Two years in: how Atlassian for Startups grew from an experiment into a global program — and why it matters more than ever

Early-stage startups face a particular set of growing pains. It’s not just figuring out what to build and for whom – there’s also a need to measure progress, coordinate across projects, and keep knowledge accessible, all while likely making some drastic pivots. These challenges are what we call a “collaboration tax,” and if it isn’t solved in the earliest days of operating the company, the “tax” only compounds as a startup scales.

In June 2024, Atlassian launched a program built on a straightforward premise: if we could get early-stage founders building with the right collaborative tools from day one, they’d be able to deliver more value to their customers and their startup would grow with Atlassian as they scale.

Two years later, the premise is holding.

As of June 2026, Atlassian for Startups had onboarded more than 5,000 startups from around the world – over 2,000 in the first year and more than 3,000 in the second. From AI to Semiconductors to Deep Tech to Hospitality, our startup customers span nearly every industry, and they’re bringing deep expertise to real-world problems.

I work directly with startups from across the globe through the Atlassian for Startups program. The most rewarding moments are hearing a founder share that Atlassian has become so ingrained in how they work that they can’t imagine running their business without it. That’s exactly why we built this program – founders need tools that scale with them, so they can stay focused on what they’re truly passionate about: building great products for their customers.

“Since joining Atlassian for Startups we’ve: shipped multiple big sprints and closed 15 new clients….”

– Amir, Timber Exchange

“The Atlassian Startup Program has been incredibly valuable for our team, and it has played a meaningful role in helping us advance our AI-based character infrastructure. Over the past year, we’ve made strong progress on the technology side and are now preparing to enter commercialization, which we expect to begin in Q4 2026.”

– Dmitry, Helika

And while the right tooling is an important first step, a startup’s success is determined by much more than technology. Community, connection, and mentorship are just as critical when you’re building a company from the ground up – and they’re central to what we’ve built into the Atlassian for Startups program. Our programming includes hosting global events, founder AMAs and best-practice sharing sessions, which often includes access to Atlassian leaders, many of whom have built and scaled startups themselves.

We’ve also built relationships with more than 215 venture-capital (VCs) firms, accelerators, and incubators around the world – organizations like 20VC, Y Combinator, and a16z’s Alpha and Speedrun funds. These partners stake their reputations on the tools and resources they recommend to founders. So when they actively promote Atlassian for Startups to their portfolio companies, it reflects a level of trust that has to be earned, which Atlassian has done through delivering consistent value to startups. That’s what drives a customer-first approach across everything we do in this program.

Here’s what some of our VC partners have to say:

“I’ve interviewed a thousand of the best founders in the last decade. The single commonality of the best teams is speed. The fastest and best companies run on Atlassian because it is the best.”

– Harry Stebbings, Founder at 20VC

“I’ve seen, and helped build, iconic tech companies. Atlassian is where a lot of the real work happens. The Atlassian platform and apps are the backbone that takes teams from messy startup to legendary public company.”

– Joff Redfern, Partner at Menlo Ventures

“We back teams that ship. Atlassian keeps those teams aligned, moving fast, and scaling without process pain.”

– Enrique Salem, Partner at Bain Capital Ventures

One last thing I’ve learned while running this program – being in the right room matters. And when we are privileged enough to curate, or be invited into, the right rooms, my number one takeaway from the past two years is that the best thing Atlassian can do is listen. Instead of pitching or selling Atlassian, we make durable inroads by showing up curious about what someone is building and why. The founders I’m the closest with are the ones where the relationship started with a real conversation — not necessarily a product demo. When you lead with curiosity, the product story tells itself.

What’s next

The original hypothesis from June 2024 is proven. The next question is how far we can take it and how many startups can we support.

If you’re building something new, it’s never too early to start with Atlassian.