squarespace

Casalena began developing Squarespace for his personal use while attending the University of Maryland.{{cite web |last=Cole |first=Samantha |date=May 21, 2014 |title=How Squarespace's CEO Pivoted to Scale for Millions |url=https://www.fastcompany.com/3030867/how-squarespaces-ceo-pivoted-to-scale-for-millions |access-date=January 7, 2018 |website=Fast Company |language=en-US}} He started sharing it with friends and family members and participated in a "business incubator" program at the university.{{cite news |title=About Us - Squarespace |url=https://www.squarespace.com/about/company}} In January 2004, he launched Squarespace as do it yourself/drag-and-drop website builder for the public,{{cite web | last=Clifford | first=Catherine | title=How Squarespace Went From a Dorm-Room Project to a $10 Million Web Publishing Platform | website=Entrepreneur | date=April 22, 2016 | url=https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/274486 | access-date=January 7, 2018}} with a $30,000 seed fund from his father,{{Cite web|date=February 1, 2014|title=UMD Alumnus Company Squarespace to Run Inaugural Big Game Ad|url=https://umdrightnow.umd.edu/news/umd-alumnus-company-squarespace-run-inaugural-big-game-ad|access-date=January 30, 2021|website=UMD Right Now :: University of Maryland|language=en}} a small grant from the university,{{Cite web|date=June 30, 2016|first=Dan|last=Patterson|title=How Squarespace became a multimillion dollar publishing giant|url=https://www.techrepublic.com/article/how-squarespace-grew-from-a-startup-to-multimillion-dollar-publishing-giant/|access-date=January 30, 2021|website=TechRepublic|language=en}} and 300 beta testers who paid a discounted rate.{{cite web | first=Evelyn | last=Rusli | title=Squarespace Raises $38.5 Million From Accel, Index Ventures | website=TechCrunch | date=July 13, 2010 | url=https://techcrunch.com/2010/07/13/squarespace-raises-38-5-million-from-accel-index-ventures/ | access-date=January 7, 2018}} At that time, Casalena was the company's sole developer and employee, and worked out of his dorm room.{{cite news| url = https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A17038-2004Sep12.html | title=Squarespace Lets Users Manage Multi-Page Web Sites|date=September 13, 2004|first=Andrea|last=Caumont|newspaper=The Washington Post}}

By the time Casalena graduated in 2007, Squarespace was making annual revenues of $1 million. He moved to New York City, began hiring, and had 30 employees by 2010. That year, Squarespace received $38.5 million in its first round of venture capital funding led by Index Ventures and Accel Partners,{{Cite web|title=Squarespace Raises $38.5 Million From Accel, Index Ventures|url=https://techcrunch.com/2010/07/13/squarespace-raises-38-5-million-from-accel-index-ventures/|access-date=January 30, 2021|website=TechCrunch|date=July 14, 2010 |language=en-US}} enabling it to hire more staff, continue to develop its software,{{cite web | title=Squarespace 6: Rebuilt From The Ground Up To Take On WordPress, Tumblr And Everyone Else | website=TechCrunch | date=October 21, 2011 | url=https://techcrunch.com/2011/10/21/squarespace-6-rebuilt-from-the-ground-up-to-take-on-wordpress-tumblr-and-everyone-else/ | access-date=January 7, 2018}} and double its marketing budget. From 2009 to 2012, it grew an average of 266% in yearly revenue.{{cite news| url = http://www.crainsnewyork.com/gallery/20131006/FEATURES/926009999 | title=Fast 50|newspaper=Crain’s New York Business|date=October 7, 2013}} In April 2014, it received another $40 million in funding.{{Cite web|last=Zipkin|first=Nina|date=February 15, 2018|title=The Founder of Squarespace Explains Why You Don't Want to Raise As Much Money as Possible|url=https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/309089|access-date=January 30, 2021|website=Entrepreneur|language=en}}{{cite news|title=Squarespace Ramps up its Tools to Compete with Wordpress|newspaper=Mashable|first=Christina|last=Warren|date=October 7, 2014|url=http://mashable.com/2014/10/07/squarespace-google-integration/#kj_b0f0bePqH}} By 2015, it had reached $100 million in revenue and 550 employees.

