Bending Spoons
An Italian technology company that develops, acquires, and operates subscription-based digital products and software businesses.
Last updated October 17, 2026
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Overview
Bending Spoons S.p.A. is an Italian technology company headquartered in Milan. Founded in 2013 by Luca Ferrari, Francesco Patarnello, and Matteo Danieli, it began as a mobile-app developer and gradually evolved into a technology conglomerate built around the acquisition and long-term operation of established digital products. Its portfolio has included consumer applications, creative software, collaboration tools, event platforms, file-transfer services, video products, productivity software, and online media brands. The company’s early business focused on developing and optimizing mobile applications. Its best-known early products included video-editing application Splice, acquired from GoPro in 2018, and the fitness application 30 Day Fitness. In 2019, Bending Spoons launched Playond, a subscription service for premium iOS games. It later expanded into artificial-intelligence-powered photo editing through Remini and into professional creative tools through acquisitions such as FiLMiC, Alight Motion, and Evernote. A significant public-service project came in 2020, when the Italian government selected Bending Spoons to design and develop Immuni, Italy’s official COVID-19 contact-tracing application. Immuni launched on June 1, 2020, and was decommissioned at the end of 2022. The project increased the company’s public visibility beyond consumer apps and demonstrated its capacity to build and operate a nationally significant digital service. From 2022 onward, Bending Spoons pursued an increasingly acquisition-led strategy. It acquired Evernote, Meetup, Issuu, WeTransfer, Brightcove, Komoot, Harvest, MileIQ, Vimeo, AOL, Eventbrite, Tractive, and other digital businesses or assets. The company generally targets products with established users and product-market fit, then applies its own engineering, analytics, artificial-intelligence, monetization, and operational methods. It has described this approach as long-term ownership rather than a short-term resale model. The operating model has attracted comparisons with private equity because post-acquisition programs have often included codebase modernization, pricing changes, product consolidation, and substantial workforce reductions. Supporters view the model as a way to restore investment and profitability to mature digital products; critics have objected to higher subscription prices, layoffs, service changes, and the treatment of acquired brands. The company’s acquisition of Harvest, for example, was followed by a shift from a flat per-seat pricing structure toward a model combining base charges with usage-based fees, which some customers said materially increased renewal costs. Bending Spoons reported a large applicant pool and selective hiring process in 2025. According to the supplied reference material, it received 800,000 job applications and made 286 hires during that year. The company subsequently pursued a United States initial public offering. The supplied reference material states that its shares began trading on July 1, 2026, under the ticker BSP, following an offering that raised $1.68 billion. Those reported events marked a transition from a privately held technology operator to a publicly traded owner of a broad portfolio of digital brands.
History
Bending Spoons originated in the aftermath of Evertale, an unsuccessful venture-funded startup associated with Luca Ferrari, Francesco Patarnello, and Matteo Danieli. After that venture ended, the founders reportedly retained approximately $40,000, which became the seed capital for a new company established in June 2013. The business was initially founded in Copenhagen and moved its base to Milan in 2014. Its name was inspired by a scene from the film The Matrix. The company’s first phase centered on mobile software. Rather than operating primarily as a conventional agency or enterprise software vendor, Bending Spoons developed consumer applications and concentrated on product design, engineering, user acquisition, subscription conversion, and revenue optimization. This approach produced a portfolio that included fitness, video, photo, and other mobile applications. Splice, a video-editing application originally associated with GoPro, became one of its most visible acquisitions after Bending Spoons purchased it in 2018. In 2019, Bending Spoons introduced Playond, a subscription service offering a catalog of premium iOS games. The service competed with emerging game-subscription offerings such as Apple Arcade and GameClub. It generated criticism because some games that had previously been sold through one-time purchases were made available through a subscription structure, and changes in licensing and authentication could affect existing player access or progress. Bending