Milan-based tech conglomerate Bending Spoons this week acquired Eventbrite for $500 million, adding the event ticketing platform to its growing portfolio of recognizable consumer tech brands.

The deal, announced Tuesday, marks the latest acquisition for the 12-year-old company that has quietly become one of the tech industry’s most prolific buyers — despite remaining largely unknown to the general public.

So what exactly is Bending Spoons? Despite its catchy name, the company has stayed remarkably under the radar, and it typically makes headlines only when it adds another recognizable brand to its portfolio — which now includes Evernote, WeTransfer, Meetup, and Streamyard, among others.

But Bending Spoons isn’t a traditional private equity firm or a pure financial investment vehicle

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