Zebra company
Also called: zebra startup
ELI5
A company seeking both sustainable business and social value.
Used in conversation
“The zebra-company label still needs concrete governance and economics.”
Definition
A mission-oriented business framed as balancing sustainable economics and social benefit, often contrasted with unicorn growth logic.
Here “Zebra company” means: A mission-oriented business framed as balancing sustainable economics and social benefit, often contrasted with unicorn growth logic.
Pitch context
You will see “Zebra company” in fundraising decks, data rooms, term sheets and investor conversations when the discussion reaches startup stages & company states.
Why it matters: It helps a reader interpret startup stages & company states without confusing the measure, decision, role or evidence being discussed.
Sources & evidence · 5
Supporting source families. This entry is an editorial synthesis rather than a quotation from one canonical glossary.
- U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission — Small Business Capital Formation GlossarySupporting source family · primary · checked 2026-08-16
- U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission — Exempt OfferingsSupporting source family · primary · checked 2026-08-16
- National Venture Capital Association — Model Legal DocumentsSupporting source family · institutional · checked 2026-08-16
- Y Combinator — Safe financing documentsSupporting source family · practitioner · checked 2026-08-16
- Y Combinator — Series A Term Sheet TemplateSupporting source family · practitioner · checked 2026-08-16