From Cognitive Science to Code: How Notion Was Born in a Kyoto Apartment

Notion’s origin story begins with Ivan Zhao, a young artist who graduated from the University of British Columbia in 2011. Despite his aptitude for programming, Ivan opted to study cognitive science with a minor in photography rather than pursue formal computer science education. This unconventional path shaped his vision for Notion. (Ivan Zhao)

Following graduation, Ivan found himself creating one-page portfolio websites for his circle of fashion designers, artists, and creators. Frustrated with the repetitive nature of this task, he envisioned a more powerful software solution that would empower non-programmers to create self-expressive portfolio websites and more. (Chris Prucha)

This idea led Ivan to quit his job at the digital publishing company, Inkling, and team up with Toby Schachman. Schachman was the founder of Cuttle, a design tool for digital cutting machines and an artist, designer and researcher. Together they started developing software that would empower non-programmers. (Jessica Lam) 

They secured seed funding in 2013 and began working on a plug-and-play tool for creating software, initially building “Concept,” a collaborative web page builder. At some point Toby moved on to pursue other projects. Later Simon Last, an aspiring visual programmer, joined the team. Simon shared their passion for visual programming. In early 2014 Chris Prucha and Jessica Lam also joined to the project. Chris and Jessica, formerly at Apple, co-founded SugarBox, which provided a dead-simple SDK which allowed websites to turn into a collaborative one. They found the potential to incorporate their approach into Notion. (Simon Last)

The team then decided that the vision of the project should be to create tools to solve the everyday average Joe problem of creating documents. But by 2015, the Notion project struggled, and the team faced a major decision. A major decision that was soon followed by Simon and Ivan moving to Kyoto to rebuild the application, while Chris and Jessica were no longer part of the team. (Toby Schachman)

Billions in the Balance: Why Productivity Software Is the New Gold Rush

The global productivity management software market is experiencing substantial growth, driven by the increasing emphasis on digital transformation and the need for businesses to optimize operations in an evolving work environment. In 2023, the market was valued at an estimated USD 59.88 billion. (Grand View Research)

Projections indicate a robust compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 14.1% from 2024 to 2030. This growth trajectory is fueled by factors such as the rising adoption of cloud-based solutions, the integration of artificial intelligence (AI), and the increasing prevalence of remote work. If that CAGR is maintained the market is projected to reach USD 149.74 billion by 2030. Businesses are constantly seeking ways to streamline processes, eliminate redundancies, and optimize resource allocation. 

From a regional perspective, North America held the largest market share in 2023, accounting for over 39% of the global revenue. This dominance is attributed to the region’s advanced infrastructure, the increasing need to manage routine tasks, and the growing adoption of AI and machine learning technologies.  The Asia Pacific market is also poised for significant growth, with a projected CAGR of 15.8% from 2024 to 2030. This expansion is driven by the growing trend of remote work and the rapid digital transformation occurring across industries in countries like China and Japan.  In fact, the productivity management software market in India is growing significantly at a CAGR of 18.4% from 2024 to 2030.

The increasing need to manage routine tasks and the highly evolving infrastructure organizations are driving the market’s growth in the region. Moreover, the increased adoption of Al and machine learning technologies would leverage market growth. In the upcoming years. In addition, the widespread adoption of remote work has driven the demand for productivity management software that supports collaboration, task management, and communication in virtual work environments.

Key players operating in the productivity management software market include established technology companies such as Google LLC, Microsoft, Adobe, and Zoho Corporation Pvt. Ltd., among others.  These companies are continuously innovating and expanding their product offerings to meet the evolving needs of businesses across various industries.

Notion’s Big Idea: Building Your Own Operating System for Work

Notion’s mission is essentially to provide a unified workspace that allows individuals and teams to bring all of their essential tools and knowledge together. The company’s vision goes beyond simply replacing individual applications; they aim to create a more connected, collaborative, and efficient way of working. This is reflected in their design philosophy, which emphasizes flexibility and user empowerment. Notion wants users to feel like they are building their own tailored operating system for productivity.

