Aha! Surpasses $100 Million in Annual Recurring Revenue
March 8, 2022

Aha! Surpasses $100 Million in Annual Recurring Revenue

by Brian de Haaff

Editor's note: Aha! Notebooks (referenced here as Aha! Create) has been split into Aha! Knowledge and Aha! Whiteboards.

Software differently. We have always been motivated to make Aha! a different type of high-growth software company — one that puts people, performance, and profit first. That thinking guided us from our scrappy, early-stage initial days to now. And it fueled countless achievements along the way.

Aha! has broken boundaries and challenged preconceived notions of what it takes to build a high-growth software company since day one.

We pioneered a new category with Aha! Roadmaps and built the tool of choice for leading product management teams around the world. We published Lovability, the bestselling book about our approach. More recently, we launched Aha! Ideas and Aha! Develop, created Aha! Academy, and formalized our philanthropic efforts through Aha! Cares. We serve more than 500,000 users at many of the world’s best-known companies — by providing product expertise and uber-responsive support.

Today I am proud to share another milestone — Aha! has surged past $100 million in annual recurring revenue (ARR).

Our journey proves it is possible to build a bootstrapped, people-oriented, high-growth SaaS company. Embracing a bootstrap mentality early on was critical to our success. That mindset goes beyond accepting venture capital (which we never have) — it permeates how we think and how we act. No outside funding, no office, no salespeople, no drama.

Our purpose is clear. We aspire for a world of lovable software built by thriving product development teams. This takes discipline and requires a goal-first approach, thoughtful prioritization, and cross-functional planning. Brilliant plans happen when teams work together. Aha! helps companies transform old, inefficient ways of working into a new strategic, collaborative approach.

You may wonder what is next now that we achieved this major milestone. The answer is more of what we do best — we have a tight-knit and exceptionally high-performing team with remarkable focus.

Aha! is moving from strength to even greater value for customers, our colleagues, and the communities that we live and work in. We want to inspire others to build differently, lift up product development teams, and support people who are shaping the future. Looking ahead, we are energized and already working hard in the following areas:

Championing the Bootstrap Movement

Bootstrapping goes beyond how a company is funded. It is an operating philosophy. Our experience has shown that the core tenets — purpose, self-reliance, waste avoidance, and long-term value — extend well past the startup phase. We want to inspire others to adopt this approach. And we are eager to spotlight the companies and individuals who dare to do things differently.

Join the Bootstrap Movement

Launching Aha! Create

Product development is the future of any business. Product teams need a seamless way to share, refine, and bring concepts to life together. Our newest product augments our existing suite of tools teams need to thrive. Aha! Create is your digital notebook — record information, whiteboard concepts, and collaborate with the team. It also tightly integrates with our other Aha! software offerings. Set your imagination free. Sign up to try the new product in early access which will begin shortly.

Learn more about Aha! Create

Expanding our European presence

Most meaningful organizations have an international presence. Aha! teammates work from across the globe and so do many of our customers. Adoption of Aha! software continues at a steady pace with a significant number of organizations in the European Union. Many have expressed interest in choosing to use a regional data center, so new customers can now choose Ireland. And existing customers can migrate accounts there for a service fee.

Read about the new data center

We are proud to help product development teams prioritize and build what will create the most value for their organization and for their customers.

Aha! is true in everything we do. We will continue to focus on people, performance, and profit. Nearly nine years after we first set out boldly, the opportunity to deliver more value to more people continues to motivate and excite us. We are on a unique adventure and invite you to join in any way that inspires you.

We are proudly bootstrapped, fully remote, and hiring. (And we are also a $100-million business.) Join the Aha! team.

Brian de Haaff

Brian de Haaff

Brian seeks business and wilderness adventure. He is the co-founder and CEO of Aha! — the world’s #1 product development software — and the author of the bestseller Lovability and The Startup Adventure newsletter. Brian writes and speaks about product and company growth and the journey of pursuing a meaningful life.

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