Perry Street Software (PSS), which describes itself as the world’s largest independent queer app company and publisher of SCRUFF and Jack’d, has announced it has acquired Growlr, a leading social networking app for bears and their admirers.
PSS plans to make a multi-million-dollar, multi-year investment in Growlr to completely rebuild the app, modernise its design and significantly expand its presence within the GBTQ+ bear community.
“We’re seeing significant growth in the bear community, and we know the deep affection held by bears for Growlr. We are going to reinvest in Growlr to cement its reputation as the best app for bears, and we will make sure Growlr shows up for the bear community everywhere it comes together in the real world,” Perry Street Software co-founder John Skandros said.
The acquisition from The Meet Group, a publisher of interactive dating and social discovery apps based in New Hope, Pennsylvania, places Growlr under the ownership of a company whose leadership says it understands the community firsthand.
“We were eager to bring Growlr into our family of apps that focus on communities within the broader LGBTQ+ world,” Perry Street Software CEO Eric Silverberg said.
“For us, the communities we serve are also communities we belong to, and that gives this work a personal significance and a real sense of responsibility. Our independence lets us set our own priorities. PSS doesn’t sell user data to third-party data brokers. We don’t let our apps get overrun by spammers or bots. And we serve relevant, queer-first ads instead of glitchy, full-screen takeovers that crash the app.
“Those are choices only an independent company can make because, by being part of the community, we answer to our community.”
PSS plans to rebuild Growlr with a new look and feel, a redesigned profile page, new sharing capabilities in chat and a refreshed logo.
Early improvements will include expanded Shouts, which allow members to send a single message to multiple people within a chosen radius, and the return of Flashes, a profile boost designed to increase visibility nearby. The company also plans to rethink video content and its role within the app.
PSS says it will focus on removing bots and spam accounts to help members connect authentically in a safer digital environment.
Beyond the app itself, the company is planning a major expansion of Growlr’s sponsorship of bear events and Bear Weeks in the United States and internationally ahead of 2027.
The company also intends to increase Growlr’s social media presence, work with community influencers, launch new merchandise and introduce an apparel line.
“The bear community has always had its own distinct, vibrant culture that exists alongside, but apart from, mainstream queer culture,” Skandros said.
“Growlr embraces a broader range of body types and ages and offers a kind of appreciation and validation bears don’t find on other apps. We want members to be proud to represent themselves and their community when they show off the app and wear Growlr gear.”
An all-new version of Growlr is expected to launch in early 2027.
Members who want to help shape the app’s future can join the Growlr beta program, with details expected to be shared in-app in the coming weeks.
PSS has also acquired the web domain bearing the app’s name, which was previously held by another entity.
