Key facts
- Bending Spoons, a Milan-based tech conglomerate, has gone public on the Nasdaq.
- The company's market capitalization briefly reached over $25 billion post-IPO.
- Bending Spoons' current market cap is double its previous private valuation of $11 billion.
- Its portfolio includes brands such as AOL, Vimeo, Meetup, Eventbrite, and WeTransfer.
- Bending Spoons reported $1.31 billion in revenue for 2025.
- The company's strategy involves acquiring brands and improving them through technology, AI, price hikes, and organizational changes.
Bending Spoons, a Milan-based tech conglomerate known for acquiring digital brands like AOL and Vimeo, recently debuted on the Nasdaq, achieving a brief market capitalization of over $25 billion. This valuation is double its previous private valuation of $11 billion, indicating strong investor confidence in its business model.
The company's strategy involves acquiring established digital brands, such as Meetup, Eventbrite, and WeTransfer, and then enhancing their financial performance through technological integration, AI, price adjustments, and organizational restructuring. While this approach has drawn some criticism, particularly regarding changes to beloved products like Evernote, Bending Spoons reports stable customer retention.
Founded 13 years ago from the remnants of a failed startup, Bending Spoons has grown significantly, serving over 500 million monthly active users and more than 9 million paying customers as of March 2026. The company's revenue reached $1.31 billion in 2025. Bending Spoons differentiates itself from private equity by aiming to hold acquired businesses indefinitely, building a permanent portfolio rather than liquidating assets.
Notable acquisitions include Filmic, Evernote, Meetup, Issuu, WeTransfer, Brightcove, Komoot, Harvest, Vimeo, AOL, and Eventbrite. The company has implemented significant changes post-acquisition, including workforce reductions, particularly at Vimeo, AOL, and Eventbrite, with expectations of further consolidation.
Despite workforce adjustments, Bending Spoons emphasizes increased productivity, with revenue per full-time equivalent employee rising substantially. The company believes its model is well-positioned to benefit from current economic conditions, potentially acquiring businesses at favorable valuations amidst market uncertainty.