Lotus Software

Lotus Development Corporation was an American software company founded in 1982 by Mitch Kapor and Jonathan Sachs with backing from Ben Rosen. Based in Massachusetts, Lotus rose to prominence with the release of Lotus 1-2-3 on January 26, 1983, a spreadsheet program that combined spreadsheet, graphing, and database functions. 1-2-3 became the killer application for the IBM PC and helped drive the platform's success. The company quickly grew, becoming the world's third largest microcomputer software company in 1983 with $53 million in first-year sales. In 1989, Lotus introduced Lotus Notes, a groundbreaking email and groupware product developed with Ray Ozzie's Iris Associates, which became a corporate standard. IBM acquired Lotus in 1995 for US$3.5 billion, primarily to obtain Notes. Under IBM, the division was renamed Lotus Software in 2003, and the brand was maintained until around 2012–13, with Notes and Domino as the main products. In 2018, IBM sold Notes and Domino to HCL Technologies for US$1.8 billion. Today, Lotus Software exists as a brand under HCL, with its products continuing to be developed and supported.

Lotus Development Corporation was founded in 1982 by Mitch Kapor and Jonathan Sachs, with financial backing from Ben Rosen. Kapor had previously been head of development at VisiCorp, the distributor of the VisiCalc spreadsheet, and had sold his rights to VisiPlot and VisiTrend to VisiCorp. Shortly after leaving VisiCorp, Kapor and Sachs developed an integrated spreadsheet and graphics program. On January 26, 1983, Lotus released Lotus 1-2-3, a spreadsheet program that also included graphing and database capabilities. The name referred to these three functions. 1-2-3 was an immediate success, becoming the most powerful spreadsheet available and the killer app for the IBM PC. In its first year, Lotus achieved $53 million in sales, far exceeding its business plan forecast of $1 million, and became the world's third largest microcomputer software company. In October 1983, the company filed for an initial public offering. Jim Manzi, who had joined as a management consultant in 1982 and became an employee four months later, was named president in October 1984, CEO in April 1986, and chairman in July 1986, succeeding Kapor. Manzi led the company until 1995. During the mid-1980s, Lotus expanded its product line with Symphony (1984), an integrated office suite, and Jazz (1985) for the Macintosh, though Jazz was a commercial failure. In 1985, Lotus acquired Software Arts and discontinued VisiCalc. By 1985, Forrester Research considered Lotus, Ashton-Tate, Microsoft, and Borland the 'Big Four' of personal computer software. In 1986, Softletter estimated that Lotus had 9% of the revenue of the top 100 microcomputer software companies, and by 1987, Computer Intelligence estimated that Lotus had 85% of the Fortune 1000 PC financial analysis market. In the late 1980s, Lotus developed several other products, including Lotus Magellan, Manuscript, Lotus Agenda, and Improv, but none significantly impacted the market. The company also engaged in 'look and feel' lawsuits starting in 1987 against Paperback Software, Mosaic, and Borland over clones of 1-2-3. Paperback and Mosaic lost and went out of business, while Borland won. In 1989, Lotus introduced Lotus Notes, a collaborative email and groupware system developed with Ray Ozzie's Iris Associates. Notes became a major corporate success, displacing mainframe-based products like IBM OfficeVision. In 1995, IBM acquired Lotus for US$3.5 billion, primarily to acquire Notes. IBM maintained the Lotus brand and division, renaming it Lotus Software in 2003, until around 2012–13, by which time only Notes and Domino were actively marketed. On December 6, 2018, IBM announced the sale of Notes and Domino to HCL Technologies for US$1.8 billion. The Lotus brand continues under HCL.

• Lotus Development Corporation founded by Mitch Kapor and Jonathan Sachs.

• Release of Lotus 1-2-3 spreadsheet.

• Initial public offering filed.

• Jim Manzi named president.

• Acquired Software Arts and discontinued VisiCalc.

• Jim Manzi appointed CEO.

• Release of Lotus Notes.

• IBM acquires Lotus for US$3.5 billion.

• Division renamed Lotus Software.

• IBM sells Notes and Domino to HCL for US$1.8 billion.

Lotus positioned itself as a leading provider of productivity software for personal computers, with 1-2-3 dominating the spreadsheet market and Notes becoming a standard for corporate collaboration.

• Lotus 1-2-3

  Spreadsheet program with graphing and database functions, released in 1983.

• Lotus Notes

  Email and groupware system released in 1989.

• Lotus Domino

  Modernized Notes server with collaboration features.

• Lotus Symphony

  Integrated office suite released in 1984.

• Lotus Jazz

  Office suite for Macintosh released in 1985, commercially unsuccessful.

• 2026-08-21

  Lotus Technology completes acquisition of 100% stake in Lotus UK[2]路特斯科技完成对路特斯英国100%股权的收购autonews.gasgoo.com

  Reported: 2026-08-28

  Lotus Technology announced on Aug. 25 that it completed the full integration of its UK operations, Lotus UK, and as of Aug. 21, 2026 formally holds 100% of Lotus UK, bringing sports car manufacturing in Hethel, Norfolk, and the Lotus Engineering consulting business under a single corporate entity. The transaction followed shareholders Geely and Etika exercising put options.

• 2026-08-21

  Lotus Tech completes full acquisition of Lotus UK[3]莲花科技完成对英国莲花100%股权收购finance.sina.com.cn

  Reported: 2026-08-26

  Lotus Tech announced on August 25 that it had completed the full integration of Lotus UK, holding 100% of Lotus UK equity as of August 21, 2026, bringing the Hethel sports car manufacturing business and Lotus Engineering consultancy under one company as part of the Focus 2030 strategy.

1. 1Lotus Development - Wikipediaen.wikipedia.org
2. 2路特斯科技完成对路特斯英国100%股权的收购autonews.gasgoo.com
3. 3莲花科技完成对英国莲花100%股权收购finance.sina.com.cn