Bending Spoons' $1.4B Miro Acquisition: A Game-Changer for European Startups?

Jan de Vries · 2026-09-10

When a Milan-based tech conglomerate drops $1.4 billion in cash to acquire a collaboration platform, you sit up and take notice. That's exactly what Bending Spoons did with Miro, the AI-powered workspace used by over 250,000 organizations. But what does this mean for European startups? Let's break it down. ### The Deal in a Nutshell Bending Spoons has entered a definitive agreement to acquire Miro for €1.7 billion ($1.4 billion) in an all-cash transaction. The deal, unanimously approved by both boards, will see Bending Spoons acquire 100% of Miro's shares. It's expected to close in Q4 2026, pending regulatory approvals. Miro isn't just any startup. It boasts around $600 million in annual recurring revenue, with nearly 90% coming from business and enterprise customers. And with nearly 4 million paying users, including over 750 customers spending more than $100,000 annually, it's a powerhouse in the collaboration space. ### Why Bending Spoons? Bending Spoons isn't your typical tech giant. Founded in 2013, this Italian company has a unique playbook: it acquires well-known but underperforming digital products and transforms them using AI-driven automation and aggressive optimization. They've done this over 50 times, with brands like Eventbrite, Vimeo, WeTransfer, Evernote, and AOL. Their CEO, Luca Ferrari, puts it simply: "We acquire businesses with the intention of owning and operating them for the long term, and Miro will be no exception." That long-term focus could be a breath of fresh air in an industry often obsessed with quick exits. > "The best version of Miro is still ahead of us. Partnering with Bending Spoons lets us deliver on that vision with ambition, for the customers who count on us." – Andrey Khusid, CEO and co-founder of Miro ### What This Means for European Startups This acquisition is a big deal for the European startup ecosystem. It shows that European companies can scale globally and attract massive acquisitions. Bending Spoons itself is a European success story, having filed for an IPO on NASDAQ earlier this year and raised over €500 million in debt financing in August 2025 to fuel its acquisition strategy. For startups, the message is clear: build something valuable, and the exit opportunities are there. But it also raises questions. Will Bending Spoons' cost-cutting approach affect Miro's culture and innovation? Only time will tell. ### The Road Ahead Until the deal closes, both companies will operate independently. After that, expect Bending Spoons to invest heavily in performance, reliability, and functionality—the fundamentals that customers value. With Miro's strong revenue and user base, this could be a match made in heaven. One thing's for sure: European startups are no longer just playing catch-up. They're setting the pace. And deals like this prove that the continent's tech scene is thriving.