In January 2020, a works council was elected that represents the employees of the Berlin office. In March 2017, Native Instruments acquired remix-licensing startup MetaPop. In 2006, Native Instruments restructured into 3 divisions: instruments, DJ, and guitar. 2004 also saw the release of their guitar amplifier and effects pedal emulation software, Guitar Rig. In September 2004, the company began a partnership with the DJ hardware manufacturing company Stanton Magnetics and with online music store Beatport. In 2002, they expanded further to include software samplers, in the form of ongoing products Kontakt and Battery. In 2000, the company began creating products for the DJ community, beginning with the first version of their Traktor software. In 1999, Native Instruments expanded their staff count and moved to their current building in Berlin's Kreuzberg district. įollowing the release of Generator, the company's employees expanded to include Bernd Roggendorf (later a founder of Ableton) and Daniel Haver, who later became Native Instruments' CEO. Founders Stephan Schmitt and Volker Hinz began using the name Native Instruments in 1996, when they developed Generator, a modular synth software package (which would later form the foundations for their ongoing product, Reaktor).
Native Instruments was founded in Berlin, Germany, where its headquarters are still located.