In a major shift for the global events industry, ticketing platform Eventbrite has been acquired by Italian technology company Bending Spoons for $500 million, marking the start of a new chapter for the company that helped popularize self-serve event creation around the world.
The news was shared directly with event organizers in a message from CEO and co-founder Julia Hartz, who said she will step aside after leading the company for the past decade.
“When I co-founded Eventbrite with Kevin Hartz and Renaud Visage in 2006, we had a simple vision: to bring the world together through live experiences and build a platform where anyone, anywhere, could share their passion,” Hartz wrote to partners. “That vision only became real because creators like you dreamed up incredible experiences and brought them to life.”
Founded in 2006, Eventbrite built its reputation by enabling independent creators, communities, and businesses to launch and manage events ranging from small meetups to large festivals. Over the years, the platform became a key infrastructure layer for live experiences, particularly during the boom in creator-led events and community gatherings.
Hartz highlighted the resilience of event organizers who continued building communities despite major disruptions, including the global pandemic.
“What you have built is more than a collection of events,” she said. “You have built thriving businesses, loyal audiences, and meaningful experiences that shape culture and community.”
With the acquisition, Eventbrite will now operate under Bending Spoons, a Milan-based software company known for acquiring and scaling digital platforms. According to Hartz, the new ownership plans to invest heavily in innovation across the platform.
“With their resources and strong focus on innovation, Eventbrite will be able to move faster and invest more deeply in the areas that matter most to you,” Hartz said. “Making event creation simpler with the help of AI, improving discovery and search so the right audiences can find you more easily, and building stronger ways for you to communicate directly with your attendees.”
The acquisition signals continued consolidation in the events and creator economy software space. For Eventbrite’s millions of organizers and attendees worldwide, the focus appears to be on improving discovery, AI-powered event tools, and deeper audience engagement.
Hartz ended the announcement on a reflective note after nearly two decades building the platform.
“Building Eventbrite alongside you has been a privilege,” she wrote.
The transition positions Bending Spoons to expand its portfolio of digital platforms while giving Eventbrite access to new resources aimed at accelerating product development and global growth
