Zirtual
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Virtual assistant services |
| Founded | 2011 |
| Founder | Maren Kate Donovan |
| Headquarters | Columbus, Ohio , United States |
Area served | United States |
| Owner | Startups.com |
Zirtual, established in 2011, is a privately held U.S.-based firm providing virtual assistant solutions tailored for professionals, entrepreneurs, and small business teams. Its headquarters are located in Columbus, Ohio, and it functions as a subsidiary of Startups.com.
Operating within the framework of the sharing economy, Zirtual shares similarities with platforms such as Uber and Airbnb. The company assigns virtual assistants (ZAs) who support several clients within the same time zone, while each client is paired with a personal dedicated assistant. These ZAs perform various duties including managing emails, organizing schedules, conducting research, arranging travel plans, coordinating events, and performing market analysis.
Zirtual classifies its virtual assistants as independent contractors.
Company history
Maren Kate Donovan founded Zirtual and departed from the company after its suspension of operations in 2015. The concept for Zirtual was influenced by Donovan’s prior experience with remote teams in e-commerce and social media marketing. She created the Zirtual business model during her time at The Founder Institute in 2010 and officially launched the company upon completing the program.
In January 2013, Zirtual secured $2 million in seed capital from investors such as Tony Hsieh and Mayfield Fund. Additional funding rounds included a $250,000 debt financing from TenOneTen Ventures and Melo7 Tech Partners in October 2014, followed by a $2 million convertible note raised from multiple investors in December 2014.
Due to financial difficulties, Zirtual suspended its services on August 10, 2015. Customers were notified the next day about intentions to restart operations by August 17. Subsequently, Startups.com acquired Zirtual through an all-stock transaction, facilitating the company’s revival.