Atlassian has over 300,000 customers with the most well-known being NASA, Netflix, and Facebook.
Revenue Breakdown by Product
Jira is the company’s biggest revenue driver. It began as a bug-tracking tool but now powers project management for teams of all sizes.
Confluence supports collaboration, acting as a hub for creating and sharing documents, often paired with Jira to streamline team workflows.
Trello, acquired in 2017 for $425 million, serves smaller teams with its simple visual boards, appealing to freelancers, marketers, and non-technical users.
Loom, acquired for $975 million on November 30, 2023.
In 2002, Mike Cannon-Brookes and Scott Farquhar had a goal to create a software company from scratch with no outside funding.
With fresh engineering degrees from the University of New South Wales, the pair charged $10,000 to a credit card and began building Atlassian in a tiny office in Sydney.
Their strategy for survival? Sell one license of their bug-tracking software, Jira, every week for $800.
“We didn’t even try to get venture capital. It wasn’t available in Australia at the time, and we didn’t have a pitch deck or the resume to back it up.”
Mailchimp is another company similar story to Atlassian regarding building a business during a tech downturn WHILE being bootstrapped.
“The goal was straightforward. Sell one Jira license a week. That’s all we needed to survive.”
Cannon-Brookes
Each sale brought in $800—a lifeline that helped them pay their bills and reinvest in their company. This would eventually turn into the Atlassian revenue we know of today.
This survival-first mindset shaped their decisions in those early years. Instead of hiring a sales team, they leaned into a self-service model, allowing customers to discover, test, and purchase Jira online.
“We couldn’t afford to fly around the world pitching our software,” Farquhar explained. “We had to make the product so good that it would sell itself.”
Atlassian revenue has generated $4.4 billion…without a traditional sales team.
For most companies, revenue growth on this scale would be driven by a crafted sales team. Atlassian flipped the script.
From the start, co-founders Mike Cannon-Brookes and Scott Farquhar rejected the idea of building a traditional salesforce, pioneering a product-led growth model that relies on quality and customer self-service.
This belief wasn’t just born from idealism—it was a necessity. In 2002, when Atlassian started, neither founder had experience with sales.
Farquhar openly admitted:
“We didn’t know what sales was. We didn’t even know how to begin pitching our software.” (Atlassian Team Event)
Instead of hiring a sales team, they focused on perfecting Jira, their flagship bug-tracking tool, and made it easy for customers to discover and buy online.
The bet paid off when American Airlines purchased a Jira license for $800—without ever speaking to the company.
How Product-Led Growth Scales
Atlassian’s growth strategy hinges on two simple principles: build great products and let customers try them before buying.
“If your product solves real problems and delivers value, customers will seek it out. They’ll recommend it to others.”
The company offered a self-service model, allowing teams to sign up, test the software, and purchase licenses entirely online.
Atlassian also leaned into affordability, creating a tiered pricing structure that catered to startups and enterprises alike.
For smaller teams, products like Jira and Trello offered free or low-cost entry points, while larger organizations could scale their usage with premium plans.
This model enabled Atlassian to reach over 300,000 customers worldwide, including tech giants like NASA, Netflix, and Facebook.
“We don’t need to sell to teams. We make it easy for them to buy.”
While Atlassian’s competitors spend heavily on sales and marketing, the company reinvests into research and development.
Cannon-Brookes: “We spend about 35% of our revenue on R&D, compared to the 10–15% you’ll see at most software companies. It’s what lets us stay ahead.”(Atlassian 20th Anniversary Blog)
In contrast, only 15% of revenue goes toward sales and marketing—a striking reversal of the industry norm.
This focus on product innovation has not only helped Atlassian stand out but also allowed it to disrupt the enterprise software space.
300,000 Customers Strong: How Atlassian Built a Global Ecosystem
Atlassian Customer Reviews
Atlassian’s growth isn’t solely driven by its products—it’s completed by its ecosystem of third-party developers and power users.
Atlassian Marketplace, launched in 2012, enables developers to create plugins and integrations for Jira, Confluence, and other products.
To date, it has generated over $3 billion in sales, with Atlassian taking a share of the revenue.
