Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

Bending Spoons makes first post-IPO acquisition with $1.3B Airtable deal

live.euronext.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

11–20 of 121 posts

Re: Bending Spoons makes first post-IPO acquisition with $1.3B Airtable deal

#11

Post by elias_t »

minraws wrote: post #8

I had some thoughts but for context. Basically, widely reported Airtable's 2026 reported ARR was close to $500M. they sold at a ~3x multiple assuming it went flat/down~~. They had raised $1.4B (total latest around 770M) in funding I am not sure for what?? and had ~1B in cash (according to some online sources)?? Now I have no idea what this is even about, maybe all investors wanted out?

Probably they are getting eaten by new AI integrations and the numbers don’t look good.

It’s strange, I thought they were in pole position to integrate into vibe coded apps with bolt and co. Maybe be a strategy issue?

Re: Bending Spoons makes first post-IPO acquisition with $1.3B Airtable deal

#12

Post by sithadmin »

moinism wrote: post #7

Airtable is worth "just" $1.3B? I see (or used to see) it almost everywhere; why such a low valuation?

I’ve always felt like their money went into marketing, not actual capabilities. It still feels like a Fisher-Price tier platform imo.

Re: Bending Spoons makes first post-IPO acquisition with $1.3B Airtable deal

#13

Post by tonyedgecombe »

Good4boothee wrote: post #6
marcyb5st wrote: post #3

Earlier quoted context omitted.

On top of that, isn't Bending Spoons famous for enshittify anything they buy to squeeze every single cent they can? Meaning that their fame would push even more companies/people to do a vibecoded replacement with just the features they need.

Their MO is switching to maintenance mode and running services with skeleton crew. I am not sure if it will work in area exposed to AI, where everyone is by now used to monthly updates and quarterly product releases.

There is a lot of inertia to overcome to migrate away from a product like this. My guess is they will be able to milk this for a long time.

Re: Bending Spoons makes first post-IPO acquisition with $1.3B Airtable deal

#14

Post by reticulates »

minraws wrote: post #8

I had some thoughts but for context. Basically, widely reported Airtable's 2026 reported ARR was close to $500M. they sold at a ~3x multiple assuming it went flat/down~~. They had raised $1.4B (total latest around 770M) in funding I am not sure for what?? and had ~1B in cash (according to some online sources)?? Now I have no idea what this is even about, maybe all investors wanted out?

ARR has always been a bullshit number but it is an especially bullshit number nowadays because AI has destroyed software margins.

Re: Bending Spoons makes first post-IPO acquisition with $1.3B Airtable deal

#18

Post by colesantiago »

reticulates wrote: post #14
minraws wrote: post #8

I had some thoughts but for context. Basically, widely reported Airtable's 2026 reported ARR was close to $500M. they sold at a ~3x multiple assuming it went flat/down~~. They had raised $1.4B (total latest around 770M) in funding I am not sure for what?? and had ~1B in cash (according to some online sources)?? Now I have no idea what this is even about, maybe all investors wanted out?

ARR has always been a bullshit number but it is an especially bullshit number nowadays because AI has destroyed software margins.

> AI has destroyed software margins.

Nobody wants to talk about or reveal the AI or software margins.

Will cause everyone to panic once they see how low the margins are getting year over year.

Re: Bending Spoons makes first post-IPO acquisition with $1.3B Airtable deal

#20

Post by rightbyte »

minraws wrote: post #8

I had some thoughts but for context. Basically, widely reported Airtable's 2026 reported ARR was close to $500M. they sold at a ~3x multiple assuming it went flat/down~~. They had raised $1.4B (total latest around 770M) in funding I am not sure for what?? and had ~1B in cash (according to some online sources)?? Now I have no idea what this is even about, maybe all investors wanted out?

Eyeing Wikipedia it seems like it sold for about raised capital. Probably very little product value but some b2b contracts to milk?
Post reply on HN