# Bumble to go private in $1 billion deal

> Bumble's $1 billion private deal with Ithaca Holdings marks steep drop from 2021 IPO value.
- Title: Bumble to go private in $1 billion deal · Startup Fortune
- Summary: Bumble's $1 billion private deal with Ithaca Holdings marks steep drop from 2021 IPO value. Bumble is selling for $1 billion after a 93% drop from its 2021…
- Keywords: bumble, ithaca holdings, whitney wolf herd, sequoia capital, dating app, private equity, nasa, nasdaq, startups, business, private, billion
- Source: Startup Fortune — https://startupfortune.com/bumble-is-in-talks-to-go-private-in-a-1-billion-deal-with-ithaca-holdings
- Published: 2026-10-12T19:59:58+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: bumble, ithaca holdings, whitney wolf herd, sequoia capital, dating app, private equity, nasa, nasdaq, startups, business
## Bumble nears private sale
Bumble, a dating app that debuted at $14 billion valuation in 2021, is close to being taken private for roughly $1 billion.
## Ithaca Holdings leads deal
Ithaca Holdings, a holding company led by Sequoia Capital partner Ravi Gupta and former Meta chief revenue officer John Hegeman, is the buyer.
## Bumble's stock surge
Bumble shares jumped 50% on Monday, October 12, hitting $3.81 after Wall Street Journal reported advanced private sale talks.
## IPO to $1 billion drop
Bumble went public on Nasdaq on February 11, 2021, priced at $43 a share, and closed near $14 billion valuation.
## Bumble's valuation decline
A $1 billion deal would value Bumble at roughly 7% of its 2021 IPO price, a steep drop from its peak.
## Whitney Wolfe Herd's role
Whitney Wolfe Herd founded Bumble in 2014 and stepped down as CEO in 2024 before returning in March 2025 to lead the turnaround.
## User decline and revenue drop
Bumble's paying users fell 11% to 3.7 million in 2025, and annual revenue dropped 10% to $966 million.
## Bumble's strategic shift
Bumble is ending the swipe feature to reset the dating app category facing fatigue and weaker paid conversion.
## Ithaca Holdings' strategy
Ithaca Holdings, backed by Sequoia Capital, aims to rebuild underperforming companies with AI and new technology.
## Key takeaway

Bumble is selling for $1 billion after a 93% drop from its 2021 IPO valuation.