Bending Spoons, the fast-growing Italian tech company, is preparing to take over the historic internet brand AOL – another bold move in its rapid international expansion. The Milan-based group has reached an agreement to acquire the legendary portal and email service from its current owners, further strengthening its position as one of Europe’s leading digital innovators.
The deal, valued at around $1.5 billion, is expected to close by the end of the year once regulatory approvals are secured. With AOL’s estimated 30 million monthly users and millions of active accounts still in operation, Bending Spoons sees strong potential to revive and modernize the brand through its technological expertise and design-driven approach.
The acquisition confirms the company’s long-term strategy of integrating established global platforms into a cohesive digital ecosystem. Bending Spoons has built its success on a clear formula – acquiring well-known digital brands with large user bases but declining performance, then revitalizing them through better technology and management.
Founded in Milan in 2013, the company has grown steadily through bold acquisitions. In 2023 it bought Evernote, followed by WeTransfer, Meetup, and StreamYard in 2024. Just this past September, it closed a $1.38 billion deal for Vimeo. The purchase of AOL is simply the next move in a long-term strategy to become the leading global player in reviving established digital platforms.
What makes this story even more compelling is the logic behind it. While most AI startups are expected to burn through their funding by 2026, older brands like AOL continue to generate steady cash flow and maintain loyal audiences. Bending Spoons has recognized something many investors overlook – that mature platforms with stable communities can be more valuable than unproven startups chasing unrealistic growth.
AOL may not sound exciting. It doesn’t promise thousand-percent growth or claim to reinvent the world with generative AI. But it has three decades of history, millions of users who stick around, and a name that still resonates. In an era of volatile innovation, betting on solid, cash-producing assets might just be the smartest play.