Problems Notion Solves

Notion addresses several critical pain points that plague modern workflows:

• Information Siloing: Traditional work environments often rely on disparate tools, leading to information scattered across multiple applications. Notion solves this by centralizing information, making it easier to find and share.
• Context Switching: Constantly switching between different apps disrupts focus and reduces productivity. Notion minimizes context switching by integrating various functionalities into one place.
• Lack of Customization: Many productivity tools are rigid and don’t adapt well to individual needs. Notion’s block-based architecture and extensive customization options allow users to build workspaces that fit their unique workflows.
• Collaboration Challenges: Sharing and collaborating on documents and projects can be cumbersome with traditional tools. Notion simplifies collaboration with real-time editing, commenting, and granular permission controls.
• Complexity Overload: While powerful, some productivity suites can be overwhelming to learn and use. Notion strikes a balance between power and simplicity, offering a clean interface and intuitive design.

Business Model and Revenue Model

It operates on a freemium business model. They offer a free plan with generous features, making it accessible to individual users and small teams. Paid plans cater to larger teams and enterprises, offering additional features such as unlimited file uploads, guest access, and advanced security controls.

Their revenue model is primarily subscription-based and they generate revenue through monthly or annual subscriptions to their paid plans. The pricing tiers are typically structured based on the number of users and the level of features required.

Blocks, Boards & Brilliance: Everything You Can Do with Notion

Notion stands out as an all-in-one workspace, consolidating note-taking, document sharing, project management, and collaborative tools into a single, unified platform. This unique approach eliminates the need to juggle multiple applications, fostering a more streamlined and efficient workflow for individuals and teams alike. By bringing together disparate functions, Notion reduces context switching and enhances overall productivity.

A key feature that empowers users is their customizable templates. The extensive Template Gallery boasts over 10,000 pre-built options spanning more than 250 categories. This vast collection enables users to rapidly establish structure and add content to their workspaces, saving valuable time and effort. Whether you’re managing a marketing campaign, organizing a research project, or simply taking meeting notes, you’re likely to find a template that suits your needs, and that you can tweak to your precise requirements.

Furthermore, Notion offers robust database functionality. Users can create multi-view databases adaptable for diverse project management requirements. The availability of table, board (Kanban), gallery, and calendar formats provides flexibility to visualize and interact with data in the most effective way. This adaptable database system allows teams to organize information, track progress, and gain valuable insights, making it an invaluable asset for project execution.

Real-time collaboration is at the heart of their design. Teams can work simultaneously on documents and projects, enhancing communication and significantly reducing the bottlenecks often associated with traditional document sharing. Built-in commenting features further facilitate discussions directly within the workspace, simplifying the process of gathering feedback and iterating on projects. This fosters a more dynamic and inclusive work environment, promoting faster and more effective decision-making.

For larger organizations, Notion addresses critical security and compliance needs. Enterprise-grade security features, such as Single Sign-On (SSO) and detailed access controls, provide robust protection for sensitive data. Compliance with regulations like GDPR and CCPA ensures that organizations can confidently utilize Notion while adhering to stringent data privacy standards.

Notion also offers extensive API and integration capabilities. It seamlessly integrates with over 70 popular tools and services, including Slack, GitHub, GitLab, Zoom, Jira, Cisco Webex, Zapier, and Typeform. This interconnectedness allows organizations to connect their existing tech stacks and streamline operations, avoiding the creation of information silos.

To further support users, Notion provides a wealth of educational resources and support, including webinars, guides, and community forums. These resources empower enterprises to maximize the platform’s capabilities and ensure successful adoption across their workforce.

100 Million Users and Counting: Notion’s Rise to Icon Status

Notion has made a significant impact on the productivity software market, evidenced by its impressive growth. The platform surpassed 100 million users in July 2024, showcasing its widespread adoption and influence across various sectors. This substantial user base highlights their effectiveness in meeting the diverse organizational needs of individuals and businesses alike.

The platform’s versatility has attracted a diverse range of clients, from startups to large corporations. In India, prominent startups such as Unacademy, Byju’s, and Cred utilize Notion to streamline their workflows and enhance organizational efficiency. Globally, major players like Nike, Samsung, and Pixar have also integrated Notion into their operations, further solidifying its reputation as a trusted productivity tool for leading organizations.

