Notion Offers Free Startup Credits - AWS & Stripe Partnership

Notion Expands Startup Program with Global Access

Previously available through select accelerators and incubators, Notion’s program offering free credits for its collaborative workspace is now being widely opened to all startups globally.

New Program Details and Benefits

Starting Tuesday, Notion will provide a credit of at least $500 to any startup, irrespective of its size or funding stage, enabling free access to its platform. The value of this credit, dependent on team size, could grant startups access to Notion’s premium features for a year or even longer.

Initial Goals and Current Status

Initially, the program aimed to encourage widespread adoption of Notion among startups worldwide, according to Akshay Kothari, Notion’s chief operating officer. He shared this insight in a recent interview with TechCrunch.

However, the landscape has shifted considerably for the work collaboration platform over the past two years. Valued at $2 billion in its latest funding round, Notion has become a preferred productivity suite for numerous startups, including prominent names like Figma, Substack, Modern Health, Mixpanel, Buffer, and Headspace, as well as developers, creatives, and designers.

Significant Growth in Startup Adoption

Notion reports a fourfold increase in startup usage over the past year, coinciding with the global shift towards remote work. The platform’s penetration is evident in key startup ecosystems: over 50% of startups in Y Combinator’s most recent cohort utilize Notion, and 90 companies featured on Forbes’ Cloud 100 list maintain a Notion team workspace.

Furthermore, approximately 28% of globally listed startups on Crunchbase that have secured over $1 million in funding are also active users of the platform.

Expanding Global Reach

The use of Notion is becoming increasingly prevalent even in markets where the company has not historically focused heavily, such as India. Founders are now commonly sharing pitch decks created and stored on Notion with potential investors.

Many are also leveraging Notion for announcements, note-taking, and team collaboration.

New Resources and Support

Alongside this expansion, Notion is developing new templates to streamline common startup use cases. A “startup starter pack” is also being launched, featuring guides, tutorials, livestream sessions, customer success stories, and a comprehensive FAQ section.

Kothari stated the ultimate objective is for Notion to become the default tool for every startup globally, requiring no conscious decision to adopt.

Strategic Partnerships with Industry Leaders

To achieve this scale, Notion is forging partnerships with two major infrastructure providers favored by startups: AWS and Stripe. These companies will now extend access to Notion’s premium features – within credit limits – to hundreds of thousands of startups participating in their respective programs.

Kothari envisions Notion becoming the foundational “information infrastructure” alongside AWS and Stripe, emphasizing the company’s commitment to building further partnerships.

Statements from Partner Companies

Krithika Muthukumar, Startups Business Lead at Stripe, commented that Notion has been invaluable to the Stripe Atlas community, fostering organization and alignment throughout key milestones and enhancing employee connectivity. Stripe is pleased to integrate Notion into the Atlas program and explore collaborative opportunities.

AWS also expressed positive feedback, noting that its customers consistently praise Notion and are eager to explore further strategic collaborations.