Zapier
{{short description|Software company}}
{{Infobox software
| name = Zapier
| logo = Zapier Company Logo 2022.png
| logo size = 250px
| author = Wade Foster, Bryan Helmig, Mike Knoop
| developer = Zapier Inc.
| released = {{Start date and age|df=yes|2012|8|1}}
| operating system =
| language = English
| genre = Task automation
| license =
| website = {{URL|https://zapier.com}}
}}
Zapier is an American multinational software company that provides integrations for web applications for use in automated workflows.
History
Zapier was founded in 2011 in Columbia, Missouri, by Wade Foster, Bryan Helmig, and Mike Knoop.{{cite web |last=Kumparak |first=Greg |date=9 March 2020 |title=Zapier CEO Wade Foster on scaling a remote team up to 300 employees |url=https://techcrunch.com/2020/03/09/zapier-ceo-wade-foster-on-scaling-a-remote-team-up-to-300-employees/ |access-date=March 8, 2022 |website= |publisher=TechCrunch}} The idea for Zapier first emerged on September 8, 2011, when Foster and Helmig discussed creating a software tool that would allow users to integrate multiple technology applications, having identified a growing demand for app connectivity.{{Cite web |title=Zapier: The easiest way to automate your work |url=https://www.ycombinator.com/companies/zapier |url-status= |access-date=16 March 2025 |website=Y Combinator}}{{Cite news |last=Foster |first=Wade |date=October 31, 2012 |title=Zapier, 100+ Connected Services, a Year in Review |url=https://zapier.com/blog/zapier-100-connected-services-year-review/ |work=Zapier}} Foster and Helmig, who were co-workers at Veterans United Home Loans, initiated the project, with Knoop joining later that year. For the first few months, the founders developed the software while maintaining their full-time jobs before officially launching Zapier.{{Cite news |last=Feeler |first=Heather |date=27 August 2020 |title=Wade Foster, Co-founder & CEO at Zapier |url=https://jeffersoncitymag.com/wade-foster-co-founder-ceo-at-zapier/ |work=Jefferson City Magazine |publisher=}} After presenting their product idea at a Startup Weekend in Columbia from September 30 to October 2, 2011, the three founders applied to Y Combinator, a Silicon Valley startup incubator, but were initially rejected. They reapplied a year later and were accepted after building a prototype and expanding their user base.{{Cite news |last=Turnbull |first=Alex |title=How Zapier Went From Zero to 600,000+ Users in Just Three Years |url=https://blog.groovehq.com/zapier-interview-with-wade-foster |work=Groove}} In November 2011, entrepreneur Andrew Warner, host of the startup podcast Mixergy, became Zapier's first customer, paying $100 for access to its beta integration product.{{Cite news |last=Foster |first=Wade |date=June 25, 2012 |title=The Anatomy of Sales at a Startup or How Andrew Warner Became Our First Paying Customer |url=https://zapier.com/blog/anatomy-of-sale-or-how-andrew-warner-became-our-first-paying-user/ |work=Zapier}}
The founders relocated to Mountain View, California, to launch Zapier. However, from its inception, Zapier operated as a fully remote company—a work model that was uncommon at the time but became more widespread following the pandemic.{{Cite news |last=Marks |first=Gene |date=17 November 2019 |title=If employees want to work from home, why not let them? |url=https://www.theguardian.com/business/2019/nov/17/small-business-employees-working-remotely- |work=The Guardian}}
In October 2012, Zapier received a $1.3 million seed round led by Bessemer Venture Partners.{{cite web |last=Konrad |first=Alex |date=8 March 2021 |title=Zapier's CEO Reveals How His Automation Startup Reached A $5 Billion Valuation Without Jumping On The VC 'Hamster Wheel' |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/alexkonrad/2021/03/08/zapier-bootstraps-to-5-billion-valuation/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210805171909/https://www.forbes.com/sites/alexkonrad/2021/03/08/zapier-bootstraps-to-5-billion-valuation/ |archive-date=5 August 2021 |access-date=March 10, 2022 |website= |publisher=Forbes}}
In March 2017, the company offered a "relocation package", consisting of a $10,000 moving reimbursement to employees who wished to leave the San Francisco Bay Area.{{Cite web |last=Levin |first=Sam |date=22 March 2017 |title=Get outta town: startup offers workers $10,000 if they 'delocate' from Silicon Valley |url=https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2017/mar/22/zapier-pay-employees-move-silicon-valley-startup |accessdate= |publisher=The Guardian |newspaper=}}
In 2020, as the Covid-19 pandemic spread, Zapier set up a $1 million small business assistance fund for struggling customers.
Sequoia Capital and Steadfast Financial bought shares from some of the company's original investors in January 2021 at a valuation of $5 billion.{{cite web |last=Clark |first=Kate |date=14 January 2021 |title=Sequoia Buys Shares in Elusive Startup Zapier at Multibillion-Dollar Valuation |url=https://www.theinformation.com/articles/sequoia-buys-shares-in-elusive-startup-zapier-at-multibillion-dollar-valuation |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210816114859/https://www.theinformation.com/articles/sequoia-buys-shares-in-elusive-startup-zapier-at-multibillion-dollar-valuation |archive-date=16 August 2021 |access-date=March 10, 2022 |website= |publisher=The Information}}
In March 2021, the company acquired Makerpad, a no-code education service, for an undisclosed sum of money.{{Cite web |last=Wilhelm |first=Alex |date=8 March 2021 |title=Zapier buys no-code-focused Makerpad in its first acquisition |url=https://techcrunch.com/2021/03/08/zapier-buys-no-code-focused-makerpad-in-its-first-acquisition/ |access-date= |website= |publisher=TechCrunch |language=en-US}}
As of January 2022, the company employs approximately 500 people in 38 countries.{{cite web |title=The rise of the 15-minute meeting — and how to run one |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2022/01/25/the-rise-of-the-15-minute-meeting-and-how-to-run-one.html |website=cnbc.com |date=25 January 2022 |access-date=March 8, 2022}}
Products
Zapier provides workflows that allow different web applications to be used in the same workflow. Their products focus on automating recurring tasks, such as lead management.{{cite web |last=Finnegan |first=Matthew |date=2020-11-24 |title=Understanding Zapier, the workflow automation platform for business |url=https://www.computerworld.com/article/3596601/zapier-understanding-the-workflow-automation-platform-for-small-biz.html |access-date=March 8, 2022 |website=computerworld.com}}{{cite web |last=Glantz |first=Jen |author-link=Jen Glantz |date=2022-01-25 |title=5 digital tools that save me thousands of dollars a year as a small-business owner |url=https://www.businessinsider.com/small-business-digital-tools-marketing-save-money-2022-1 |access-date=March 8, 2022 |website=businessinsider.com}} Users can set up "rules" that set up the flow of data between different tools and services. {{cite web |last=Newman |first=Jared |date=2018-06-12 |title=Business-app automation kingpin Zapier has its eye on consumers |url=https://www.fastcompany.com/90274602/business-app-automation-kingpin-zapier-has-its-eye-on-consumers |access-date=March 8, 2022 |website=fastcompany.com}}{{cite web |last=Asplund |first=Jan-Erik |date=2021-03-24 |title=Zapier: The $7B Netflix of Productivity |url=https://sacra.com/research/zapier-netflix-productivity/ |access-date=March 8, 2022 |website=sacra.com}}
References
{{Reflist}}