Zapier

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

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

The company was founded in 2011 and is fully remote.

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.
  3. Newman, Jared (2018-06-12). "Business-app automation kingpin Zapier has its eye on consumers". fastcompany.com. Retrieved March 8, 2022.
  4. Stross, Randall (2012-08-23). "What's Coming Out of Silicon Valley". Bits Blog. Retrieved 2018-09-21.
  5. Finnegan, Matthew (2020-11-24). "Understanding Zapier, the workflow automation platform for business". computerworld.com. Retrieved March 8, 2022.
  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.
  7. Asplund, Jan-Erik (2021-03-24). "Zapier: The $7B Netflix of Productivity". sacra.com. Retrieved March 8, 2022.
  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. "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. "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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