Tailscale raises $100M… to fix the Internet

Tailscale, a networking company known for its user-friendly and reliable zero-trust network solution, has secured $100 million in Series B funding to amplify its mission of “fixing the Internet.” The founders emphasize that their growth—driven by product-led principles (PLG)—stems from obsessive focus on quality, reliability, and simplicity. Users often describe Tailscale as “magic” due to its seamless handling of complex networking challenges like NAT traversal, CGNAT, and dynamic IP addressing, which traditional VPNs struggle with.

The company attributes its success to technical excellence: their product works “out of the box” in most scenarios, offering unmatched reliability (statistically exceeding other VPNs in uptime). Free-tier users remain critical for referrals, so Tailscale pledges not to monetize this layer aggressively. Instead, paid plans cater to enterprises and larger teams, with a healthy growth trajectory in paid seats.

Funding will prioritize:

1. Engineering & Innovation: Continuing improvements in network reliability, security, and ease of use.

2. Community Trust: Maintaining transparency, developer-first ethos, and strong customer support.

3. Sustainable Growth: Avoiding shortcuts to boost metrics; focusing on long-term value over short-term revenue gains.

Tailscale rejects typical startup growth hacks (e.g., heavy marketing, forced upsells), instead betting that quality-driven word-of-mouth will sustain momentum. The team aims to empower small-scale developers and operators while addressing systemic internet connectivity flaws inherited from the 1990s.

In essence: Tailscale’s funding fuels its mission to democratize secure, hassle-free networking—remaining true to users who’ve built its grassroots success.