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14th Sep 2022

Patreon announces closure of Dublin office just three years after opening

Stephen Porzio

The company is set to lay off 80 people worldwide, about 17% of its staff.

Patreon has revealed it will close its office in Dublin just three years after it opened as part of a company layoff.

The layoff will affect 80 people, about 17% of the company’s staff, and also involves the closing of its Berlin office.

In a note to workers, Patreon CEO Jack Conte (pictured) said the move was a “last resort” and blamed it on the Covid pandemic.

“I’m more confident than ever that the world needs a better economic system for creative people, and Patreon will keep building that system for creators over the decades ahead,” he stated.

“However, the pandemic introduced volatility to the broader trend, starting with a rapid acceleration during Covid lockdowns.

“In response, we built an operating plan to support this outsized growth, but as the world began recovering from the pandemic and enduring a broader economic slowdown, that plan is no longer the right path forward for Patreon.

“I take full responsibility for choosing that original path forward, and for the changes today, which will be very difficult for our team.”

A membership and payment platform for independent artists and their fans, Conte said Patreon needs to change the way it operates and that this would involve taking “a more scaled approach with a smaller, consolidated team in the US”.

The CEO added that Patreon is offering its “nine Dublin engineering teammates relocation packages to join these US-based teams”.

As regards the severance package for staff leaving the company, Conte said:

“For our teammates in Europe, the intention of the packages is to provide you with three months of pay and an additional two weeks per half-year of service beyond the first year, plus three months of health care coverage.

“Because of differing laws by region, packages in different countries will vary in terms of how we pay for and cover these expenses.

“All teammates leaving Patreon, regardless of your location, will be eligible for three months of mental health benefits through Spring Health, and teammates enrolled in our financial counselling services through Origin will have an additional three months of continued coverage.

“We have also contracted with outplacement services to provide teammates with curated job matching, resume writing, and cover letter writing services, for as long as it takes you to find your next job.”

He added: “To the incredible teammates who will no longer work at Patreon: thank you for everything you have given to our mission, to our creators, and to Patreon.

“Because of your work, hundreds of thousands of creative people are building stronger businesses and communities.

“I am so sorry for the difficulty this causes you, and I am grateful for your kindness, creator-first attitudes, and impact you have had on our mission.”

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