Dearest GroupMe Groupies,

We have very exciting news to share. Today, we have entered into an agreement to be acquired by Skype.  Over the last few months, we had been in talks with Skype that started with discussions about potential commercial partnerships. As we got to know the core Skype team better, though, and as our conversations evolved, it quickly became evident that our visions were perfectly aligned. Both companies are focused on changing the way the world communicates, and helping people stay in touch with the people they really know. With a shared vision—an ambitious one—we decided our efforts to own real-time communications and the real life network could be best executed as one company.

This has been a remarkable year for GroupMe, and we believe that this is a big win. And not just a big win for GroupMe and our amazing investors, but also for New York City. As part of the deal, GroupMe will remain in New York, team intact, working on our standalone application. The major difference will be that we will now have access to Skype’s 175 million monthly connected users. 175 million people. That’s a very big deal. 

When we first started GroupMe, we set out to achieve two major goals. The first was to solve a very simple problem we had as individuals: how do we stay in touch and coordinate with our friends better in real-time?  The second was a bit bigger: how can we change the way people across the globe communicate and get together better in real life?  We solved problem #1, and our efforts alongside Skype will accelerate the execution of problem #2 tenfold. This is truly a once in a lifetime opportunity.

With all of this excitement, we want to take a moment to thank you, our amazing users.  Because of your excitement about GroupMe, your inexhaustible support, and your invaluable feedback, we have been able to make GroupMe into what it is today. We simply could not have done this without you. From all of us here at GroupMe— thank you so much.

We’re going to keep working hard on making GroupMe the best way to keep in touch with your real life network. We still have a long way to go with our product and vision, and we can’t wait to show you where we’re going next. 

Love,

Team GroupMe