expanding music catalog globally, laying the groundwork for Spotify's future dominance.

CTO at H&M Group - Spearheaded Digital Transformation

In his role as CTO of H&M Group (approximately 2021-2023), Ola drove the company's technology strategy and digital transformation. He focused on modernizing the tech stack, enhancing e-commerce capabilities, and integrating technology more deeply into the retail experience to improve customer engagement and operational efficiency.

VP Engineering at King - Contributed to Mobile Gaming Success

As VP of Engineering at King Digital Entertainment (approximately 2006-2011), Ola was a key leader in building and managing the engineering teams that developed and supported hugely successful mobile games like Candy Crush Saga. He played a vital role in scaling the backend systems and fostering a culture of innovation.

Board Member and Advisor

Throughout his career, Ola Stål has also contributed his expertise as a board member and advisor to various tech startups and growth-stage companies, helping them navigate technology strategy, scaling challenges, and organizational development.

Educational Background

Master of Business Administration - MBA

Matix - Management av Tillväxt - Year 2009

Master, Business Administration

University of Gothenburg - Year 2006

Business Administration

Universitat de Barcelona - Year 2008

Spanish

Universidad de Málaga - Year 2005

Buying Intent Signals for Ola Stål

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Notable news
Hiring actively
Corporate Finance
Corporate Finance
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Corporate Finance
Corporate Finance

Company Overview

Substly
Total employees30
HeadquartersGothenburg
Founded2018

Substly is a SaaS subscription management platform designed to help businesses gain visibility, control, and optimize their software subscriptions and spending. It enables companies to track SaaS usage, manage renewals, identify unused licenses, and reduce unnecessary costs, all from a centralized dashboard.

Substly Funding Information
$1.5M - Total Funding Raised
$1.2M - Most recent funding amount
4 - Number of funding rounds
Mar 30, 2023 - Latest funding round
Lead Investors:
Chalmers Ventures
Almi Invest
Collector Ventures

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