this post was submitted on 09 Jun 2025
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Corporate VPN startup Tailscale secures $230 million CAD Series C on back of “surprising” growth

Pennarun confirmed the company had been approached by potential acquirers, but told BetaKit that the company intends to grow as a private company and work towards an initial public offering (IPO).

“Tailscale intends to remain independent and we are on a likely IPO track, although any IPO is several years out,” Pennarun said. “Meanwhile, we have an extremely efficient business model, rapid revenue acceleration, and a long runway that allows us to become profitable when needed, which means we can weather all kinds of economic storms.”

Keep that in mind as you ponder whether and when to switch to self-hosting Headscale.

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[–] Mordikan@kbin.earth 3 points 9 hours ago (37 children)

Headscale is great if you like networking fun, but that aside I'm not understanding why VC funding is such a black mark to the poster. Tailscale doesn't generate meaningful revenue streams as its early-stage, so it has to secure funding to continue operations until they achieve high enough revenue to go public. That's pretty standard in a business life-cycle, though. It seems like the main complaint is that Tailscale is a business. And what about the Linux Foundation? They are funded through private equity. Should you consider switching away because of that?

[–] Ulrich@feddit.org 6 points 9 hours ago* (last edited 9 hours ago) (7 children)

That's pretty standard in a business life-cycle, though

I don't know where people ever got the idea that normal = acceptable. I hear this used to justify all sorts of awful crap. It was only ever normalized because users were apathetic.

And what about the Linux Foundation? They are funded through private equity. Should you consider switching away because of that?

Does The Linux Foundation have complete control over Linux?

[–] Mordikan@kbin.earth 2 points 9 hours ago (1 children)

So, companies should not be allowed to invest in other companies? Who is allowed to invest in companies then? Only private individuals? But those individuals are apathetic, so they have to be made to? Or if they don't want to, then since other companies aren't allowed, wealthy private individuals would need to? Its not normal because its acceptable, its normal because the alternative is fantastical and unrealistic.

To the other point, does Tailscale have complete control over Wireguard? They don't control the technology behind that. They do for their control server tech and to some extent Headscale, but that's not what its built on anymore then what's built on Linux.

[–] Ulrich@feddit.org 7 points 9 hours ago (1 children)

companies should not be allowed to invest in other companies?

That's not what I'm saying. I'm just saying you need to be wary of companies that do because the inevitable end of that train is enshittification. Every. Single. Time.

does Tailscale have complete control over Wireguard?

Who's talking about WireGuard? We were talking about Tailscale.

[–] Mordikan@kbin.earth 1 points 9 hours ago (1 children)

Tailscale builds on top of the Wireguard protocol, LF builds on top of (through grants/scholarships) the Linux OS. You can't argue that it doesn't matter that LF doesn't have control over the underlying technology, but then argue that it does matter in Tailscale's cause.

[–] Ulrich@feddit.org 3 points 8 hours ago* (last edited 8 hours ago) (1 children)

It doesn't matter in either case. Neither of them have control over the underlying technology.

[–] Mordikan@kbin.earth 2 points 8 hours ago (1 children)

Does The Linux Foundation have complete control over Linux?

You're the one who said it, though.

[–] Ulrich@feddit.org 6 points 8 hours ago* (last edited 7 hours ago)

Yes I did say that. I don't understand what you're trying to communicate. TLF does not control Linux, just as Tailscale does not control WireGuard. Tailscale does control Tailscale. There's nothing wrong with using Linux and there's nothing wrong with using WireGuard. There may be something wrong with using Tailscale. I don't know how to be more clear about this.

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