“The Marketplace extends the functionality of our tools, making them even more valuable to customers. It’s a win-win.” Cannon-Brookes, Fortt Knox Interview
This ecosystem approach has further fueled Atlassian’s growth, embedding its tools deeper into customers’ workflows and making it harder for them to switch to competitors like Microsoft Teams or Asana.
Data-Driven Customer Insights
One of Atlassian’s secret weapons is its use of data to anticipate customer needs. The company tracks how teams use its software, identifying patterns that inform product updates and new features.
“Data isn’t just numbers to us. It’s a map that shows us how to help our customers work better,” Cannon-Brookes, Q4 FY2024 Shareholder Letter
By aligning its product roadmap with customer behavior, Atlassian has maintained its reputation for delivering tools that teams genuinely love to use.
A New Era of Growth
As Atlassian transitions into 2025, its strategy shows no signs of slowing down.
Recent innovations like Rovo, its human-AI collaboration tool, and a renewed focus on cloud-based solutions demonstrate how the company continues to evolve.
Farquhar summed it up best:
“We’re proof that you don’t need a sales team to achieve explosive growth. You need a relentless focus on solving problems for your customers.”(Atlassian 20th Anniversary Blog)
Atlassian’s journey from a bootstrapped startup to a $71 billion SaaS powerhouse is a testament to the power of product-led growth—and a reminder that sometimes, breaking the rules is the smartest play.
Why 300,000 Customers Choose Atlassian
From Silicon Valley startups to global powerhouses like NASA and Netflix, over 300,000 organizations rely on Atlassian’s tools every day.
The secret to this vast and diverse customer base lies in their unique approach: build versatile products that adapt to the needs of any team, regardless of size or industry.
The Universal Appeal of Atlassian Products
Atlassian’s flagship product, Jira, started as a simple bug tracker.
Today, it powers workflows for marketing teams, software developers, and even financial analysts. This adaptability is one of its greatest strengths.
“We didn’t design Jira just for developers. “We built it to be a tool that anyone could customize to fit their team’s specific needs.”
Mike Cannon-Brookes
Confluence, another Atlassian product, acts as a digital workspace where teams can collaborate on everything from project planning to documentation.
Trello, which Atlassian acquired in 2017 for $425 million, introduced a visual and intuitive approach to project management, quickly becoming a favorite for freelancers and non-technical users.
Atlassian’s client roster isn’t just about volume—it’s also about prestige. When NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory needed tools to streamline their mission-critical projects, they turned to Atlassian.
Similarly, Netflix employs Jira and Confluence to manage the complexities of its global streaming operations.
“NASA uses Jira to manage its rover missions.”
“When you think about that—teams planning and executing space exploration with our software—it’s a humbling validation of the work we do.”
Scott Farquhar shared during Atlassian’s 20th anniversary.
Netflix’s use of Atlassian tools showcases how the software can scale for massive operations. From content production pipelines to IT infrastructure management, Atlassian’s products help ensure seamless execution.
From Startups to Enterprises: One Size Fits All
One of Atlassian’s early bets was to design tools that could grow alongside its customers.
Startups can adopt free or low-cost versions of Jira or Trello, and as their needs expand, they can seamlessly upgrade to more robust, enterprise-level solutions.
This strategy has allowed Atlassian to penetrate industries beyond tech.
Healthcare companies use Confluence to manage patient records and compliance documentation, while manufacturers rely on Jira to track supply chain processes.
“Making products that scale from five people to 5,000 is a challenge we embrace. The versatility of our tools is what keeps customers coming back as their businesses evolve.”
Cannon-Brookes, Interview with Fortt Knox.
Listening to Customers, Building for Teams
Atlassian’s growth isn’t just about selling tools—it’s about fostering an ecosystem where customers feel heard.
They’ve cultivated user communities where administrators, power users, and team leaders can share best practices and provide feedback directly to Atlassian.
“We don’t see our customers as just users of our software. “They’re collaborators, and their input shapes the direction of our products.”
Scott Farquhar
A prime example of this is Atlassian’s ShipIt hackathons, where employees focus on building solutions for customer pain points.
