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How Notion Grew from a Small Startup to a Tool Used by Millions

How Notion Grew from a Small Startup to a Tool Used by Millions

Notion started as a small idea—and today, it’s helping millions of people and top companies stay organized, focused, and productive.

Notion started as a small idea—and today, it’s helping millions of people and top companies stay organized, focused, and productive.

Published: Jul 9, 2025

Published: Jul 9, 2025

Notion is an all-in-one workspace that lets you take notes, manage projects, track tasks, and work with others. It’s simple, flexible, and easy to use—whether you're a student or part of a large company.

But Notion didn’t become a global name overnight.

A Quick Look at Notion’s History

Notion was founded in 2013. At first, it was just a small team building a tool that could replace many apps—like notes, calendars, and task lists—all in one space.

The first version came out in 2016. In just a few years, Notion grew from 1 million users in 2019 to over 20 million in 2021.

Now, Notion has over 100 million users, with more than 4 million paying customers. It’s used in over 190 countries, and the company is valued at around $10 billion.

They also launched Notion AI, which helps users write, brainstorm, and summarize content with just a few clicks.

Notion Works Even Better with Integrations

Notion is powerful on its own—but it becomes even more useful when you connect it with your favorite tools.

Here are some ways people use Notion with other apps:

  • Students connect Google Calendar to track class schedules and deadlines.

  • Content creators use Notion with Zapier to plan posts and auto-publish on social media.

  • Teams link Slack and GitHub so updates and code changes show up inside Notion.

  • Businesses embed Google Docs, Sheets, and Figma designs directly into pages for easy access.

You can also connect apps like Trello, Jira, Dropbox, and email platforms. With tools like Zapier or Make, you can automate tasks—like turning form submissions into to-do list items or sending reminders when a deadline is close.

Big Companies Use Notion, Too

Notion isn’t just for personal use or small teams. Today, over 50% of Fortune 500 companies use Notion in some way.

That includes companies across many industries:

  • Finance teams use it to track budgets, goals, and reports.

  • Design and product teams use it to plan launches, share feedback, and track progress.

  • HR teams manage hiring, onboarding, and training inside Notion.

  • Marketing teams plan campaigns and create shared calendars.

More than 40,000 organizations—including some of the biggest names in tech, retail, and education—use Notion to stay organized.

Some teams even build entire internal systems, like knowledge bases and help centers, using Notion pages and databases.

Final Thought

Notion has come a long way since it started. Today, it helps millions of people—from students and solo creators to huge companies—stay focused, plan better, and save time.

With smart integrations, helpful templates, and AI tools, Notion makes work feel easier. You don’t need ten different apps anymore—just one that works the way you do.

If you’re ready to get organized and stay on top of everything, give Notion a try. Start small, connect the tools you already use, and let it grow with you.

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