Notion Officially Adopts notion.com Domain
Notion co-founder Akshay Kothari announced that the company has finally abandoned the .so domain in favor of notion.com.
Shortly after joining Notion in 2018, Akshay was tasked with acquiring notion.com and had anonymously contacted sellers through multiple brokers for a year without success.
Ultimately, the deal was completed through a broker skilled in building long-term relationships, combining cash, equity, and creative conditions such as a private Grateful Dead concert meeting opportunity.
Notion will complete the full transition of its products to notion.com by 2026.
Source: Public Information
ABAB AI Insight
Akshay Kothari, as an early core member of Notion, previously responsible for growth and internationalization, shared the domain acquisition story that reflects Notion's long-term capital and resource integration path from a small team in 2018 to a global productivity platform, with Ivan Zhao's team consistently valuing brand asset control.
On the capital path, Notion persuaded the domain holder (a West Coast entrepreneur and Grateful Dead fan) with a mix of cash, equity, and unique experiences, avoiding a simple high-price bidding, while leveraging investor Ronny Conway's network for non-monetary incentives, significantly reducing acquisition costs and accelerating the deal completion.
Similar to how early Airbnb attracted listings through unique experiences, Notion is currently in the control phase of transitioning from an emerging productivity tool to a mainstream collaboration platform, strengthening brand recognition and user trust through a top-level domain.
Essentially, this is a reconstruction of the industry chain: SaaS companies view domain names as core infrastructure, as the impact of brand assets on user perception and valuation far exceeds the technology itself. Creative transactions lock in long-term brand control, paving the way for future enterprise-level expansion and potential IPO.
ABAB News · Law of Cognition
Cash can buy a domain, but experiences can truly touch hearts.
A top-level domain is not an expense, but a long-term brand leverage.
When ordinary transactions fail, creating scarce non-monetary value is the mark of a master.