Makerpad

Makerpad operates as an educational platform and community centered on the no-code and low-code movement, enabling individuals and businesses to build applications and automate workflows without writing traditional code. Founded by Ben Tossell in 2019, the company emerged from his personal experience as a non-technical individual seeking to build his own products. Tossell's journey began while he was the community manager at Product Hunt, where he discovered a variety of tools that simplified app and website development. This exposure led him to experiment with these platforms and eventually launch a site with screencast tutorials, which evolved into Makerpad.

The company's primary offering is a collection of tutorials, courses, and resources that teach users how to utilize a range of no-code tools such as Webflow, Airtable, and Zapier to create functional products and streamline business processes. Makerpad serves a diverse client base, from entrepreneurs and small businesses to employees within larger corporations looking to automate tasks. The business model is subscription-based, offering various membership tiers that provide access to tutorials, community forums, and expert support. Revenue was also generated through cohort-based courses and partnerships with companies for educational content and a job board.

A significant milestone in the company's history was its acquisition by the workflow automation company Zapier in March 2021 for an undisclosed amount. At the time of the acquisition, Makerpad had a community of over 10,000 members and an annual recurring revenue of approximately $400,000. The acquisition was notably sparked by a public tweet from Tossell, which caught the attention of Zapier's CEO, Wade Foster. Following the acquisition, Makerpad continued to operate as a distinct entity within Zapier, with the shared goal of expanding the adoption of no-code tools. Ben Tossell continues to be involved in the tech community, now focusing on AI through his newsletter and investment fund, Ben's Bites.

Keywords: no-code education, low-code platform, workflow automation, Ben Tossell, Zapier acquisition, visual development, app development without code, online community, educational tutorials, business process automation, no-code tools, citizen developer, Webflow tutorials, Airtable integration, Zapier workflows, tech education, startup building, digital product creation, Makerpad community, no-code movement, SaaS education, application building, business automation, online courses, membership platform