A significant number of employees at Vimeo have reportedly been terminated, a development that was largely anticipated after the video-sharing platform was acquired by the private equity firm Bending Spoons.
This event mirrors Bending Spoons' consistent business strategy, which has previously impacted the creative sector through similar acquisitions followed by extensive workforce reductions. Prior instances include the 2023 acquisition of Filmic, which led to the dismissal of all 22 original team members, including the founder. Similarly, after acquiring WeTransfer in July 2024, the firm laid off 75% of its staff within two months, eventually releasing even those who initially remained. Bending Spoons' operational model involves purchasing companies, drastically cutting staffing costs, and then relying on existing technological infrastructure for as long as feasible. This approach has led to a stagnation of major feature updates for acquired products, such as Filmic Pro, and an immediate price hike for services like WeTransfer, alongside controversial attempts to use user data for AI training.
The current situation at Vimeo, which Bending Spoons acquired for $1.38 billion in September 2025, follows this well-established pattern. The company has moved swiftly to reduce its most significant operational expense: its employees. Former Vimeo Vice President of Global Brand and Creative, Dave Brown, and former software engineer Steve Dixon both publicly confirmed their termination on LinkedIn, noting that a large number of their colleagues were also affected. A spokesperson for Bending Spoons confirmed the layoffs on January 20, 2026, to Gizmodo, reiterating the firm's commitment to Vimeo's growth while maintaining privacy regarding the departing staff.
This ongoing trend highlights a business model focused on aggressive cost-cutting to maximize returns on investment. The long-term implications for the acquired companies, their products, and the remaining employees often involve a period of minimal innovation and potential decline, as the core focus shifts from development to recouping financial outlay.