Their commitment to innovation and excellence has been recognized through several prestigious awards and certifications. Fast Company recognized Notion as one of the World’s 50 Most Innovative Companies of 2025, underscoring its leadership in the productivity space. Furthermore, Notion has achieved both SOC 2 Type 2 and ISO 27001 certifications, demonstrating its adherence to rigorous security standards and data protection protocols. These certifications provide users with the assurance that their data is handled with the utmost care and in compliance with industry best practices.

Friends in High-Tech Places: How Notion Plays Well with Others

Notion’s strength lies not only in its versatile features but also in its extensive network of partnerships and integrations. By connecting with other powerful tools and platforms, it enhances user workflows and promotes seamless collaboration. Notion boasts integrations with over 70 SaaS tools, some notable examples being Slack, GitHub, Asana, Figma, Miro, and Google Drive. 

These integrations streamline workflows; for example, the Slack integration enhances team communication, allowing users to send and receive Slack messages directly within Notion. Similarly, the GitHub integration enables synchronization of issues and pull requests, simplifying project management for development teams.

Recognizing the importance of workflow automation, they have strategically partnered with integration platforms like Automate.io and Zapier. Automate.io empowers users to connect Notion with over 200 cloud applications, fostering customized and highly productive workflows. Zapier provides similar capabilities, enabling users to automate tasks by linking Notion with numerous other apps. This commitment to automation was further solidified with the acquisition of Automate.io in September 2021, establishing Hyderabad as Notion’s first engineering hub outside the U.S. Later, Flowdash was also acquired in July 2022 to further bolster their workflow automation features.

Beyond technology, they collaborate with consulting firms like Optemization and NorthSand to assist organizations in migrating to and optimizing their use of the platform. Furthermore, Notion offers a Startup Partner Program, providing startups with free access to the platform and valuable resources to support their growth.

An Affiliate Partner Program also exists, rewarding individuals and organizations for referring Notion to others. In June of 2022, they acquired Cron, integrating advanced calendar functionalities into their platform. Through these diverse partnerships and acquisitions, Notion continues to expand its capabilities and solidify its position as a leading workspace platform.

From Seed to $10 Billion Giant: The Funding Journey of Notion

Notion has secured a total of $353 million in equity funding across six rounds. These rounds are categorized as three seed rounds, one early-stage (Series A), and two late-stage (Series C and D) rounds, indicating a progression from initial investment to significant growth financing. The company has attracted the attention of 46 investors, comprising 39 institutional investors and 7 angel investors. (Tracxn)

The most recent funding round, a Series D in October 2021, saw Notion raise $275 million, valuing the company at a post-money valuation of $10 billion. Coatue, Sequoia Capital, and Base10 Partners were among the institutional investors participating in this round. Prior to that, a Series C round in April 2020 brought in $50 million, resulting in a $2 billion post-money valuation, with investment from Index Ventures, Sequoia Capital, and A.Capital Ventures, along with angel investor Elad Gil. An angel round in July 2019, raised $18.2 million, placing the post-money valuation at $800 million, and included investments from Daniel Adkins, Aydin Senkut, Ram Shriram, Josh Kopelman, Lashy Groom and Elad Gil.

Earlier rounds include a Series A in October 2016, where $9.5 million was raised, and two undisclosed seed rounds with investments from CSC Upshot Ventures and Draft Ventures respectively. According to Forbes’ estimates, Notion generated $250 million in revenue in 2023 and is currently profitable, showcasing a strong financial trajectory.

More Than Notes and Tasks: Why Notion Is the Future of Workspaces

Notion provides a powerful and versatile workspace that adapts to your needs. Whether you’re managing projects, organizing information, or collaborating with a team, Notion’s flexible building blocks allow you to create custom solutions tailored to your specific workflow. It’s more than just a note-taking app; it’s a comprehensive platform that empowers you to bring order and clarity to the chaos of modern work and life. 

Remember that the most groundbreaking ventures often start with a simple spark, a problem identified, or a desire to create something new. Don’t let those initial thoughts fade away! 
And if you’re looking for further insights and inspiration on all things venture-related, be sure to check out our other articles here at Venture Kites. We’re constantly sharing new perspectives, strategies, and resources to help you navigate the exciting world of entrepreneurship and innovation.