Automattic Raises $300 million, with a Valuation at $3 billion

[engine]

Automattic, the company behind WordPress, has raised $300 million Series D, and Salesforce Ventures taking the whole round, giving the company a post-money valuation of $3 billion.

For Automattic, the funding will allow us to accelerate our roadmap (perhaps by double) and scale up our existing products—including WordPress.com, WordPress VIP, WooCommerce, Jetpack, and (in a few days when it closes) Tumblr. It will also allow us to increase investing our time and energy into the future of the open source WordPress and Gutenberg.

[ma.tt...]

[NickMNS]

I guess we will be seeing a WordPress IPO at some point in the future.

[TorontoBoy]

Wordpress is open source software, not a company. Automattic writes and governs WP. I wish Automattic well. Though there are flaws in WP, WP has made content publishing so much easier for the non-tech masses. The transformation is startling. As a developer I attend WP meetups and meet artists and musicians that have no clue how the site is technically put together, but they have content to share with the world. That can only be a good thing for all.

Automattic, at Wordpress.com, has its 5 minute install. which you can try for free. It is startlingly easy and encourages non-tech people to publish. I have encouraged newbys to do this, and they return happy and publishing. Their questions are no longer "how to set up a site" but what to write!

[tangor]

Kudos for all ... and though I avoid WP like the plague, it is a very good and valid method of getting content published with great community support, ardent instructors, and some really serious presence on the web.

All good wishes extended!