Zapier

Zapier is an American multinational software company that offers a platform for automation, integration, and artificial intelligence (AI) orchestration to connect software applications and manage workflows.^[1]

Zapier

Original author(s)	Wade Foster, Bryan Helmig, Mike Knoop
Developer(s)	Zapier Inc.
Initial release	2011; 14 years ago (2011)
Available in	English
Type	Task automation
Website	zapier.com

History

Zapier was founded in 2011 in Columbia, Missouri, by Wade Foster, Bryan Helmig, and Mike Knoop.^[2] Before creating Zapier, Foster and Knoop were doing freelance work building small integrations for companies when they realized they were often using the same connectors.^[3][4] 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.^[5][6] 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.^[7] After presenting their product idea at a Startup Weekend in Columbia from September 30 to October 2, 2011,^[6] 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.^[8] 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.^[9]

The founders relocated to Mountain View, California, to launch Zapier.^[5] However, from its inception, Zapier operated as a fully remote company—a work model that was uncommon at the time.^[10][11] Zapier adopted a product-led growth (PLG) model, a strategy in which the product itself drove customer acquisition and retention, primarily through a self-serve experience.^[12] In August 2012, Zapier launched its developer platform, which allowed developers to create and add private applications not yet supported in Zapier’s app directory.^[13] At the time, Zapier supported over 60 applications. According to Foster, the platform was designed to help developers save time when building integrations. The launch was done in collaboration with 12 technology partners.^[14]

In October 2012, Zapier received a $1.2 million seed round led by Bessemer Venture Partners (BVP), Draper Fisher Jurvetson (DFJ), and several angel investors.^[15] In the announcement, Zapier stated that the funds would be used to invest in its core and developer platforms.^[10][16] The founders noted that BVP stood out for its immediate interest in the product, while DFJ was recognized for its expertise in selling enterprise software. Alongside the funding, Zapier announced the hiring of its first non-founding employee and outlined plans to build a robust customer support operation. The team also indicated that, with upcoming product enhancements, hiring one or two additional developers was under consideration.^[17]

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.^[18]

In 2020, as the Covid-19 pandemic spread, Zapier set up a $1 million small business assistance fund for struggling customers.^[10]

Sequoia Capital and Steadfast Financial bought shares from some of the company's original investors in January 2021 at a valuation of $5 billion.^[10][19]

In March 2021, the company acquired Makerpad, a no-code education service, for an undisclosed sum of money.^[20]

As of January 2022, the company employs approximately 500 people in 38 countries.^[21]

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.^[22][23] Users can set up "rules" that set up the flow of data between different tools and services. ^[22][24][25]