Bending Spoons' $1.4B Miro Deal: What It Means for European Tech

Jan de Vries · 2026-09-10

When a Milan-based tech giant quietly snaps up one of Europe's most beloved collaboration tools, you pay attention. Bending Spoons just signed a definitive agreement to acquire Miro for $1.4 billion in cold, hard cash. That's a huge vote of confidence in the AI-powered workspace that's become a staple for remote teams everywhere. But here's the thing: this isn't just another acquisition. It's a signal. A signal that European startups can scale globally and exit big. And it's a story about what happens when a company known for turning around underperforming products gets its hands on a rocket ship. ### The Deal at a Glance Let's break it down. Bending Spoons will pay $1.4 billion (€1.7 billion) for 100% of Miro's shares. The boards of both companies unanimously approved the deal. It's all cash, no stock swaps or funny business. Regulatory approvals are still pending, and the deal is expected to close in Q4 2026. Until then, both companies operate independently. Miro isn't exactly a fixer-upper. It's pulling in around $600 million in annual recurring revenue, with nearly 90% coming from business and enterprise customers. Over 250,000 organizations use it. And nearly 4 million paying users rely on it daily. This is a healthy, growing business. ### Why Bending Spoons Wants Miro Bending Spoons has a playbook: buy well-known but underperforming digital products, then use AI-driven automation and aggressive optimization to boost performance and profitability. They've done it over 50 times, with brands like Eventbrite, Vimeo, WeTransfer, Evernote, and AOL. But Miro is different. It's not underperforming. It's a leader in its space. So why buy it? Luca Ferrari, CEO of Bending Spoons, put it simply: "We acquire businesses with the intention of owning and operating them for the long term, and Miro will be no exception." They plan to invest in performance, reliability, and functionality. In other words, they're not looking to strip it down; they want to scale it up. ### The European Startup Angle For European founders, this deal is a big deal. It shows that you can build a world-class SaaS company in Europe, attract global users, and exit for a billion-dollar-plus valuation. Miro started in Russia, moved to the US, but has strong European ties. Bending Spoons is Italian. This is a European success story. Plus, it highlights a growing trend: European tech companies are no longer just acquisition targets for American giants. They're becoming acquirers themselves. Bending Spoons raised over $500 million in debt financing in August 2025 specifically to fuel acquisitions. They're hungry. ### What Miro Users Should Expect If you're one of the millions using Miro, you might be wondering: will my favorite features disappear? Will prices go up? Andrey Khusid, Miro's CEO, is optimistic: "The best version of Miro is still ahead of us. Partnering with Bending Spoons lets us deliver on that vision with ambition." Bending Spoons says they'll invest in the fundamentals: performance, reliability, and collaboration features. So expect improvements, not cuts. But let's be real: Bending Spoons is known for cost optimization. They'll likely streamline operations, cut unnecessary spending, and focus on profitability. That could mean some changes, but ideally, it means a stronger, more sustainable Miro. ### The Bigger Picture This acquisition is part of a larger wave. Bending Spoons is on a buying spree. They acquired Vimeo for €1.1 billion just weeks after raising that debt. They filed for an IPO on NASDAQ earlier this year. They're building an empire of digital brands. For the European startup ecosystem, it's a reminder that exits are possible. You don't have to sell to Google or Microsoft. You can sell to a European giant. And you can build something worth buying. ### Key Takeaways - Bending Spoons is acquiring Miro for $1.4 billion in an all-cash deal. - Miro has $600 million in ARR and 4 million paying users. - The deal is expected to close in Q4 2026. - Bending Spoons plans to invest in Miro's core strengths. - This is a win for European tech and a sign of things to come. So keep an eye on Miro. And keep an eye on Bending Spoons. They're just getting started.