Bending Spoons acquires Miro for $1.36 billion, 92% below peak valuation

Italian software acquirer continues bargain hunt, buying the collaboration platform months after snagging Airtable

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By LineZotpaper
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Bending Spoons, the Italian serial acquirer of software companies, has agreed to buy workplace collaboration platform Miro for $1.36 billion in cash — a fraction of the $17.5 billion valuation the company commanded during the pandemic-era SaaS boom of 2021. The deal, announced Thursday, represents a 92% decline in value and follows the same pattern as Bending Spoons' purchase of Airtable for $1.28 billion last month.

Miro, founded in 2011 as RealtimeBoard, rode the remote work wave to become a $17.5 billion company by late 2021. Its whiteboarding and collaboration tools attracted millions of users during the pandemic, growing from five million to about 30 million users within two years, with its paying customer base expanding by 550%. The company integrated with more than 250 apps, including Atlassian, Cisco, Microsoft, and Zoom, and now positions itself as an 'AI innovation workspace' with AI assistants, workflows, and connectors.

Today, Miro reports more than four million paying users and 100 million total users. Bending Spoons said Miro has about $600 million in annual recurring revenue, 90% from businesses and enterprises, with $435 million in net cash and profitability. The company still employs a workforce that has been reduced from roughly 1,200 in 2022, after two rounds of layoffs — 119 staff in February 2023 and another 275 reported in October 2024.

Bending Spoons is acquiring the equity for $1.79 billion, though the cash purchase price is $1.36 billion. The 92% valuation drop underscores how dramatically SaaS multiples have unwound since 2021. As pandemic tailwinds faded, enterprises tightened software spending, consolidating licenses and favouring suite products from well-funded rivals such as Canva, Figma, and Microsoft. Miro, a standalone collaboration tool, found itself squeezed.

The acquisition mirrors Bending Spoons' recent purchase of Airtable, which was valued at over $11 billion in 2021 but sold for $1.28 billion. The Italian firm appears to be capitalising on a market shift: large, once-hot SaaS companies that were priced to become software giants but have matured into slower-growing, though still profitable, businesses.

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Analysis

Why This Matters

  • The deal signals a continuing correction in enterprise software valuations, with pandemic-era darlings selling for pennies on the dollar.
  • For Miro's 100 million users, the acquisition could mean changes in product direction, pricing, or integration with Bending Spoons' portfolio.
  • The transaction reinforces Bending Spoons' strategy of buying distressed but profitable SaaS companies, potentially reshaping the collaboration software landscape.

Background

Bending Spoons, an Italian company, has built a reputation for acquiring struggling or under-monetised software assets and turning them around. Its recent purchases include Airtable and other productivity tools. Miro was founded in 2011 and became a poster child for the remote-work boom, raising $400 million at a $17.5 billion valuation in early 2022. The company's growth slowed as the pandemic ended and corporate budgets tightened, leading to layoffs and a strategic pivot toward AI-enhanced features.

Key Perspectives

Bending Spoons: The acquirer sees value in Miro's profitable, cash-rich business with $600 million in ARR and a large user base, buying at a fraction of the peak price. Miro's investors and employees: Early backers and staff who saw the company's valuation collapse may face significant losses; employees have endured two rounds of layoffs. Competitors (Canva, Figma, Microsoft): They benefit from the consolidation trend, as enterprises seek integrated suites over standalone tools, reducing the competitive pressure from Miro.

What to Watch

  • Whether Bending Spoons integrates Miro with its other acquisitions or operates it as a standalone unit.
  • How Miro's AI product roadmap evolves under new ownership.
  • The reaction from Miro's enterprise customers, who may face changes in licensing or support.

Sources

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