Investment memo
n8n
Automate without limits.
GermanyInformation updated on Aug 22, 2026
Unicorn scoreA 100-point read across the founding team, traction, market, execution and how well each is evidenced. Higher means closer to the profile of companies that went on to reach a billion-dollar valuation.
Listen to the n8n brief memo
Current valuation
$5.2B
Verified Aug 22, 2026
First screened
Aug 22, 2026
Total raised
$254M
Last round: Series C
Addressable market
$50B
Global Intelligent Process Automation Market
n8n is a workflow automation platform that enables users to build complex automations by visually connecting applications, services, and AI models. It provides a low-code, node-based editor for creating multi-step workflows, supporting both third-party APIs and custom code. The platform serves technical teams and developers looking to automate business processes and integrate AI capabilities.
How the score breaks down
A 100-point read across the founding team, traction, market, execution and how well each is evidenced. Higher means closer to the profile of companies that went on to reach a billion-dollar valuation.| Category | Strength | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Founder Background | 64% | |
| Strategic Position | 90% | |
| Execution Velocity | 87% | |
| Traction Momentum | 68% | |
| Market & Scalability | 73% |
Data confidence 86/100. This measures how much of the memo rests on sourced evidence rather than inference. It was assembled by reading 317 public sources about the company. Compiled Aug 22, 2026.
That gathering is automated, so mistakes are possible. The confidence figure is the honest guide: the higher it is, the more of what you are reading came from a source rather than an inference.
Founding team
Prior exits, repeat founders and relevant domain experience are the single strongest early signal in venture data.1 founder
Traction
- Latest round
- Series C · $180M
- Revenue
- $40M
- Team size
- 1,244
Investors (17)
Momentum & social pulse
Momentum & social pulse- Press coverage
- -6 articles
- vs the 3 months before
- LinkedIn followers
- 413.7K
- LinkedIn activity
- 30 posts / 30 days
- last post 1 day ago
What customers say
What customers say- Trustpilot3.2/5 average · 49 reviews
One reviewer“It has a surprisingly low score here whereas this tool is a life saviour for me. It has multiple nodes (or you can make custome ones via guides if there's none). I understand that n8n is quite dificult to learn, and you have to look for guides now and then. And that's what I do. However, it's simple to repeat after YouTubers and build automations for your gmail / google sheets / various scraping tools, etc.”
Market
Why this startup makes sense now
What changed in the world recently that makes this the right moment. A great idea at the wrong time still fails, so a weak answer here is a real risk.The rapid advancement and increased accessibility of large language models (LLMs) and AI agent frameworks since 2024 have enabled n8n to pivot towards AI-native workflow automation, creating demand for platforms that can orchestrate complex AI-driven processes.
What competitors cannot copy
What the company has that a well-funded competitor cannot simply copy: proprietary technology, exclusive data, a regulatory position, a network that grows with every user.n8n's primary unfair advantage is its 'fair-code' source-available model, allowing self-hosting and custom code injection (JavaScript/Python), which provides greater flexibility and control for technical teams compared to fully proprietary SaaS alternatives. This, combined with its early and deep integration of AI agents and LLMs, creates a strong appeal for developers building complex, AI-driven automations.
Who else is in the race
Who else is going after the same customers, and where this company sits among them.n8n operates in a crowded workflow automation market, competing with established players like Zapier, Make (formerly Integromat), Workato, and Microsoft Power Automate. Its differentiation lies in offering a self-hostable, source-available platform with strong AI orchestration capabilities, appealing to more technical users and enterprises with specific compliance needs. Newer alternatives like Pipedream and Tray.ai also offer similar integration and automation features, while AI-focused tools like SmythOS and OpenAI AgentKit are emerging as direct competitors in the AI agent workflow space.
Road to decacorn
The arithmetic that gets to a $10B+ decacorn outcome: who they sell to, at what price, and how many of them there need to be.n8n's path to $1B revenue involves continued expansion within the enterprise segment by leveraging its AI orchestration platform. Strategic partnerships with major players like SAP and Deutsche Telekom provide significant distribution channels and validation for large organizations. By enabling enterprises to scale agentic AI and offering both cloud and self-hosted options with robust compliance features, n8n can capture a substantial share of the growing intelligent process automation market, driving revenue through increased workflow execution volumes and higher-tier enterprise subscriptions.
What could go wrong
Possibly solo founder with no notable track record
WatchOnly one founder was identified from public sources (Jan Oberhauser) with no prior entrepreneurial exits or serial founder history. Note: additional co-founders may exist but were not found in available data. If this is indeed a solo founder, statistical research (Stanford GSB research) shows solo founders without a track record face higher failure rates. The absence of a complementary co-founder increases execution risk across technical, commercial, and operational dimensions.
Active legal action
WatchTalos' investigation found that n8n is a primary point of abuse for threat actors misusing AI, particularly for malware delivery via webhooks. (2026-04-15) Material legal exposure can drain cash, distract leadership, and complicate future fundraising or acquisition.
Surge of negative press
Watch5 distinct credible articles in the last 12 months frame the company negatively (Misuse of AI workflow automation by threat actors; Exploitation of webhook functionality for malware and phishing; Abuse of webhooks for malware delivery and device tracking). Sustained negative coverage erodes brand equity and complicates customer, recruit, and investor pipelines.
Security breach disclosed
CriticalA critical security vulnerability affecting n8n versions 1.65-1.120.4 was discovered in November 2025 and fixed in a later version. This vulnerability could allow unauthenticated remote code execution. (2026-01-08) (2 distinct incidents reported). A confirmed breach signals operational risk and may carry residual liability through class actions, regulatory penalties, and customer churn for years after the incident itself.
Our track record on this company
The valuation recorded the first time this company was screened, against the most recent verified one. It is never rewritten, so the multiple is a real track record.| First screened | Aug 22, 2026 |
|---|---|
| Entry valuation | $5.2B |
| Current valuation | $5.2B |
Latest valuation verified from Live re-screening on Aug 22, 2026. Entry valuation and date are frozen the first time a company is screened and are never rewritten. Valuations are re-checked quarterly against public funding announcements.
More startups in AI/ML
Each one carries a memo like this, built the same way and scored on the same 100 points.
How this works
Screen the next one yourself
Every startup on the board has a memo like this one. Your first screening is free, and there is no account to create.