Meetup
In short: Meetup is a New York-based platform for organising in-person and online group events around shared interests, founded in 2002. It has been owned by Bending Spoons since January 2024. Dating Industry Insights treats it as a competitor for the offline social events that Tinder, Bumble and other dating apps are moving into.
Key facts
| Type | Events and matchmaking |
|---|---|
| Headquarters | New York, United States |
| Founded | 2002 |
| Website | meetup.com |
| Founded | Founded in June 2002 in New York by Scott Heiferman and four co-founders [Wikipedia, June 2002] |
| Headquarters | Headquartered in New York City [Wikipedia, 2026] |
| Acquisition | WeWork acquired Meetup in November 2017 and sold it in March 2020 to an investor group led by AlleyCorp [Pulse 2, March 2020] |
| Owner | Acquired by Bending Spoons in January 2024 [Bending Spoons, January 2024] |
| Fact | Described by DII as an events organiser where people meet romantic partners and a platform Tinder now competes with as it expands live events [Dating Industry Insights, 21 May 2026] |
About Meetup
Meetup is a social networking platform for hosting and organising in-person and virtual gatherings among people with shared interests, hobbies and professions. It was founded in New York in June 2002 by Scott Heiferman and four co-founders, and is headquartered in New York City. It offers free and paid tiers and has apps for iOS and Android.
Ownership has changed several times. WeWork acquired Meetup in November 2017 and sold it in March 2020 to a group of investors led by Kevin Ryan's AlleyCorp. Bending Spoons acquired Meetup in January 2024, and lists it on its own site as acquired that month.
Dating Industry Insights mentions Meetup repeatedly in 2026 as a reference point for the shift towards offline, interest-based socialising. It describes Meetup as an events organiser where people sometimes meet romantic partners, a platform Tinder now competes with as it expands live events, and a service that has built community-organising infrastructure over 20 years. It is part of the competitive context for dating apps that are adding group dating and events.
Acquired by
- Bending Spoons, Acquired Meetup in January 2024
Also mentioned in
- Tinder's Group Hangouts: Innovation or Identity Crisis?
- SPARK's Pivot: A White Flag in the Dating App Wars
- Tinder's Pottery Class Gamble: A Desperate Bid to Halt User Decline?
- Bumble's 'Plans' Feature: A Desperate Gamble on Offline Monetisation?
- Tinder's Pickleball Pivot: Innovation or Desperation?
- Gen Z's Dating App Exodus: A Market Shift Match and Bumble Can't Ignore
- Friending's £5M Bet: Misdiagnosing the Friendship App Problem
- 222's $13.7M Bet: Can Group Dinners Outlast Swipe Fatigue?
- Rodeo's $8.5M Bet: Hinge Founders Pivot from Dating to Friendship Logistics
- Singles Events Surge: A Symptom of App Fatigue, Not a Disruption
- Choremancing: The UX Challenge Dating Apps Didn't See Coming
- Bumble's Friendship Pivot: A Desperate Diversification Amid Decline
- Gleeden's Friendship Shift: A Monetisation Crisis in Disguise
- Taimi's Event Tool: Community Building or Eventbrite Imitation?
- Dating Apps or Social Networks? The Monetisation Dilemma
Questions about Meetup
Who owns Meetup?
Bending Spoons acquired Meetup in January 2024. Before that it was owned by WeWork (from 2017) and then an investor group led by AlleyCorp (from 2020).
Where is Meetup based?
Meetup is headquartered in New York City and was founded there in 2002 by Scott Heiferman and four co-founders.
What does Meetup do?
Meetup is a New York-based platform for organising in-person and online group events around shared interests, founded in 2002. It has been owned by Bending Spoons since January 2024.
When was Meetup founded?
Meetup was founded in 2002.