In 2011, three founders in Columbia, Missouri, started building integrations for apps that didn’t talk to each other. They bootstrapped, got rejected by YC the first time, and kept going.
Today, Zapier powers automation for over 3 million users, connects nearly 8,000 apps, and is valued at $5B—all while staying fully remote since day one.
It’s a reminder that:
• Great products can start as side projects.
• Persistence matters more than hype.
• Solving painful, repetitive tasks beats chasing shiny tech
• Simple utility scales
• The best tools often wrap around existing workflows, not replace them
As someone building in the automation space, this story hits home.
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