Many of Jira’s and Confluence’s best-loved features originated from these events, demonstrating Atlassian’s commitment to continuous improvement.
Success Stories Across Industries
Atlassian’s tools don’t just support businesses—they drive measurable results.
Take the story of a fintech startup that used Trello to streamline product development, cutting time-to-market by 30%.
Or a marketing agency that leveraged Confluence to centralize project management, improving client satisfaction rates by 50%.
Every one of these stories underscores a simple truth: Atlassian’s software isn’t just about efficiency; it’s about unleashing the potential of every team.
A Community Built on Trust
From the smallest startups to industry titans, Atlassian has built a reputation as a trusted partner. This trust is bolstered by their transparent pricing, continuous innovation, and a philosophy of empowering customers rather than hard-selling to them.
I go back to thinking about the quote “Software should be bought, not sold.” by Cannon-Brookes here.
“Our goal has always been to create products so good that customers choose us—not because of a sales pitch, but because we solve their problems.”
From Bug Tracker to $4.4B Empire: The Innovation Behind Atlassian
Atlassian’s transformation from a scrappy startup to a $71 billion powerhouse is a testament to its commitment to innovation.
Starting with a simple bug-tracking tool, the company evolved into a global leader, revolutionizing how teams collaborate and work.
Steps To Make Jira Optimized
Launched in 2002, Jira began as a niche product aimed at helping software teams track and resolve bugs.
But the vision for Jira quickly grew as Mike Cannon-Brookes and Scott Farquhar noticed something remarkable—teams outside software development started using Jira for their own workflows.
“We built Jira to solve a specific problem, but our customers showed us it could do so much more. That feedback guided its evolution into a platform for team success.”
Mike Cannon-Brookes
Customer-Driven Design: Early users shaped Jira’s development. By listening to their needs, Atlassian expanded its functionality beyond tracking bugs.
Customizability: Jira introduced customizable workflows and sprint planning, allowing teams to design it to their own needs.
Scalability: The platform grew to accommodateeverything from startups to Fortune 500 companies, becoming a staple for project management.
Steps To Make Confluence Optimized
Two years after Jira’s release, Atlassian launched Confluence, a collaboration platform designed to be more than just a repository of information.
“Confluence wasn’t just about storing documents. It was about empowering teams with a shared space where they could create, plan, and align seamlessly.”
Scott Farquhar
Integrated Collaboration: Confluence integrated seamlessly with Jira, bridging strategy and execution for teams.
Single Source of Truth: By centralizing information, Confluence eliminated silos, fostering transparency and efficiency.
Cross-Industry Appeal: Teams from marketing to engineering adopted Confluence, making it a tool for all industries, not just tech.
Steps To Make Trello Optimized
In 2017, Atlassian made waves by acquiring Trello for $425 million. Known for its intuitive, card-based design, Trello appealed to users looking for a straightforward way to organize tasks visually.
This acquisition was a strategic move to capture non-technical users, such as educators, freelancers, and small businesses.
“Trello allowed us to reach an entirely new audience. Its simplicity was its strength, and it complemented Jira beautifully, creating a balanced toolset for both structured and flexible workflows.”
Scott Farquhar
User-Centric Design: Trello’s intuitive drag-and-drop cards made it easy for anyone to use, requiring no training.
Broader Use Cases: While Jira catered to structured workflows, Trello offered flexibility, appealing to teams managing everything from household tasks to corporate projects.
Community Growth: Trello’s integration into Atlassian’s ecosystem introduced it to millions of new users.
Trello’s simplicity has driven widespread adoption, contributing to Atlassian’s milestone of 300,000 customers in 2024.
In 2024, the company introduced Rovo, a cutting-edge human-AI collaboration technology designed to optimize team efficiency.
Rovo’s capabilities include automating repetitive tasks, generating project timelines, and offering predictive insights for team planning.
It’s another step forward in Atlassian’s mission to unleash the potential of every team.
“We don’t innovate for the sake of being trendy. Every move we make serves our core purpose: helping teams achieve more together.”