Squarespace purchased Super Bowl advertising spots in 2014,{{Cite web|title=UMD Alumnus Company Squarespace to Run Inaugural Big Game Ad|url=http://research.umd.edu/news/news_story.php?id=7945|access-date=January 30, 2021|website=research.umd.edu|language=en}} 2015,{{cite magazine | last=Stampler | first=Laura | title=This Super Bowl Ad Purposely Wants to Put You to Sleep | magazine=Time | date=January 28, 2015 | url=https://time.com/3685987/super-bowl-ad-jeff-bridges-squarespace/ | access-date=January 26, 2018}} 2016,{{cite web | title=Key and Peele turn Squarespace's Super Bowl ad into an event | website=USA TODAY | date=January 1, 2016 | url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/business/2016/02/01/key-and-peele-turn-squarespaces-super-bowl-ad-into-event/79645140/ | access-date=January 26, 2018}} 2017{{cite web | title=Squarespace's Super Bowl Ad With John Malkovich Wins the Emmy for Best Commercial | website=AdWeek | date=September 11, 2017 | url=http://www.adweek.com/creativity/squarespaces-super-bowl-ad-with-john-malkovich-wins-the-emmy-for-best-commercial/ | access-date=January 26, 2018}} and 2018.{{cite web | last=Poggi | first=Jeanine | title=Squarespace's Super Bowl Ad Is Just Keanu Standing on a Motorcycle | website=AdAge | date=January 31, 2018 | url=http://adage.com/article/special-report-super-bowl/squarespace-s-super-bowl-ad-keanu-standing-a-motorcycle/312160/ | access-date=February 13, 2018}} Its 2017 ad won an Emmy Award for Outstanding Commercial. In 2017, it signed a sponsorship deal with the New York Knicks to add the Squarespace logo to their uniforms.{{cite web | last=Soshnick | first=Scott | title=Knicks Team Up With Squarespace for Patch Sponsorship Deal | website=Bloomberg.com | date=October 10, 2017 | url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-10-10/nba-s-knicks-set-uniform-patch-sponsorship-with-squarespace | access-date=February 13, 2018}}

After the Unite the Right rally in 2017, Squarespace received a petition with 58,000 signatures and removed a group of websites for violating its terms of service against "bigotry or hatred" towards demographic groups.{{cite news | title=Website host Squarespace to remove a 'group of sites' after violence at Charlottesville white nationalist rally | newspaper=Washington Post | date=August 17, 2017 | url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/local/wp/2017/08/17/website-host-squarespace-to-remove-a-group-of-sites-after-violence-at-charlottesville-white-nationalist-rally/ | access-date=January 7, 2018}}{{cite web | title=Squarespace won't host your racist websites, either | website=CNET | date=July 23, 2014 | url=https://www.cnet.com/news/squarespace-wont-host-your-racist-websites-either/ | access-date=January 7, 2018}} In 2017, it raised an additional $200 million in funding, boosting its value to $1.7 billion.{{cite web | last=Vynck | first=Gerrit De | title=Squarespace Raises Funding at $1.7 Billion Valuation | website=Bloomberg.com | date=December 14, 2017 | url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-12-14/squarespace-is-said-to-raise-funding-at-1-7-billion-valuation | access-date=January 7, 2018}} This funding was earmarked for reacquiring interests from investors.

In 2018, Squarespace partnered with the Madison Square Garden Company to launch the "Make It Awards", which awarded $30,000 to entrepreneurs (4 winners, totaling $120,000).{{Cite web|url=https://www.themadisonsquaregardencompany.com/news/2018/the-new-york-knicks-and-squarespace-announce-second-annual-make-it-awards/|title=The New York Knicks and Squarespace Announce Second Annual "Make It Awards" – The Madison Square Garden Company|website=www.themadisonsquaregardencompany.com|access-date=August 16, 2019}}

Squarespace acquired appointment scheduling company Acuity Scheduling in April 2019.{{cite news |last1=Ha |first1=Anthony |title=Squarespace makes its first acquisition with Acuity Scheduling |url=https://techcrunch.com/2019/04/23/squarespace-acquires-acuity-scheduling/ |work=TechCrunch |date=April 23, 2019}} In October 2019, Squarespace acquired Unfold, an app founded by Alfonso Cobo that allows users to editorialize their social media content.{{cite news |last1=Ha |first1=Anthony |title=Squarespace acquires social media authoring startup Unfold |url=https://techcrunch.com/2019/10/22/squarespace-acquires-unfold/ |work=TechCrunch |date=October 22, 2019}} In April 2021, the company bought hospitality industry management platform Tock for more than $400 million.{{cite news |last1=Roof |first1=Katie |title=Squarespace Buys Tech Startup Tock for $400 Million Plus |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/on-small-business/squarespace-buys-tech-startup-tock-for-400-million-plus/2021/03/31/980a896c-9265-11eb-aadc-af78701a30ca_story.html |newspaper=Washington Post |date=April 1, 2021}}