Spoons closed Playond in March 2020, after which the games returned to the App Store pages of their original developers. The company’s role in Italy’s response to COVID-19 became a major turning point. On April 17, 2020, the Italian government announced that Bending Spoons had been selected to design and develop Immuni, the national contact-tracing application. Immuni was released on June 1, 2020, and remained associated with the company’s public-sector technology capabilities until it was decommissioned on December 31, 2022. Bending Spoons expanded its product portfolio through acquisitions. It acquired the artificial-intelligence-powered photo application Remini in 2021 and agreed to acquire FiLMiC in 2022. FiLMiC Pro was subsequently moved toward a subscription-based commercial model, while the original FiLMiC team was later dismissed and continued product development was brought in-house. In late 2022, Bending Spoons agreed to acquire Evernote; the transaction closed in January 2023. Evernote later dismissed its remaining existing staff and announced a relocation of operations toward Europe. The company also acquired Alight Creative, the developer of Alight Motion, during 2023. The acquisition pace accelerated in 2024. Bending Spoons acquired assets of Mosaic Group from IAC, acquired Meetup, announced an agreement for Hopin and its StreamYard business, acquired Issuu, agreed to purchase WeTransfer, and agreed to acquire Brightcove. These deals broadened its portfolio from mobile applications into professional video, livestreaming, digital publishing, file transfer, and community platforms. Several transactions were followed by significant staffing reductions, contributing to a public debate over the company’s operating model. In 2025, the company continued acquiring mature digital brands. The portfolio expanded to include Komoot, Harvest, MileIQ, Vimeo, AOL, and Eventbrite. The supplied reference describes layoffs at several of these businesses, including substantial reductions at Komoot and Vimeo. Bending Spoons also acquired Tractive in 2026, entering pet technology and connected-device services, and later acquired Airtable according to the supplied reference. Bending Spoons’ strategy is often compared with private equity, although it generally retains acquired businesses instead of preparing them for resale. The company looks for products with recognizable brands, established users, recurring revenue, and product-market fit. It then seeks to improve profitability through software rewrites, automation, artificial intelligence, proprietary tooling, open-source technologies, pricing changes, and organizational restructuring. The company has reportedly used full-stack teams working with technologies including Python, FastAPI, and TypeScript to modernize acquired codebases. This strategy has produced both growth and controversy. Customers and commentators have criticized subscription price increases, product changes, and layoffs. The Harvest acquisition was followed by a move from a flat per-seat price toward a base fee combined with usage-based charges, producing sharply higher renewal costs for some customers. Matteo Danieli said that scrutiny was partly a consequence of acquiring products with highly committed user communities and stated that retention across the portfolio had remained stable. In 2025, the company reportedly received 800,000 job applications and hired 286 people, illustrating the selectivity and visibility of its employment model. The supplied reference states that Bending Spoons pursued a United States initial public offering in 2026. It reportedly filed an F-1 registration statement for a Nasdaq listing under BSP, sought a valuation of approximately $20 billion, and raised $1.68 billion at a $29.00 offer price. Shares reportedly began trading on July 1, 2026. If those reported events are treated as current, the IPO represents the latest stage in Bending Spoons’ development from an Italian mobile-app studio into a publicly traded operator of a large, international portfolio of digital brands.
- 2026
Reported Nasdaq listing
[1]The supplied reference states that Bending Spoons completed an initial public offering and began trading under BSP.
- 2025
Portfolio expanded into major digital brands
[1]Bending Spoons acquired or agreed to acquire Komoot, Harvest, MileIQ, Vimeo, AOL, and Eventbrite.
- 2024
Acquisition program broadened
[1]The company expanded into Meetup, StreamYard, Issuu, WeTransfer, and Brightcove, in addition to the Mosaic Group assets.
- 2023
Evernote acquisition completed
[1]The acquisition of Evernote, announced in 2022, was completed in January 2023.
- 2021
Remini acquired
[1]Bending Spoons acquired the AI-powered photo-editing application Remini.
- 2020
Immuni launched
[1]Italy’s official COVID-19 contact-tracing application, developed by Bending Spoons, was released.
- 2019
Playond launched
[1]The company launched Playond, a subscription catalog of premium iOS games.