Mike Cannon-Brookes
Another innovative buy that shows Atlassian’s ability to keep up with everything is their recent acquisition of Loom.
Why Is Innovation Important?
Atlassian’s relentless drive to innovate stems from a deep-rooted culture of experimentation. Initiatives like the quarterly ShipIt hackathons allow employees to explore bold ideas, some of which have shaped the company’s most successful products.
“Some of our best features didn’t come from top-down planning. They came from employees who dared to think differently.”
Scott Farquhar, Atlassian’s 20th anniversary.
This culture keeps Atlassian ahead in the competitive software world, continually adapting to meet customer needs.
What started as a simple bug-tracking tool has grown into a suite of products powering teams at NASA, Netflix, and beyond.
Atlassian’s journey shows the power of listening to users and staying ahead of industry changes, proving that true innovation transforms how people work.
With its strong culture and evolving products, Atlassian is set to remain a leader in team collaboration and productivity for years to come.
Scott Farquhar’s 4 CEO Rules That Shaped Atlassian
Scott Farquhar, co-founder of Atlassian, attributes much of the company’s success to a simple framework:
“A CEO has four main responsibilities: hire and fire the management, set the vision, define the culture, and allocate resources. I often look back and ask myself how much time I’m spending on those four areas.”’
Scott Farquhar
Here’s how Farquhar implemented each of these rules to build Atlassian’s foundation for success.
1. Hiring and Firing for Long-Term Impact
As a bootstrapped startup, Farquhar and Cannon-Brookes didn’t have the luxury of trial and error. Each employee needed to contribute meaningfully from day one.
When hires didn’t work out, Farquhar advises to not hesitate to make tough decisions.
Cutting underperformers quickly, while challenging, made sure the company stayed focused.
This principle carried over as Atlassian scaled, with the founders emphasizing the importance of hiring leaders who could grow with the company.
Even today, Atlassian uses a rigorous hiring process to maintain its culture. It evaluates not only technical expertise but also how well candidates embody its values, such as openness and a commitment to solving customer problems.
2. Setting a Vision That Resonates
Atlassian’s journey began with a single product—Jira. It quickly became a project management staple, thanks to Farquhar and Cannon-Brookes’ ability to see its broader potential.
“We didn’t set out to create a multi-industry tool, but as we listened to our customers, we saw Jira’s adaptability as a way to solve problems for teams across all functions.”
Mike Cannon-Brookes, Fortt Knox Interview
This vision drove the company to launch additional products like Confluence in 2004 and later acquire Trello in 2017.
By focusing on tools that allows for team success across industries, Atlassian positioned itself as more than just a software company.
Its products now serve teams in marketing, HR, and education, alongside its traditional tech audience.
Atlassian’s vision also extended to its sales model. Instead of relying on a traditional sales team, the company pioneered a self-service approach.
This decision allowed it to scale rapidly while keeping costs low—an advantage that helped Atlassian revenue hit $4.4 billion.
3. Culture That Drives Innovation
Culture is a competitive advantage. From the beginning, Farquhar emphasized the importance of building a company culture that fosters collaboration and experimentation.
“Culture isn’t something you write down and forget about. It’s in every decision, every interaction, every product we create.”
Atlassian’s core values, like “Don’t #@!% the customer” and “Open company, no bullshit, guide everything.
These principles are more than slogans—they’re deeply ingrained in the company’s DNA.
Quarterly hackathons give employees 24 hours to work on passion projects, with no restrictions. Some of Atlassian’s most successful features, like Jira’s roadmap tool, originated during these hackathons.
This environment of creativity and risk-taking has been instrumental in keeping Atlassian ahead of competitors like Asana and Monday.com.
4. Resources for Strategic Growth
With no external funding in the beginning, Farquhar and Cannon-Brookes focused every dollar on product development.
This lean approach became a defining characteristic of Atlassian’s growth.
This strategy extended to key business decisions. For example:
Atlassian saved over $400 million in three years by building its own data centers instead of outsourcing cloud infrastructure.
By avoiding a traditional sales team, the company redirected millions into product innovation and customer experience.
