S4 EP02: An Alternative To Silicon Valley's "Unicorn" Bullsh*t
Zebras Unite is a new brand of entrepreneurialism--one symbolized by a hooved creature who ACTUALLY roams the Earth.
Jenn Brandel and Mara Zapeda, the founders of Zebras Unite, compare venture capital investment money to steroids: it's not healthy. Their "Zebra" network of companies are part of a growing backlash against Silicon Valley's so-called "unicorns"--the 350 or so companies in the world, largely fueled by VC money, that are valued at over a billion dollars and, some say, hurting society.
By finding new ways to fund more sustainable companies, Jenn and Mara say they see more and more companies able to make profits AND do good. It's a vision that will intrigue anyone who is questioning the current state of capitalism and what responsibilities we all have to communities. This, of course, includes Manoush and Jen (Poyant), who debate whether this new investment model will work to help build their company, Stable Genius Productions.
Season 4 of ZigZag is about examining the current culture of business, figuring out what needs to change, and experimenting with new ways to do it.
Sign up for our newsletter and subscribe to the podcast for free on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, RadioPublic, Stitcher, Overcast, Spotify, or Breaker.
CREDITS:
Matt Boynton, Audio Engineer
David Herman, Composer
Maria Wurttele, Production Coordinator
ILLUSTRATION:
