Flipboard, the news magazine software firm that recently invested in the open social web — platforms that give users control over their data and audience — announced Wednesday that it is acquiring the Portland‑based startup Graze, a feed‑building company that enables creators to earn revenue through advertising.
Graze provides tools for creating, customizing, publishing, and managing feeds on Bluesky — curated streams that users can set as their home feed, pin for easy access, or embed in other applications using Bluesky’s AT Protocol, an open standard that enables interoperability across apps. Since its launch 21 months ago, Graze has delivered more than 41 billion posts to roughly 12 million users.
The concept enables curators and communities to create their own feeds, turning expertise into revenue. Crucially, the ads are contextual rather than based on cross‑site tracking, which opponents label the “surveillance ecosystem.” A brand seeking to reach game developers, for example, can purchase ad space in a feed curated by that community, and the feed’s creator can select which ads to display.
Revenue is divided 70 % to the feed creator and 30 % to Graze. The platform currently hosts more than 7,000 feeds, and approximately 60 % of its traffic is monetized.
In a TechCrunch interview, Flipboard CEO Mike McCue praised the ad technology, noting that “it doesn’t need to surveil anyone or infringe on privacy…that’s a compelling vision, and the economics shouldn’t be captured by a single party.”
He added that the ad revenue is shared with the feed builder.
Flipboard had been employing Graze’s feed‑building technology in its new Surf app, prompting closer collaboration between the two firms. Both companies recognized a shared vision for the open social ecosystem, yet they were also repeating each other’s efforts.
Graze co‑founder and CEO Devin Gaffney said a partnership would accelerate progress by leveraging Flipboard’s established advertiser relationships.
McCue noted that many feed builders are creating communities on the open web, though their members may not view their participation in those terms.
“They don’t think of it as ‘joining Bluesky’ or ‘joining the open social web.’ They simply join a community like ‘The Tea’ because they care about women’s sports,’ he said, citing a Surf feed named ‘Bet on Her.’”
Flipboard has not disclosed the acquisition’s terms, but the deal is modest; Graze raised $1 million at the start of 2025 and operates with only two employees.
