Meetup
Meetup is an online platform that facilitates the creation and discovery of local groups and events centered on users' shared interests, enabling both in-person and virtual gatherings to foster real-world connections.[1][2] Founded on June 14, 2002, by Scott Heiferman and co-founders including Matt Meeker and Peter Kamali in New York City, the service emerged in response to the social fragmentation following the September 11 attacks, aiming to rebuild community ties through organized meetups.[3][4] The platform quickly expanded, attracting millions of users by providing tools for hobbyists, professionals, and activists to network, learn skills, and pursue passions, with over 60 million members reported by the early 2020s.[5] Key achievements include sustaining operations for over two decades amid evolving digital landscapes, powering diverse communities from tech meetups to social support groups, and adapting to include virtual events during global disruptions like the COVID-19 pandemic. Ownership changes marked significant milestones: acquired by WeWork in 2017 for community synergy, then by AlleyCorp in 2020 amid WeWork's financial troubles, and most recently by Italian tech firm Bending Spoons in January 2024, which shifted operations toward Europe and restructured staff to streamline costs.[6][7] Controversies have periodically challenged Meetup's growth, including user backlash against pricing model shifts in 2005, 2011, and 2019 that introduced fees for organizers and RSVPs, prompting threats of mass exodus to alternatives. In 2017, the company drew criticism for explicitly aligning with anti-Trump activism by partnering with left-leaning entities and allocating funds to "resistance" groups, diverging from prior non-partisan stance and alienating some users amid perceptions of institutional political bias. Recent adjustments under Bending Spoons, such as higher fees and platform migrations, have reportedly accelerated user attrition toward competitors like Discord, underscoring tensions between monetization and accessibility in community-building services.[8][9][10]