- 2018
Splice acquired
[1]Bending Spoons acquired the Splice video-editing application from GoPro.
- 2014
Headquarters moved to Milan
[1]After its initial establishment in Copenhagen, the company moved its base to Milan.
- 2013
Company founded
[1]Luca Ferrari, Francesco Patarnello, and Matteo Danieli founded Bending Spoons using seed capital left from their earlier venture.
Products and positioning
A technology operator and acquisition platform for established digital products, emphasizing software engineering, artificial intelligence, monetization, operational efficiency, and long-term ownership.
Video editing application
Splice
Splice is a consumer video-editing application associated with Bending Spoons after its acquisition from GoPro in 2018. It is positioned around accessible creation tools for editing video on mobile devices, helping users assemble clips, apply effects, synchronize media, and prepare content for digital distribution.
AI photo-editing application
Remini
Remini is an AI-powered photo-enhancement and editing application acquired by Bending Spoons in 2021. Its proposition centers on automated image improvement and consumer-friendly creative effects delivered through a mobile application and subscription-oriented model.
Fitness application
30 Day Fitness
30 Day Fitness is a guided fitness application associated with Bending Spoons’ original consumer-app portfolio. It uses structured exercise programs and recurring engagement to support users seeking at-home or mobile-guided workouts.
Public-health mobile application · 2020
Immuni
Immuni was Italy’s official COVID-19 contact-tracing application, designed and developed by Bending Spoons for the Italian government. It launched in June 2020 and was decommissioned on December 31, 2022.
Mobile game subscription service · 2019
Playond
Playond offered subscribers access to a catalog of premium iOS games, including titles such as Crashlands, Morphite, Sleep Attack, Daggerhood, and Jydge. The service closed in March 2020 after criticism related to subscription access, licensing transitions, and effects on some previously purchased games.
Professional mobile video camera application
FiLMiC Pro
FiLMiC Pro is a mobile video-recording application acquired through Bending Spoons’ purchase of FiLMiC. After the acquisition, the product was moved toward a subscription revenue model, and later development was continued internally after the original FiLMiC team was dismissed.
Note-taking and productivity software
Evernote
Evernote is a digital note-taking and organization service acquired by Bending Spoons in January 2023. It remains one of the company’s most prominent acquisitions and illustrates its strategy of taking long-term ownership of mature subscription software with an established user base.
File-transfer service
WeTransfer
WeTransfer is a digital file-transfer service acquired by Bending Spoons. Its position in the portfolio extends the company’s reach into creative-industry workflows, large-file sharing, and subscription services used by individuals and organizations.
Online video platform
Vimeo
Vimeo is a video-hosting and collaboration platform acquired by Bending Spoons in 2025 according to the supplied reference. The transaction expanded Bending Spoons’ exposure to professional video publishing, hosting, and creative collaboration.
Digital media and internet services
AOL
AOL is an established internet and digital-media brand acquired by Bending Spoons in 2025 according to the supplied reference. Its inclusion represents a move beyond standalone software applications into a broad consumer internet property.
Social and event platform
Meetup
Meetup helps people organize and discover in-person and virtual activities. Bending Spoons acquired the platform in 2024, adding community organization and event discovery to its portfolio of digital products.
Outdoor navigation application
Komoot
Komoot is an outdoor route-planning and navigation service acquired by Bending Spoons in 2025 according to the supplied reference. It serves activities such as hiking and cycling through digital maps, route discovery, and navigation features.
Brand decisions
2026
Reported initial public offeringOtherBackground
After building a large portfolio of acquired digital businesses, Bending Spoons pursued access to public equity markets.
Action taken
The supplied reference states that the company filed for a Nasdaq listing under BSP, priced its shares at $29.00, and raised $1.68 billion.
Aftermath
The supplied reference reports that shares began trading on July 1, 2026, marking the company’s transition from private ownership to a public listing.
IPO proceeds. $1.68 billion raised (July 2026)
2025
Portfolio consolidation and profitability focusStrategyBackground
Bending Spoons continued to seek established subscription and digital-media products with existing product-market fit.
