Used by both global tech giants and early-stage startups alike, AI workspace Notion is picking up speed in Australia and New Zealand.
In the earliest stages of a startup, every second and every dollar counts. Founders are stretched thin across product development, fundraising, hiring, marketing and operations – without the safety net of a large team to back them up.
And yet, many startups get tangled in a web of disconnected tools: one platform for project management, another for documentation, one more for customer tracking. It’s a trove of products that ends up costing not just time and money, but momentum.
Enter Notion: the $10 billion AI-connected workspace, founded in San Francisco in 2013, that’s become the go-to startup operating system for some of the world’s most agile companies (94 per cent of the Forbes AI 50 list are Notion users).
For some, it’s about replacing far too many legacy tools that have accumulated over the months and years. For others, it’s having the power to build and customise workflows exactly how they want, simply and cost-effectively, that’s most enticing. But for all of them, it’s a way to move faster.
So, what is Notion?
At its core, Notion is an all-in-one workspace that consolidates documents, wikis, project management tools, databases, calendars, and now AI capabilities, into a single, customisable platform.
Helping companies reduce their software sprawl and improve productivity, the workflow tech is designed to streamline teams’ knowledge sharing and tasks into one space. With built-in AI, teams can automate repetitive tasks, summarise content, get instant answers from their internal documentation and more.
Notion AI can also search across multiple work apps, automatically capture meeting notes, draft detailed research reports in minutes, and allows chat with the latest AI models like GPT-4.1 and Claude 3.7 Sonnet.
A big drawcard of the tech is its flexibility: it adapts to how teams actually work, rather than forcing a system onto a team. And for founders that are committed to building as efficiently – and effectively – as possible, this really matters.
“Early-stage startups in Australia and New Zealand move fast and operate lean,” says Andrew McCarthy, Notion’s GM for ANZ, SEA and India.
“Notion gives founders a single, connected workspace to manage everything – from product and fundraising to hiring and docs – without the overhead of multiple tools. It’s built for speed and focus.”
Notion GM for ANZ, SEA and India, Andrew McCarthy. Image: Supplied.
Why founders build on Notion
At Twine, a pre-seed Sydney startup in AI conversations analysis, Notion powers nearly everything.
“We use it for almost everything – from thinking through product strategy to interacting with investors to tracking our extremely serious backgammon leaderboard,” says Brian Swift, co-founder and CEO.
“Notion keeps up with our pace, our messiness and our love of linking random thoughts to real outcomes.”
As one of Australia’s most well-known startup success stories, local unicorn Linktree relies on Notion to stay aligned as it scales.
“At Linktree, Notion plays a pivotal role in driving our ability to move quickly,” says Alex Zaccaria, co-founder and CEO. “It helps us stay organised, aligned and accountable.”
It’s been a time saver, adds George Turnbull, Linktree’s senior strategy and operations manager.
“When we first started using Notion, we had a small, simple Notion teamspace,” George says. “Fast forward with five times the headcount, it’s now a thriving ecosystem where we track projects, run scorecards, and so much more.”
A sneak peek at how Linktree use Notion. Image: Notion.
On a global level, OpenAI uses Notion to democratise access to technical insights.
“The ability to turn complex data analyses into readable, accessible documentation has been game-changing,” says Mashfir Mohiuddin from OpenAI’s data science team.
“By sharing weekly reports in Notion, our technical insights now reach a broader audience and drive better decision-making across the organisation.”
Inside OpenAI’s company wiki on Notion. Image: Notion.
Meanwhile, at fast-growing Australian pet wellness company Lyka, Notion has become the centre of operations.
“Everything starts and lives in Notion now. It’s the one place to go when you need anything – it’s become our one-stop shop for everything at Lyka,” says Lauren Goldman, Senior Business Operations Manager.
Moving to Notion has had a surprising effect on the bottom line has well. By consolidating into one Enterprise plan in Notion, they have saved more than $75,000 annually on their tool stack.
The Notion for Startups program
To make things simpler for early-stage teams, Notion has a dedicated Notion for Startups program. Eligible startups can get up to six months free of Notion Business, including Notion AI (valued at $12,000).
From the moment you sign up, you can start using the platform’s powerful tools and templates – including the popular Startup in a Box collection.
Notion’s Startup in a Box templates are designed with early-stage startups in mind. Image: Notion.
The templates help startups track investors, manage and rework product roadmaps, handle recruitment and document internal processes, all in one place.
“Templates like our Startup in a Box let founders hit the ground running,” says McCarthy.
“No setup time, no tool sprawl – just execution.”
From day one to IPO
Whether you’re pre-seed or prepping for Series A, the reality is that software complexity can slow you down and hamstring your growth potential. Startups need lean tools that can move as fast as they do – without sacrificing clarity or scale.
As Notion expands across the ANZ region, more and more startups are discovering that the best way to future-proof their operating system is to simplify it.
Ready to do the same? Startup Daily readers get up to 6 months of Notion Business free with unlimited AI – $12,000 in savings! Claim your offer and apply here.
This article is brought to you by Startup Daily in partnership with Notion.
Daily startup news and insights, delivered to your inbox.