Storytel Books will invest in Mockingbird Publishing Software, a customized ERP for publishers. Storytel Books have been a customer to Mockingbird for over one year, and will now commit by becoming a major stakeholder in the company.
Mockingbird offers an integrated solution across the entire publishing process and the system is being used all the way through the product life cycle from idea to published book. Mockingbird has been developed in tandem with the growing digital market and can handle the complexity of various digital and printed formats.
“Modern systems that suit all types of publishers, both small and large, are in short supply today, Together, we have advantageous knowledge of the publishing business that many external software companies can simply never have. Our collaboration has great advantages that we believe will benefit the entire industry. Mockingbird will help to develop the book industry as a whole,” says Linda Säresand, CEO at Storytel Books.
Development of Mockingbird has been carried out by Bonnierförlagen since 2015 and there are currently eight employees working with operations and development. All of these employees will be moving to the newly formed company.
“Mockingbird is a solution for all kinds of publishers, large and small. The solution is already used successfully by many publishing companies and this investment will contribute to make it even more attractive to more publishers,” says Linda Säresand.
The solution has been developed since 2015 by Bonnierförlagen, which will remain as an equal partner in Mockingbird Publishing Software AB, where also the employees are owners.
“In a rapidly digitalised industry, the right strategic way forward is through collaboration and development of shared IT infrastructure. Together with Storytel Books, we will be driving the development and commercialisation of Mockingbird,” Magnus Brundin, Director Corporate Business Development Bonnier Books says.
Mockingbird is used by Norstedts; Rabén & Sjögren, Bromberg, B Wahlströms och Printz Publishing as well as Bonnierförlagen and Bonnier Books’ Finnish publishing operations.
Terms of the transaction are not disclosed. It is expected to close in the first quarter of 2022 and is subject to regulatory review and approval.