Native Instruments CEO says “business continues as usual” as company enters preliminary insolvency

Following reports that Native Instruments has entered preliminary insolvency proceedings, the company’s CEO, Nick Williams, has issued a statement on the brand’s official blog.

German music technology outlet Create Digital Music first reported that court documentation confirms the appointment of a preliminary insolvency administrator, who will oversee the company’s restructuring and any potential sale of assets.

Online speculation has quickly turned to possible buyers for Native Instruments, with InMusic, Splice and Fender among the companies being floated.

Native Instruments – best known for flagship products including Maschine, Massive, Traktor and Kontakt – has undergone significant upheaval over the past decade. The company faced layoffs, internal restructuring and public criticism from former employees between 2019 and 2020.

In 2020, co-founder and then-CEO Daniel Haver stepped down alongside chief innovation officer and president Mate Galic, ushering in a period of leadership transition. Since 2021, private equity firm Francisco Partners has held a majority stake in the company.

Williams stated, “I want to personally take a moment to address the recent news about Native Instruments.

“Please rest assured that business continues as usual at Native Instruments, iZotope, Plugin Alliance and Brainworx. Our hardware and software products remain on sale and available for download and activation. Our passionate and dedicated teams are here and supporting customers as normal. In product and engineering, we are continuing to develop and launch new products and features. Our NKS Partnerships team continues to process Kontakt Player licences and NKS Partner submissions.

“We are working diligently and responsibly to secure a healthy, financially sustainable future for Native Instruments. As you may have seen, Native Instruments GmbH has entered a restructuring process in Germany, as have three of our German non-operating holding companies. In legal terms, we have filed applications to open pre-insolvency proceedings for those companies.

“We are focused on providing continuity for creators, customers, and partners. We’ll continue to share updates as we have them. I’m a lifelong musician myself, and have been a passionate fan of Native Instruments for 25 years. Our mission to inspire and enable creators to express themselves through sound continues.”