Even as Atlassian scaled, Farquhar continued to prioritize efficient resource allocation.
Investments in automation, AI, and customer feedback loops ensured the company stayed ahead of market trends without overspending.
Taking Lessons With You
From assembling a world-class team to defining a clear vision and cultivating a dynamic culture, these principles have allowed Atlassian to thrive in a competitive tech space.
In 2024, Atlassian revenue was reported as $4.4 billion, serving over 300,000 customers, including industry giants like NASA, Netflix, and Facebook.
The company’s ability to stay focused on the fundamentals—team, vision, culture, and resources—offers a powerful blueprint for aspiring leaders.
For Farquhar, the journey isn’t just about hitting numbers—it’s about unleashing the potential of every team.
How Atlassian Serves 300,000 Teams Worldwide
Atlassian’s tools power over 300,000 teams across industries, from aerospace to marketing, and everything in between.
This success isn’t just because they make great products—it’s because Atlassian understands that no two teams work the same way.
Atlassian’s product lineup goes far beyond Jira, Trello, and Confluence. For IT and operations teams, Opsgenie handles critical alerts, while Bitbucket provides developers with a collaborative platform for managing code.
These tools don’t just work in isolation; they integrate seamlessly, making it easy for teams to connect their workflows.
But Atlassian doesn’t just stop at selling software.
They also provide resources like the Team Playbook, a free guide that helps teams improve how they work together. Whether it’s aligning goals or resolving conflicts, these strategies are designed to help teams function better—tools or no tools.
Personalizing Onboarding for Every User
Atlassian knows that getting started with new software can be overwhelming.
That’s why their onboarding process is tailored to fit different roles and team needs. For example:
Developers might see tutorials focused on sprint planning in Jira.
Marketing teams are introduced to Confluence templates for campaign tracking.
Instead of making users figure out everything on their own, Atlassian provides practical, role-specific examples right out of the gate. This hands-on approach ensures teams can start using the tools effectively from day one.
A product manager at a mid-sized tech company shared their experience:
“The onboarding wasn’t just about showing us features—it was about showing us how those features solved our specific problems. That made all the difference.”
Making Work Easier with AI
In 2024, Atlassian introduced Rovo, an AI assistant designed to handle repetitive tasks.
It helps with things like summarizing meeting notes, predicting delays in project timelines, and even automating basic administrative work.
But Rovo isn’t just about automation.
It’s about making work smarter. Engineering teams, for example, use it to flag potential roadblocks in development cycles, while HR teams rely on it to streamline recruiting workflows.
“We didn’t build Rovo to replace work. We built it to remove the friction.”This mindset has made Rovo a valuable tool for teams looking to spend less time on busywork and more time on meaningful projects.”
Scaling for Every Team Size
Atlassian’s tools are designed to scale, whether you’re a five-person startup or a Fortune 500 enterprise.
Their cloud-first approach makes sure teams of any size get the same seamless experience, while tiered pricing keeps the tools accessible.
Small nonprofits might use Trello to coordinate volunteers, while giants like Netflix rely on Jira to manage massive production schedules.
This flexibility has helped Atlassian build long-term relationships with customers of every size and type.
Turning Feedback Into Action
Atlassian has built its success on listening to its users. The company uses feedback from forums, surveys, and social media to shape its products.
They’ve even created a public roadmap that shows what’s being developed and why.
For example, when customers asked for better integration between Confluence and Jira, Atlassian didn’t just add it—they built workflows that made the two tools feel like one.
The Key to 300,000 Teams
Atlassian’s ability to serve such a wide variety of teams comes down to one thing: adaptability.
Whether it’s through personalized onboarding, scalable tools, or AI-powered assistants, the company has created an ecosystem that grows with its users.
It’s not just about solving today’s problems—it’s about anticipating tomorrow’s challenges and staying ahead of the curve.
8 Lessons from Atlassian’s Journey to $71 Billion: The Playbook for SaaS Success
Atlassian started as a small company in Australia and grew into a global powerhouse worth $71 billion.
The creators of Jira, Trello, and Confluence didn’t just build software—they redefined how teams work together. Their journey offers valuable lessons for anyone building a business or looking to make an impact.
