“We look at numerous opportunities and rarely do we find a company and competitor that aligns with our strategy, takes care of Linkers and accelerates our growth and vision to empower everyone to manage and grow their digital universe. Bento was above all others,” he said.

The deal goes through on June 19, with co-founders Sélim Benayat and Mugeeb Hassan joining Linktree.

Benayat previously built an augmented reality platform called RosieReality, which was acquired in 2020. The duo began working on Bento in May 2022 and then raised $1.6 million in a pre-seed round led by Sequoia Arc in August 2022, and was publicly launched earlier this year.

Benayat said Linktree was “a great source of inspiration and guidance” to them and he “began to explore opportunities for collaboration, uniting our expertise and shared commitment to change” with Zaccaria.

“Our conversations felt incredibly organic. Alex and I were often on the same page, as if we were already part of the same company. We shared similar visions and complemented each other’s blind spots,” said Benayat.

“Most importantly, Alex shares Bento’s obsession with users, design and enjoyment. Linktree, like Bento, puts makers at the heart of their product and plays a vital role in their success. As our discussions progressed, it became clear that joining forces would boost our commitment to a shared vision and Linktree’s mission.”