Action taken
It expanded into Komoot, Harvest, MileIQ, Vimeo, AOL, and Eventbrite, while applying its engineering, pricing, automation, and cost-management approach.
Aftermath
The strategy increased the company’s scale and visibility while intensifying criticism over workforce reductions and pricing changes.
2025
Harvest pricing restructuringOtherBackground
After acquiring Harvest, Bending Spoons reviewed the product’s monetization model.
Action taken
The service moved from a flat per-seat structure toward a base rate combined with usage-based charges.
Aftermath
Some long-standing customers reported sharply higher renewal costs, making the change a prominent example of criticism directed at the company’s monetization strategy.
2024
Expansion into mature software and media brandsStrategyBackground
The company sought to scale its operating model beyond mobile applications.
Action taken
It acquired or agreed to acquire assets and companies including Mosaic Group, Meetup, Hopin’s StreamYard business, Issuu, WeTransfer, and Brightcove.
Aftermath
The transactions broadened the portfolio but also brought public attention to layoffs and restructuring after several acquisitions.
2022
Acquisition-led portfolio strategyM&ABackground
Bending Spoons shifted from primarily developing mobile products to acquiring established digital businesses with recognizable brands and recurring users.
Action taken
It agreed to acquire Evernote and pursued additional acquisitions spanning creative software, collaboration, publishing, video, file transfer, and online communities.
Aftermath
The company became increasingly associated with a long-term ownership model combining product modernization, monetization changes, and organizational restructuring.
2020
Development of ImmuniOtherBackground
Italy needed a national digital contact-tracing service during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Action taken
Bending Spoons designed and developed Immuni under selection by the Italian government.
Aftermath
Immuni launched on June 1, 2020, and was later decommissioned at the end of 2022.
2019
Launch of PlayondProduct launchBackground
Bending Spoons entered mobile gaming subscriptions while premium game catalogs were becoming a competitive category on iOS.
Action taken
It launched Playond with a catalog of premium iOS games and an energy-based limited-play mechanism intended to encourage subscriptions.
Aftermath
The service drew criticism over subscription treatment of games previously sold as one-time purchases and closed in March 2020.
Recent events
- Unconfirmed
Reported
Bending Spoons completes acquisition of Miro[3]
Bending Spoons completed its previously announced acquisition of Miro, acquiring 100% of Miro’s issued and outstanding shares in an all-cash transaction.
Reported
Berkshire Hathaway increases investment in Bending Spoons[4]
Berkshire Hathaway invested more than $900 million in Bending Spoons in total, including a $330 million stake disclosed on Wednesday.
Weekdays and relative dates follow the original report; their exact calendar dates have not been verified.
- Unconfirmed
Reported
Bending Spoons to acquire collaboration tools maker Miro for $1.36 billion[5]
Bending Spoons is acquiring workplace collaboration startup Miro for $1.36 billion in cash (equity value of $1.79 billion), far below Miro's $17.5 billion valuation from late 2021.
Reported
Bending Spoons acquires Tractive for $900 million[6]
Bending Spoons acquired Austrian pet hardware startup Tractive, maker of GPS pet tracking collars, for $900 million in May 2026, ahead of its July 1, 2026 Nasdaq listing. After the acquisition, Bending Spoons laid off 160 Tractive employees, more than half the team, and both founders departed.
Reported
Bending Spoons launches Playond[7]
Bending Spoons officially launched Playond, a mobile gaming service offering members access to a catalog of premium games, with free limited access or a subscription option.
Sources7 sources
- 1Bending Spoonsen.wikipedia.org
- 2Bending Spoons official websitebendingspoons.com
- 3Bending Spoons 完成对 Miro 的收购finanznachrichten.de
- 4伯克希尔·哈撒韦增持Bending Spoonscnbc.com
- 5Bending Spoons 宣布以13.6亿美元收购协作工具公司 Mirotechcrunch.com
- 6Bending Spoons 以 9 亿美元收购 Tractivenews.pedaily.cn
- 7Bending Spoons推出Playondfinanznachrichten.de
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