In early 2021, the company filed paperwork with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to go public through direct listing on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol "SQSP".{{Cite news|date=January 27, 2021|title=Squarespace confidentially files for stock market listing|language=en|work=Reuters|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-squarespace-ipo-idUSKBN29W2PE|access-date=January 30, 2021}}{{Cite web|title=Website-building company Squarespace confidentially files to go public|url=https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/website-building-company-squarespace-confidentially-files-to-go-public/articleshow/80506436.cms|access-date=January 30, 2021|website=Business Insider}}{{cite news |last1=Novet |first1=Jordan |title=Website maker Squarespace files to go public on NYSE through direct listing |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2021/04/16/website-maker-squarespace-files-to-go-public-on-nyse.html |work=CNBC |date=April 16, 2021 |language=en}} In March 2021, Squarespace raised $300 million in a round of funding led by Dragoneer, Tiger Global, D1 Capital Partners and Fidelity Management & Research Company with participation from existing investors. This funding round valued the company at $10 billion.{{cite news |last1=Azevedo |first1=Mary Ann |title=Squarespace raises $300M at a staggering $10B valuation |url=https://techcrunch.com/2021/03/16/squarespace-raises-300m-at-staggering-10b-valuation/ |work=TechCrunch |date=March 16, 2021}}

Squarespace agreed to be acquired for $6.9 billion and taken private by British private equity firm Permira in May 2024.{{Cite news |url=https://apnews.com/article/squarespace-permira-software-068715b5a3b658cdaad13f493593192c |title=Software company Squarespace being taken private by Permira in $6.9 billion deal |date=May 13, 2024 |publisher=Associated Press}} Permira increased its offer to $7.2 billion after the proxy advisory firm Institutional Shareholder Services recommended that Squarespace shareholders reject the original offer, which undervalued the company. The acquisition was finalized in October 2024.{{Cite web |last=Sawers |first=Paul |date=October 17, 2024 |title=Permira completes Squarespace acquisition after upping bid to $7.2B |url=https://techcrunch.com/2024/10/17/permira-completes-squarespace-acquisition-after-upping-bid-to-7-2b/ |website=TechCrunch}}

Squarespace is managed by CEO and Founder Anthony Casalena. Other key executives are:{{Cite web|url=https://www.squarespace.com/about/team|title=Our Team|website=Squarespace|access-date=January 9, 2020}}

• Courtenay O'Connor, General Counsel
• David Lee, Chief Creative Officer
• John Colton, Chief Technology Officer
• Kinjil Mathur, Chief Marketing Officer
• Nathan Gooden, Chief Financial Officer
• Jarlath Doherty, Chief People Officer
• Paul Gubbay, Chief Product Officer
• Raphael Fontes, Senior Vice President, Customer Operations
• Roberta Meo, Vice President, Channels and Services
• Dan Chandre, Vice President, Head of Acuity Scheduling & Squarespace Payments
• Matthew Tucker, Senior Vice President, Head of Tock

As of November 2022, Squarespace had more than four million subscriptions. Its users employ pre-built website templates, and a variety of drag and drop widgets to add elements such as text and images. Its developers also create custom templates that are sold to users. On-screen instructions walk users through things like search engine optimization and setting up e-commerce.

