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Paul Copplestone
Supabase
Ten-fold jump in hosted databases after an accidental Hacker News launch
2 years
$100K ARR
Communities
Growth channel
Co-founders
Founder
Founder
Paul Copplestone
Co-foundersβ’Technicalβ’USA
Commitment
Full-timeExperience
ExperiencedProduct
Open source Firebase alternative with PostgreSQL database.
Type
SaaSIndustry
Developer toolsModel
SubscriptionMarketing strategy
How Paul acquired customers
Growth channel
Communities
Also used
Twitter / X
Tech Stack
Tools used to build Supabase
PostgreSQLElixirReactStripe
The full story
We launched accidentally on Hacker News on 27 May 2020 and the number of databases we hosted jumped ten-fold overnight. The "Open Source Firebase Alternative" positioning resonated.
Counter-Positioning
Firebase was the giant. We positioned as the open source alternative. Developers who wanted control flocked to us.
Accidental HN Launch
An early GitHub follower posted us on Hacker News while we were still alpha testing, months ahead of the official launch we had planned for September. It turned out better than any planned launch.
Open Source Trust
Being open source built instant trust with developers. They could see the code and contribute.
- Databases hosted: ten-fold increase overnight after the Hacker News post
- Over 1,000 databases by 10 July 2020, roughly 6 weeks after the post
- 30,000 website visitors and over 1,400 signups in the 7 days after the post
- GitHub stars: 46K+
Key Takeaways
1
Counter-positioning against giants works
2
An accidental HN launch can beat the launch you planned
3
Open source builds developer trust
4
Right positioning is everything
Originally published onSupabase blog (founders)
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Milestone Journey
Paul achieved 3 milestones on the path to $100K ARR
$1K MRR
$1,000
6 months
Avg: 6 months
+6 months to next milestone
$10K MRR
$100,000
1 year
Avg: 1 year
+1 year to next milestone
$100K ARR
$100,000
2 years
Avg: 2 years
2 years
Total journey time
3
Milestones achieved
Against every documented journey
Paul Copplestone reached $10K MRR in 12 months, faster than 48% of the 295 documented $10K journeys (median 12 months). The amber bar is this journey.
Paul's Path to $100K ARRPremium
The journey, decisions, and context behind this milestone
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Frequently asked questions
How much does Supabase make?
Supabase reports $70M ARR as of October 2025. $70M ARR at $100M Series E (Accel + Peak XV) at $5B valuation. 250% YoY growth. May 2026 reports suggest new round at $10B valuation. Source: Series E announcement.
What is Supabase?
Open source Firebase alternative with PostgreSQL database. It operates in Developer tools.
How long did it take Supabase to reach $100k arr?
Paul Copplestone took 2 years to reach $100k arr with Supabase.
Was Paul Copplestone a solo founder?
No. Paul Copplestone built Supabase with co-founders.
What marketing channel did Supabase use to grow?
Supabase grew primarily through Communities.
What industry is Supabase in?
Supabase operates in Developer tools.
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