Private Equity Firm's Grip on Vimeo Takes a Brutal Toll: Layoffs Claim Most of Staff
In a shocking move, video-hosting platform Vimeo has been hit by a massive layoff, impacting nearly the entire workforce. This news comes just months after the company was acquired by private equity firm Bending Spoons for $1.38 billion in late 2025.
According to former Vimeo vice president of Global Brand & Creative, Dave Brown, he and many others were laid off following the acquisition. The layoffs have left the video team intact – a significant blow to the platform's core functionality.
Bending Spoons' aggressive cost-cutting strategy has been on full display in its previous moves, including the 2023 layoff of employees at Evernote and the 2024 mass exit of WeTransfer staff. While the company claims to be committed to growing Vimeo despite the drastic reductions in personnel, many are left wondering about the future of the platform.
As one former employee candidly put it, "it sucks to see something I built killed by private equity in a technology company skin suit." The implications for Vimeo's users and creative community remain uncertain. With its long history dating back a year before YouTube, the once-prestigious video-hosting platform now faces an uncertain future under new ownership.
The exact number of employees laid off has not been confirmed by Bending Spoons, but the impact on Vimeo is undeniable. With its core team in disarray, it will be interesting to see how the platform adapts and evolves moving forward.
In a shocking move, video-hosting platform Vimeo has been hit by a massive layoff, impacting nearly the entire workforce. This news comes just months after the company was acquired by private equity firm Bending Spoons for $1.38 billion in late 2025.
According to former Vimeo vice president of Global Brand & Creative, Dave Brown, he and many others were laid off following the acquisition. The layoffs have left the video team intact – a significant blow to the platform's core functionality.
Bending Spoons' aggressive cost-cutting strategy has been on full display in its previous moves, including the 2023 layoff of employees at Evernote and the 2024 mass exit of WeTransfer staff. While the company claims to be committed to growing Vimeo despite the drastic reductions in personnel, many are left wondering about the future of the platform.
As one former employee candidly put it, "it sucks to see something I built killed by private equity in a technology company skin suit." The implications for Vimeo's users and creative community remain uncertain. With its long history dating back a year before YouTube, the once-prestigious video-hosting platform now faces an uncertain future under new ownership.
The exact number of employees laid off has not been confirmed by Bending Spoons, but the impact on Vimeo is undeniable. With its core team in disarray, it will be interesting to see how the platform adapts and evolves moving forward.
. Bending Spoons' aggressive cost-cutting is a classic move to squeeze every last penny out of a business before selling it off for a quick profit. But what about the people who actually work there? The ones who built Vimeo into what it is today? They're just discarded like yesterday's trash 
. It's like, where's the accountability in that? And now we're left wondering if Vimeo will even be able to function as intended with most of its staff gone...it's a real concern for me 
. I've used that platform for ages and had some amazing collaborations with creators there. But now, hearing that most of the staff got laid off after a private equity firm took over is just heartbreaking 
And what about all the awesome content we've been seeing on the platform? Will it even be around anymore?! 
I guess only time will tell, but for now, I'm just going to miss Vimeo a lot 
they were like my fave video hosting site and now they're just abandonin staff left and right? 
i mean, $1.38 billion is a lot of cash but like, at what cost? the vids are still gonna be there but wot about the ppl behind 'em? 
. Private equity firms are notorious for taking companies to the cleaners, but 90% of the staff getting axed seems kinda extreme even by their standards 
. I mean, Bending Spoons' claim that Vimeo will still grow under new management sounds like just a PR stunt to me 
. And honestly, I'm all for some cost-cutting measures, but this feels like they're sucking the life outta the platform 
. It's gonna be super hard for Vimeo to regain its footing with such a massive blow to its core team 
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. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that Vimeo can somehow find its way back to being the awesome platform we all love, but right now, it seems like a long shot 
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. I mean, private equity firms are supposed to be about growth and expansion, but in this case, it feels like they're more interested in cutting costs and maximizing profits 
only time will tell 
, and now this news about Vimeo makes me think of all those talented people who lost their jobs... I mean, private equity firms can be so ruthless when it comes to cutting costs, right? And it's crazy that they're trying to grow Vimeo at the same time - it feels like they want to squeeze out as much profit as possible 
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private equity firms are all about squeezing out profits, never mind the cost 
what's next? will they start charging users for hosting vids or something?! 
... now it's just another faceless corporate giant. What happened to the creativity and passion that made it so awesome? 
. When profit margins become more important than preserving cultural heritage, the consequences can be devastating 
. As we navigate our own careers and personal growth, let's remember that true value lies not in external validation or financial success, but in staying true to ourselves and our passions 
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i mean i get it private equity firms need to make money but come on bending spoons this is not how you grow a platform its like you guys took all the life outta it 
youtube has always been one of my faves but now i gotta wonder if thats still the same vimeo ill have to keep an eye on this situation
The fact that most of the staff got laid off is just crazy 
Bending Spoons' track record doesn't exactly fill me with confidence 
. Can vimeo bounce back from this? Only time will tell... 
. And it's not just the employees who are affected - think about all the creators who rely on Vimeo to share their work, what's gonna happen to them? The platform's lost its edge, feels more like a soulless corporate entity now 
i mean i know they gotta cut costs but nearly the entire staff?! 
or else we'll be saying goodbye to Vimeo forever 