Image: Kampus Production / Pexels
Perry Street Software (PSS), the company behind gay dating apps SCRUFF and Jack’d, has announced its multi-million-dollar acquisition of Growlr, a similar platform servicing the GBTQ+ bear community.
According to the developer, the plan is to completely rebuild the app, modernise its interface, and expand its product recognition and reach in the international bear community.
“We’re seeing significant growth in the bear community,” said PSS co-founder John Skandros, “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.”
New Growlr Owners Confirm The LGBTQ+ Community Is Their Community
While Growlr’s former owner, The Meet Group, owns several dating apps, PSS has emphasised the importance of Growlr’s new home being specifically accountable to the LGBTQ+ community.
“We were eager to bring Growlr into our family of apps that focus on communities within the broader LGBTQ+ world,” said PSS CEO Eric Silverberg. “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.”
New App Features, Events, & Apparel Coming To Growlr
Some of the more immediate changes Growlr users can expect include a new logo; a redesigned profile page; new sharing capabilities in chat; expanded Shouts, which let members send a single message to multiple people within a chosen radius; the return of Flashes, a profile boost that quickly increases a member’s visibility nearby; and the potential rethinking of video content and its place in the app.
Growlr will also be looking to expand its brand and community outreach well beyond the app. According to the company, this will include participation in community bear weeks and events, partnerships with bear influencers, and a completely refreshed line of merchandise and apparel created in collaboration with marquee designers.
“The bear community has always had its own distinct, vibrant culture that exists alongside, but apart from, mainstream queer culture,” said Skandros. “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.”
It will not be the first time PSS has ventured well past the bounds of app development; the company is noted for having produced a game show on SCRUFF, not to mention is currently running the 2026 Jack’d Queer Film Festival, which showcases emerging work by queer filmmakers of colour, streamed directly in the app.
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