Zinc Inc.
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Mobile software, Enterprise software |
| Predecessor | Cotap Inc. |
| Founded | May 2013 |
| Founder | Jim Patterson, Zack Parker |
| Fate | Acquired by ServiceMax |
| Successor | ServiceMax |
| Headquarters | San Francisco , United States |
Area served | Enterprise users |
Key people | Stacey Epstein (CEO) |
| Products | Mobile messaging applications for enterprise |
| Owner | ServiceMax |
| Parent | ServiceMax |
Zinc Inc.—known as Cotap Inc. prior to June 2016—is a company headquartered in San Francisco that specializes in providing a mobile messaging solution designed specifically for enterprise use. Unlike consumer-focused platforms such as WhatsApp and WeChat, which rely on phone number identification, Zinc facilitates communication by linking users through common corporate email domains. The company was established in May 2013 by Jim Patterson and Zack Parker, both former executives at Yammer. During the same month, Zinc obtained $5.5 million in Series A capital from investors including Charles River Ventures and Emergence Capital Partners. This was followed by a $10 million Series B funding round in January 2014.
Cotap introduced its initial iOS application in October 2013, with the Android version launching in February 2014. By August 2014, the firm had broadened its offering to include Mac and Web applications, alongside integrations with cloud storage platforms such as Box, Dropbox, Google Drive, and OneDrive. These tools support messaging capabilities for both individual users and groups.
Following a $5 million investment round led by Emergence Capital Partners and Charles River Ventures, Cotap underwent rebranding to become Zinc and appointed Stacey Epstein as CEO. In April 2017, Zinc raised an additional $11 million from backers including GE Ventures, Hearst Ventures, Emergence Capital, and Charles River Ventures.
In 2019, Zinc was acquired by ServiceMax for an undisclosed amount, strengthening ServiceMax’s portfolio in service execution management solutions.