20VC: Inside Bending Spoons Acquisition Machine: Evernote, Eventbrite, Vimeo | How Evernote Evaluates Acquisitions and New Product Ideas | How Evernote Mastered Product Launches, User Retention and Monetisation with Federico Simionato
20VC: Inside Bending Spoons Acquisition Machine: Evernote, Eventbrite, Vimeo | How Evernote Evaluates Acquisitions and New Product Ideas | How Evernote Mastered Product Launches, User Retention and Monetisation with Federico Simionato
20VC: Inside Bending Spoons Acquisition Machine: Evernote, Eventbrite, Vimeo | How Evernote Evaluates Acquisitions and New Product Ideas | How Evernote Mastered Product Launches, User Retention and Monetisation with Federico Simionato
Federico Simionato, a long-time Product Lead at Bending Spoons, opens up about the inner workings of one of tech’s most strategic acquisition companies. With experience shaping products at Evernote and WeTransfer, he shares rare insights into how data, design, and user trust drive product evolution in high-stakes environments.
Bending Spoons leverages a data-driven approach to product development, prioritizing experiments and outcome-based decisions across its acquired platforms. Success hinges on deep user engagement—Evernote, for instance, focuses on daily utility and retention among advanced users rather than mass appeal, even after a bold price increase. Transparent communication through monthly updates has rebuilt trust and aligned product improvements with user feedback. AI is accelerating prototyping, blurring design-engineering boundaries, but quality remains critical for core features. Failed launches like PlayOn underscore the importance of aligning business models with user behavior, while unexpected wins—like Evernote’s audio transcription—highlight the value of testing over opinion. The company’s lean, centralized structure enables efficiency post-acquisition, reducing teams without sacrificing output. Monetization shifts focus on content and intrinsic value, avoiding intrusive push notifications. Ultimately, Bending Spoons thrives by combining rigorous analysis, user-centric design, and a willingness to learn from failure.
02:15
02:15
Running 26 experiments helped Revolut determine where to allocate resources effectively.
07:51
07:51
Greenfield projects rarely succeed even with analytical planning
21:31
21:31
Building products for both advanced and casual users is difficult — choose the target arena first.
28:30
28:30
AI allows designers to build prototypes faster, reducing the gap between design and engineering.
31:19
31:19
Small, well-communicated weekly improvements are preferred over large, infrequent launches
35:00
35:00
User feedback directly reflects reality and should guide product decisions.
36:38
36:38
Focus on shipped or launching features, not future plans, to build user trust.
38:08
38:08
Games can be played for years after one purchase, unlike movies on Netflix
45:24
45:24
Shared services allow product teams to remain lean, as seen with Evernote's reduction to under 100 employees
55:38
55:38
Hybrid work is a good mix of remote and in-person, offering flexibility.
1:02:52
1:02:52
I would start a Neuralink competitor or work on it if I weren't afraid of failure
