/People

Parker Conrad

Founder

Co-founder & CEO at Rippling · Co-founder & CEO at Zenefits

San Francisco, CA

Writes $5K – $50K checks · typically $25K

FoundedRippling · YCZenefits · YC

Find your path to Parker

10,714 people in our graph share verified history with Parker — schools, employers, funds. One of them is your warm intro.

Mamoon HamidunlockedParker: together at Rippling (2019–2026)
×4Parker: together at Rippling
×3Parker: together at Zenefits
×2Parker: together at YC W13

About

Parker Conrad built Rippling into a $16.8 billion company past $1 billion of annual recurring revenue, growing 78% a year — and he did it on the second attempt at the same idea. A Harvard chemistry graduate who was managing editor of the Crimson and beat testicular cancer at 24, he co-founded Wikinvest and SigFig with his freshman roommate, then Zenefits, which became the fastest-growing SaaS business in history before a licensing-compliance failure cost him the company in 2016. He started Rippling two months later with Prasanna Sankar, rebuilt the idea properly around an employee system-of-record, and has spent the years since proving the thesis was never the problem.

Likely emails· guessed from name + firm domain, not firm-published

Beyond investing

Founded
Co-founded Zenefits in 2012 with Laks Srini through Y Combinator; it was called the fastest-growing SaaS business in history and hit a $4.5bn valuation before it collapsed. Co-founded Wikinvest, later SigFig, in 2007 with Mike Sha — his Harvard freshman-dorm roommate. Left Zenefits in 2016 after a licensing-compliance failure in its sales organisation, and started again two months later.
Education
Studied at Harvard University
Family
Survived testicular cancer at 24; married with two children and lives in San Francisco's Mission District.

Mentioned above: the Y Combinator mafia → · the Zenefits mafia →

From Parker's own website — common ground for a warm intro.

Co-founder & CEO at RipplingYC W17

Intro paths

YC

Parker went through Y Combinator (Winter 2017) — any YC alum in your network can reach them through the YC community.

GP

Their group partner at YC was Garry Tan, President & CEO of Y Combinator — the partner who ran Rippling's batch and knows the company first-hand. YC profile ↗

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In turn, Parker can intro founders to Rippling's investors below.

Rippling's investors · 46

1435 CapitalSkillmanAbstract VenturesSan Francisco · $250K – $750K checksACE & CompanyNew YorkAltos VenturesBurlingame · $1M – $3M checksAmino CapitalPalo Alto · $100K – $10M checksAnsa CapitalNew York · $5M – $15M checksBain Capital Tech OpportunitiesBostonBedrockLos Angeles · $5M – $30M checks · since 2022Berkeley FrontierBerkeleyBling CapitalMiami Beach · $1M – $5M checksBoxGroupNew York · $250K – $1M checksCapitalGSan Francisco · $75M – $100M checksCapitalXLynnwood · $250K checksCoatue ManagementNew York · $1M – $20M checks · since 2024Collective LiquidityPlantationDepth VenturesSan FranciscoDragoneer Investment GroupSan Francisco · $100K – $5M checks · since 2024Elad GilSan Francisco · $100K – $10M checksFelicis VenturesSan Francisco · $500K – $15M checksFikaCulver City · $1M – $10M checksFounders FundSan Francisco · $500K – $5M checks · since 2024FundersClubSan Francisco · $290K – $5M checksG SquaredChicagoGlasswing VenturesBoston · $100K – $5M checksGreenoaksSan Francisco · $1M – $50M checks · since 2024Hakluyt CapitalLondonHitachi VenturesMunichHomebrewBurlingame · $100K – $500K checksKleiner PerkinsMenlo Park · $500K – $15M checks · since 2022Lightspeed Venture PartnersMenlo Park · $1.7M – $87M checksLiquid VenturesSan Francisco · $250K – $5M checksNight CapitalCapitolaSaga VenturesAustinSierra VenturesSan Mateo · $500K – $10M checksSnow Leopard Technology VenturesPuneSoma CapitalSacramento · $100K – $300K checksStandard CapitalSan FranciscoSV AngelSan FranciscoTCVMenlo Park · $10M – $500M checksThreshold VenturesPalo Alto · $500K – $20M checksTorch CapitalNew York · $750K – $1.5M checksUnanimous CapitalMenlo ParkValor Equity PartnersChicagoVaranium Capital AdvisorsMumbaiVentioneers CapitalOakvilleY CombinatorSan Francisco · $150K checks · since 2017

Co-founders at Rippling

PSPrasanna Sankar
Prasanna SankarCo-founder & CTO

Co-founder & CEO at ZenefitsYC W13

Intro paths

YC

Parker went through Y Combinator (Winter 2013) — any YC alum in your network can reach them through the YC community.

→

In turn, Parker can intro founders to Zenefits's investors below.

Co-founders at Zenefits

LSLaks Srini
Laks SriniFounder/CTO

Experience

  1. RipplingCustomer Supportcurrent2016 — present
  2. StripeMember Board of Directorscurrent2025 — present
  3. ZenefitsCo-Founder and CEO2012 — 2016San Francisco Bay Area
  4. SigFig (prev Wikinvest)Co-Founder2007 — 2013
  5. AmgenProduct Manager2003 — 2006

Skills & more

Product Development23SEO14Venture Capital10Start-ups50Entrepreneurship34Product Management18Business Development12Sales11Registered Investment Advisor2Management19Finance6Mergers & Acquisitions5

From Parker's professional profile.

Podcasts & interviews

featuring Parker Conrad

Frequently asked questions

Who is Parker Conrad?
Parker Conrad built Rippling into a $16.8 billion company past $1 billion of annual recurring revenue, growing 78% a year — and he did it on the second attempt at the same idea. A Harvard chemistry graduate who was managing editor of the Crimson and beat testicular cancer at 24, he co-founded Wikinvest and SigFig with his freshman roommate, then Zenefits, which became the fastest-growing SaaS business in history before a licensing-compliance failure cost him the company in 2016. He started Rippling two months later with Prasanna Sankar, rebuilt the idea properly around an employee system-of-record, and has spent the years since proving the thesis was never the problem.
Where does Parker Conrad work?
Parker Conrad is Co-founder & CEO of Rippling and Co-founder & CEO at Zenefits.
What check size does Parker Conrad write?
Parker Conrad typically writes checks of $5K – $50K.
What companies did Parker Conrad found?
Parker Conrad founded Rippling, Zenefits.
Where did Parker Conrad go to school?
Parker Conrad studied at Harvard University (BA, Chemistry); Collegiate.
What podcasts and interviews feature Parker Conrad?
Tracked appearances include "How To Build The Future: Parker Conrad", "Parker Conrad on Rippling's new round, new lease, and new critic", "The former CEO of Zenefits is taking another crack at HR tech".

Founder mafias

Same school

Shared employers