Squarespace was initially built for creating and hosting blogs.{{cite web | title=How Squarespace became a multimillion-dollar publishing giant | website=TechRepublic | date=June 30, 2016 | url=https://www.techrepublic.com/article/how-squarespace-grew-from-a-startup-to-multimillion-dollar-publishing-giant/ | access-date=January 7, 2018}} E-commerce features, such as integration with Stripe for accepting credit card payments, was added in 2013.{{cite web | last=Summers | first=Nick | title=Squarespace Adds Commerce Tools To Its Website Builder | website=The Next Web | date=February 14, 2013 | url=https://thenextweb.com/insider/2013/02/14/squarespace-adds-commerce-tools-to-its-website-builder-allowing-users-to-manage-and-sell-goods-online/ | access-date=January 7, 2018}} In 2014, more commerce features were added; a mobile version of the service was released; a separate facility was added for developers writing custom templates and features;{{cite web | last=Novet | first=Jordan | title=Don't forget about website runner Squarespace. It just raised $40M | website=VentureBeat | date=April 16, 2014 | url=https://venturebeat.com/2014/04/16/squarespace-funding/ | access-date=January 7, 2018}} and a logo-creation app was introduced in partnership with icon designer Noun Project.{{cite web | last=Brownlee | first=John | title=Squarespace Makes Designing A Logo Dead Simple | website=Co.Design | date=January 22, 2014 | url=https://www.fastcodesign.com/3025275/squarespace-makes-designing-a-logo-dead-simple | access-date=February 13, 2018}}

In 2011, Squarespace was upgraded to version 6, with new templates, a grid-based user interface, and other enhancements. Version 7, which went live in 2014, replaced its coding backend with a drag and drop interface,{{cite news|first=Tim|last=Nudd|newspaper=Adweek|date=October 20, 2014|title=Squarespace's Radical Update Is Like a Blank Canvas. So Its New Ads Are, Too | url = http://www.adweek.com/brand-marketing/squarespaces-radical-update-blank-canvas-so-its-new-ads-are-too-160811/}}{{cite magazine|first=Margaret|last=Rhodes|magazine=Wired|url=https://www.wired.com/2014/10/new-squarespace-ux-dream-eliminates-backend-entirely/|date=October 7, 2014|title=The New Squarespace is a UX Dream that Eliminates the Backend Entirely}} and added integration with Google Workspace (formerly G Suite and Google Apps for Work) and Getty Images. In 2016, Squarespace started selling domains, putting it in more direct competition with GoDaddy;{{cite web | last=Ungerleider | first=Neal | title=Now Competing To Be The Master Of Your Domain: Squarespace | website=Fast Company | date=April 15, 2016 | url=https://www.fastcompany.com/3054459/now-competing-to-be-the-master-of-your-domain-squarespace | access-date=January 7, 2018}} and added an analytics dashboard{{cite web | last=Ha | first=Anthony | title=Squarespace introduces new analytics for its commerce-focused customers | website=TechCrunch | date=June 14, 2016 | url=https://techcrunch.com/2016/06/14/squarespace-analytics-for-commerce/ | access-date=January 7, 2018}} and PayPal integration.{{cite web | title=Squarespace businesses can now accept PayPal | website=The Next Web | date=November 1, 2016 | url=https://thenextweb.com/apps/2016/12/01/squarespace-businesses-can-now-accept-paypal/ | access-date=February 13, 2018}}

On June 15, 2023, Squarespace concluded an agreement to purchase the Google Domains business, including approximately 10 million registered domain names.{{Cite web |last=Li |first=Abner |date=2023-06-15 |title=Google Domains shutting down, assets sold and being migrated to Squarespace |url=https://9to5google.com/2023/06/15/google-domains-squarespace/ |access-date=2023-06-15 |website=9to5Google |language=en-US}}{{Cite press release |title=Squarespace Enters Definitive Agreement to Acquire Google Domains Assets|author= |date=2023-06-15 |publisher=PR Newswire |url=https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/squarespace-enters-definitive-agreement-to-acquire-google-domains-assets-301852507.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230615211058/https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/squarespace-enters-definitive-agreement-to-acquire-google-domains-assets-301852507.html |archive-date=2023-06-15 |url-status=live|access-date=2023-06-15}}

In 2025, Squarespace released AI SEO features {{cite web |url=https://www.squarespace.com/marketing/seo |title=Squarespace SEO – Built-in SEO Tools — Squarespace |access-date=May 8, 2025}} and expanded its Extension Marketplace to include SEO tools like SEOSpace {{cite web |url=https://www.seospace.co/extension-marketplace |title=SEOSpace X Squarespace Extension Marketplace |access-date=May 8, 2025}} and TinyIMG,{{cite web |url=https://tiny-img.com/squarespace/ |title=TinyIMG x Squarespace: Optimize SEO & loading times |access-date=May 8, 2025}} putting it in more direct competition with WordPress and Shopify, which have the popular Yoast SEO tool.

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