Zapier

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Zapier
Original author(s)Wade Foster, Bryan Helmig, Mike Knoop
Developer(s)Zapier Inc.
Initial release1 August 2012; 11 years ago (2012-08-01)
Written inInternal Python/Django, JavaScript/React[1]
Available inEnglish
TypeTask automation
Websitezapier.com

Zapier is a product that allows end users to integrate the web applications they use and automate workflows. The company is fully remote. As of 2021, it connects to more than 4,000 apps,[2] with free and paid plans.[3]

Overview

Zapier provides workflows to automate the use of web applications together. It is often described as a translator between web APIs,[4] helping to increase worker productivity by saving time through automation of recurring tasks, and business processes such as lead management.[5][6] Through an interface in which users can set up workflow rules to determine how its automations function,[5] it orchestrates flow of data between tools and online services that wouldn't otherwise communicate with one another.[3][7] For example, when a new business lead is added to a Google Sheets spreadsheet, that lead can be automatically entered in Salesforce and assigned to a sales representative. Additional team members can be alerted through Slack and the team lead can receive an email notification when the new lead has been contacted.[5]

History

Zapier was founded in Columbia, Missouri by Wade Foster, Bryan Helmig, and Mike Knoop, as part of the first Startup Weekend Columbia in 2011.[8] After initially submitting an application for the Winter 2012 funding cycle and being rejected, they then built their initial prototype with 25 apps, and were accepted to Y Combinator[9] startup seed accelerator in the Summer 2012 funding cycle. As a result of the acceptance, the company temporarily relocated to Mountain View, California in Spring 2012. In October of the same year, Zapier received a $1.3 million seed funding round led by global venture investment firm Bessemer Venture Partners, its only venture capital funding to date.[10] Zapier reached profitability in 2014.[11][12] Sequoia Capital and Steadfast Financial bought shares from some of the company's original investors in January 2021, raising Zapier's valuation to $5 billion.[10][13] It is one of the highest valued companies to come out of the Y Combinator program,[14] and brought in $140 million in annually recurring revenue as of January 2021.[10]

In March 2017, the company offered a "de-location package", consisting of $10,000 in moving reimbursement to employees who desired to move away from the San Francisco Bay Area.[15] After the announcement, job applications increased by 50%.[16] Zapier has been a fully remote company since it was founded in 2011.[17] As of January 2022, the company employs approximately 500 people in 38 countries.[17]

In 2020, as the Covid-19 pandemic spread, Zapier set up a $1 million small business assistance fund for struggling customers.[10] In 2020, Zapier announced National No-Code Day, and launched a no-code competition with a $25,000 cash prize.[18]

In 2020, fintech company Brex announced a partnership with Zapier, allowing easy workflow automation between their products.[19]

Acquisitions

In March 2021, the company acquired Makerpad, a no-code education service and community, for an undisclosed amount.[20]

See also

References

  1. ^ "Zapier Engineering Blog". Retrieved 25 September 2016.
  2. ^ Carter, Rebekah (2021-12-13). "Zapier for Slack Review: Connecting Crucial Apps". uctoday.com. Retrieved March 8, 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  3. ^ a b Newman, Jared (2018-06-12). "Business-app automation kingpin Zapier has its eye on consumers". fastcompany.com. Retrieved March 8, 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  4. ^ Stross, Randall (2012-08-23). "What's Coming Out of Silicon Valley". Bits Blog. Retrieved 2018-09-21.
  5. ^ a b c Finnegan, Matthew (2020-11-24). "Understanding Zapier, the workflow automation platform for business". computerworld.com. Retrieved March 8, 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  6. ^ Glantz, Jen (2022-01-25). "5 digital tools that save me thousands of dollars a year as a small-business owner". businessinsider.com. Retrieved March 8, 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  7. ^ Asplund, Jan-Erik (2021-03-24). "Zapier: The $7B Netflix of Productivity". sacra.com. Retrieved March 8, 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  8. ^ "Zapier CEO Wade Foster on scaling a remote team up to 300 employees". techcrunch.com. Retrieved March 8, 2022.
  9. ^ "How Zapier Went From Zero to 600,000+ Users in Just Three Years". Retrieved 26 July 2016.
  10. ^ a b c d "Zapier's CEO Reveals How His Automation Startup Reached A $5 Billion Valuation Without Jumping On The VC 'Hamster Wheel'". forbes.com. Retrieved March 10, 2022.
  11. ^ "From JC to Silicon Valley". News Tribune. Retrieved 2018-09-21.
  12. ^ "Young CEO offers thoughts on Missouri startups". News Tribune. Retrieved 2018-09-21.
  13. ^ "Sequoia Buys Shares in Elusive Startup Zapier at Multibillion-Dollar Valuation". theinformation.com. Retrieved March 10, 2022.
  14. ^ "Zapier's CEO Shares the Surprising Upsides of Being a Fully Remote Team". inc.com. Retrieved March 10, 2022.
  15. ^ Levin, Sam (2017-03-22). "Get outta town: startup offers workers $10,000 if they 'delocate' from Silicon Valley". the Guardian. Retrieved 2018-03-21.
  16. ^ "Bay Area exodus: Get a bonus for leaving the Bay Area". The Mercury News. 2019-12-09. Retrieved 2020-01-24.
  17. ^ a b "The rise of the 15-minute meeting — and how to run one". cnbc.com. Retrieved March 8, 2022.
  18. ^ "National No-Code Day". nationaltoday.com. Retrieved March 10, 2022.
  19. ^ "Brex just signed a term sheet for $300M at a $12.3B valuation". techcrunch.com. Retrieved March 10, 2022.
  20. ^ "Zapier buys no-code-focused Makerpad in its first acquisition". TechCrunch. Retrieved 2021-03-09.
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