The Zebra
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Insurance, Technology |
| Founded | January 1, 2012 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Founder | Joshua Dziabiak, Adam Lyons |
| Headquarters | Austin, Texas , United States |
Area served | United States |
Key people | Keith Melnick (CEO), Joshua Dziabiak (COO and CMO), Meetesh Karia (CTO) |
| Products | Insurance comparison platform |
| Website | thezebra |
The Zebra is an insurance comparison platform based in Austin, Texas, providing users with quotes from more than 200 insurance providers.[1]
History
Founded by Joshua Dziabiak and Adam Lyons, The Zebra originally launched as Insurance Zebra in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania while Lyons was residing in a friend's basement.[2] The company took part in Innovation Works' Alpha Lab Incubator Program and secured venture capital backing from Silverton Partners.[2]
Following a private beta phase that featured 280,000 quotes,[3] The Zebra raised $1.5 million in seed capital from investors such as Mark Cuban, Silverton Partners, Floodgate, and Birchmere Labs.[4] This investment facilitated the platform’s official launch and its move to Austin.[2]
In September 2013, after completing a $3 million extended seed round, The Zebra publicly launched in Texas and California, initially providing quotes from 33 insurers that represented approximately 90% of the market.[3] Participating insurers included State Farm, Geico, and Allstate, with rates obtained through direct collaborations or rate manuals.[3] The website offered real-time quote updates alongside anonymous browsing capabilities.[3] Additionally, it featured educational materials on insurance coverage and claims satisfaction.[5]
By the end of 2013, The Zebra expanded its reach nationwide, featuring 204 companies including 22 carriers such as Esurance and The General.[6] The company secured an extra $3 million from existing backers plus new investor Simon Nixon.Cite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad name
In January 2016, The Zebra completed a $17 million Series A funding round led by Cuban, Mike Maples Jr., Nixon, Silverton, Daher Capital, and Ballast Point Ventures, bringing total funding above $21 million.[5] These funds were dedicated to building educational resources aimed at clarifying insurance rates and ways to optimize coverage.Cite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad name
The following year, the firm raised $40 million in Series B financing led by Accel Partners, increasing total capital raised to $61.5 million.Cite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad name Keith Melnick was named CEO to spearhead growth beyond the auto insurance sector.Cite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad name During 2017, The Zebra also launched an "Insurability Score," a tool designed to help consumers understand the factors influencing their insurance risk similarly to a credit score.Cite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad name
In 2018, founder Adam Lyons stepped away from daily management duties and relinquished his position as board chairman.[7]
The Zebra has achieved national media exposure,[8] with endorsements from outlets like NBC Nightly News highlighting it as a valuable resource for comparing car insurance quotes to lower premiums.Cite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad name
Company recognition
The company attracted media notice with a humorous feature included in Time Magazine's Best April Fools’ Pranks of 2014 and earned the distinction of Best Place to Work in Austin for four consecutive years between 2015 and 2019.
Funding
In September 2017, The Zebra completed a $40 million Series B financing round. By 2019, the company experienced a revenue increase of nearly 200%, reaching close to $37 million. Then, in February 2020, it secured $38.5 million through a Series C funding round, once again led by Accel.
Business model
The Zebra offers consumers instant car insurance quotes through an online questionnaire that enhances precision as users provide information such as age, driving history, and credit rating. Functioning as an impartial platform rather than an insurance provider, it features more than 1,800 car insurance options from upwards of 200 national insurers as of 2019.
Research
Each year, The Zebra evaluates over 83 million car insurance quotes to compile its State of Insurance report. This publication examines average pricing, geographic rate variations, vehicle insurance costs, and premium determinants including marital status, age, creditworthiness, and education level.
Other influential reports produced include:
- Distracted Driving Report: Documents a 10,000% rise in insurance surcharges related to distracted driving, underscoring insurers’ increasing attention to this hazard.
- Gender-Based Pricing Report: Indicates that in 25 states women incur higher car insurance premiums than men despite men presenting greater risk.
- Car Technology Report: Demonstrates that although new in-vehicle safety and anti-theft features offer protection benefits, they result in less than a 1% reduction in insurance costs.
- Marijuana Report: Surveys drivers residing in states with legalized recreational marijuana use and finds that 60% of users admit to operating vehicles under the influence.
These research efforts solidify The Zebra’s reputation as a data-centric authority within the automotive insurance sector, delivering insights that shape its strategic direction and strengthen its market position.
Leadership
Following the 2013 funding round, Joshua Dziabiak took on the roles of COO and CMO. In 2017, Keith Melnick—formerly President of Kayak—was named CEO, bringing extensive strategic leadership and industry expertise. Meetesh Karia serves as CTO, known for his technological proficiency.
Founder Adam Lyons led the company as CEO for six years before transitioning to chairman of the board. He departed the company in 2018 and currently serves on CASA’s board while acting as Entrepreneur in Residence at Bill Wood Ventures.
See also
External links
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- 2012 establishments in Pennsylvania
- American companies established in 2012
- Companies based in Austin, Texas
- Comparison shopping websites
- Insurance companies of the United States
- Online insurance companies
- Financial services companies established in 2012
- Companies of the United States by year of establishment