1. Mastering the Art of Low-Cost Growth
Atlassian’s rise wasn’t built on flashy ad campaigns or a massive salesforce.
Instead, the company let its products do the heavy lifting. Jira, their flagship tool, addressed real pain points for developers, earning loyalty through word-of-mouth.
This organic growth strategy allowed Atlassian to bypass traditional customer acquisition costs and reinvest early revenue directly into improving their tools.
For Atlassian, the focus has always been on creating something so valuable that it becomes indispensable. Their growth story is a reminder for SaaS founders: no marketing strategy can compensate for a product that doesn’t solve real problems effectively.
2. Turning Niche Tools Into Team Must-Haves
Atlassian began by winning over developers, but they didn’t stop there. Jira, initially tailored for software teams, soon expanded into project management, drawing in a whole new audience.
Acquisitions like Trello added even more versatility, making their tools relevant far beyond engineering departments.
Before long, Atlassian’s footprint extended into marketing, HR, and even finance teams. Their products became staples not just for coders but for professionals across the board.
What made this expansion work?
Atlassian didn’t chase trends or create tools just to tick boxes. Each move felt deliberate and organic, addressing real needs in ways that made sense.
I like to think about how your product can evolve without losing its core purpose. Growth doesn’t mean chasing every opportunity—it’s about solving problems for the next layer of users naturally and effectively.
3. Hiring Without Borders: Talent Anywhere
Long before remote work was cool, Atlassian saw the potential in distributed teams.
By hiring globally, they snagged top-tier talent and made sure they could serve customers in every time zone.
The takeaway here is clear. Embracing remote work isn’t just a convenience—it’s a competitive edge. If you’re still relying on a single headquarters, you might be leaving game-changing hires on the table.
4. Making Marketing Invisible
Atlassian’s approach to marketing was simple: don’t let anyone notice it. Freemium models and user referrals drove growth.
There were no pushy salespeople, no intrusive ad campaigns—just great products that users couldn’t stop talking about. This approach didn’t just save money; it built trust.
Atlassian proves you don’t need a massive ad budget to scale. Focus on creating value and watch your users do the marketing for you.
5. Betting Big on the Cloud (and Winning)
When cloud computing emerged, Atlassian didn’t hesitate. They re-engineered their products to meet the moment, even though the process was costly and risky.
That decision positioned them as leaders in the software space, making sure they stayed relevant as businesses increasingly moved to the cloud.
“Cloud was inevitable; it was just a question of timing,” said co-founder Mike Cannon-Brookes. For SaaS companies, the lesson is this: don’t wait for a shift to become mainstream. If you can see the future coming, start building for it now.
6. Pricing for Every Team—Small and Large
One reason Atlassian became a household name in software as a service? Their pricing strategy.
They offered affordable options for startups while catering to enterprise giants. As teams grew, so did their spending on Atlassian tools, making the company indispensable at every stage.
The brilliance lies in balancing accessibility with scalability. Tiered pricing isn’t just about maximizing revenue—it’s about making sure your product grows alongside your users.
7. Building a Community That Sells for You
Atlassian didn’t just sell software; they built a movement.
Events like the Atlassian Summit and their thriving online community turned users into advocates. Customers didn’t just use Atlassian tools—they became part of a larger story about collaboration and innovation.
This sense of belonging created loyalty that no competitor could easily replicate. For SaaS companies, fostering a community isn’t just a feel-good initiative—it’s a growth engine.
8. Staying Agile in the Face of Success
From investing in AI to sunsetting outdated features, the company continuously evolved.
“Innovation isn’t about doing everything—it’s about doing the right things at the right time.”
This ability to pivot and adapt is critical for software companies. Just because something works today doesn’t mean it will tomorrow. The best founders know when to double down—and when to change course.
Atlassian’s journey isn’t just a story of success—it’s a masterclass in staying focused, flexible, and customer-obsessed.
They proved that you don’t need flashy marketing or endless funding rounds to win. Instead, they built a $71 billion company on the back of a simple promise: to make teamwork better.
