Jan Oberhauser, CEO of n8n, aims to build a company serving over 1 billion users — more than 10% of the world’s population — with fewer than 1,000 employees. “Our goal is to get to 1bn users with fewer than 1,000 employees,” he told Sifted. The workflow automation platform, founded in 2020, has grown rapidly by focusing on self-service signups and community-driven development. n8n now serves over 7,304 enterprise customers and has raised significant funding, including a $2.0 million seed round and a $2.7 million Series A led by HV Capital and Earlybird. Oberhauser emphasized the importance of product-led growth, noting that n8n’s open-source model allows developers to adopt the tool organically.

The company’s lean approach contrasts sharply with traditional SaaS models, relying on automation and user feedback rather than large sales teams. “We’re not trying to compete with the big players directly,” Oberhauser said. “We’re focused on being the most developer-friendly workflow tool.” n8n’s strategy centers on minimizing overhead while maximizing reach, with a strong emphasis on remote work and distributed teams.