Notion has expanded its privacy-focused services with the acquisition of Skiff, an encrypted file storage platform. Skiff’s secure document, calendar, and email services align with Notion’s commitment to user privacy.
At a glance
- Notion’s latest moves: Notion, known for its productivity suite, recently acquired Skiff, a privacy-focused platform that offers encrypted file storage, documents, calendar events, and email.
- Background of the Skiff: Founded in 2020, Skiff has raised $14.2 million in funding from investors including Sequoia Capital and Alphabet Chairman John Hennessy.
- End-to-end encryption: Skiff has garnered attention for its emphasis on end-to-end encryption for user data and for providing a secure alternative to Google Docs.
- Impressive product range: Notion COO Akshay Kothari highlighted the company’s interest in detailing Skiff’s products, including secure document management, calendaring, and email solutions.
- Interest in Notion from the beginning: Notion has been aware of Skiff’s activities since its early days, and its attempts to connect since 2020 demonstrate its continued interest in the platform.
- Skip Service Termination: After the acquisition, Skiff announced that it would shut down its service within six months, but users can easily export or transfer their data to other platforms.
- Notion’s recent acquisitions: Notion acquired Flowdash in 2022, prior to Skiff, and before that, acquired Cron and Automate.io, demonstrating strategic product and service expansion through acquisition.
Notion Expands Privacy Focus with Skiff Acquisition
Popular productivity platform Notion recently made waves in the tech industry when it acquired Skiff, a platform known for its end-to-end encrypted file storage, document management, calendar events, and email services. The move shows Notion’s commitment to strengthening user privacy within its product line.
Skip: A brief overview
Founded in 2020 by Andrew Milich and Jason Ginsberg, Skiff quickly gained traction and has raised $14.2 million in funding across two rounds. Investors include Sequoia Capital, Alphabet Chairman John Hennessy, former Yahoo CEO Jerry Yang, and Eventbrite co-founders Julia and Kevin Hartz. Skiff emerged as a secure alternative to mainstream platforms, initially focusing on providing a secure alternative to Google Docs. Over time, it expanded its portfolio to include calendar and email solutions, gaining recognition for its meticulous attention to detail.
Notion’s Interest in Skip
The decision to acquire Skiff wasn’t made overnight. Notion’s COO, Akshay Kothari, said Skiff had been on the company’s radar since its inception. “Skiff has been on Notion’s radar since the beginning,” Kothari said. “In fact, we reached out to them back in 2020 when we were building our Docs product. We didn’t get in touch with them then, but we were watching their progress.” Ultimately, the acquisition was the result of renewed interest after Kothari thoroughly evaluated Skiff’s product lineup and expressed his admiration for it.
Skiff Joins Notion: What Users Need to Know
Skiff users have received official communication about the acquisition. According to a statement on the Skiff website, the platform will be integrated into Notion, and Skiff will eventually be shut down after a six-month transition period. In particular, Skiff user accounts will not be automatically transferred to Notion accounts. However, users can export or migrate their data to other services to ensure a smooth transition.
Notion’s recent acquisitions
The move follows Notion’s pattern of strategic acquisitions to strengthen its position in the productivity and collaboration space. Notion’s acquisitions include the integration of workflow management tool Flowdash in 2022. Before that, the company added Cron and India-based Automate.io to its portfolio. With a broad suite of integrations spanning 200 services, Automate.io complements Notion’s vision of providing a comprehensive, interconnected productivity ecosystem.
Shutdown of Skip and Data Migration
As Skiff heads towards closure, users are encouraged to take advantage of the six-month period to export or migrate their data to another platform. Skiff has assured users that the process will be simple and has emphasized its user-centric approach even during the phased shutdown.
Notion’s continued focus on privacy
With the acquisition of Skiff, Notion is sending a clear message of its commitment to privacy-centric solutions. While Notion has been a prominent player in the productivity space, this move underscores its commitment to staying ahead of the curve when it comes to addressing user concerns about data security and privacy.
Notion’s acquisition of Skiff represents another strategic step in the company’s journey to provide a comprehensive, privacy-focused productivity suite. While users wait for Skiff’s features to be integrated into Notion, the industry is watching closely to see how this move will impact the landscape of productivity tools and the growing emphasis on user privacy in the digital age.
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