What is a Zebra?
Anyone who is active in the startup scene is familiar with the term unicorn as a designation for a startup. Increasingly, however, young companies are also being called zebras. Find out what the new animal name is all about in the article below.
In the startup scene, a company that is already worth at least one billion U.S. dollars before going public is referred to as a unicorn. While unicorns focus on rapid growth and economic success, the business activities of zebras are guided by a different philosophy.
The Philosophy of Zebras
Unlike unicorns, Zebras focus not only on profit goals, but also on sustainability aspects. In addition to economic goals, the founders of Zebras consequently pursue sustainable or social motives. Climate change and human rights are just some of the issues that concern zebra founders. Although growth and the pursuit of profit are not the primary maxims of business, the founders of Zebras are also interested in these very goals. However, they do not want to push up earnings figures at any price, but rather increase sales figures and protect the environment through sustainable management. A clean slate as well as black figures make the stripes of zebras.
The Origin of Zebras
In March 2017, four founders from the U.S. – Jennifer Brandel, Mara Zepeda, Astrid Scholz and Aniyia Williams – published a post on the blogging portal “Medium” titled “Zebras Fix What Unicorns Break.” In it, they criticize unicorns for causing societal harm through their rapid growth strategies. To counteract the negative effects of unicorns, the authors introduce the concept of zebra startups.
The Difficulties of Zebras
Because sustainability and profitability cannot always be reconciled, founders of zebras often face difficult decisions. The conflicts involved not only risk dividing founders, but also make the process of building a startup all the more difficult. While sustainable companies and projects are becoming increasingly important as investment vehicles, many investors are still concerned with quick financial returns. Moreover, because sustainable growth takes time, in a rapidly changing and global economy, zebras face the constant risk of being left behind.
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