Parker Conrad
FounderCo-founder & CEO at Rippling · Co-founder & CEO at Zenefits
San Francisco, CA
Writes $5K – $50K checks · typically $25K
FoundedRippling · YCZenefits · YC
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.
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.
- 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
Parker went through Y Combinator (Winter 2017) — any YC alum in your network can reach them through the YC community.
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 ↗
In turn, Parker can intro founders to Rippling's investors below.
Rippling's investors · 41
Co-founders at Rippling

Co-founder & CEO at ZenefitsYC W13
Intro paths
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.
Zenefits's investors · 13
Co-founders at Zenefits
Experience
Education
- Harvard UniversityBA, Chemistry1998 — 2003
- Collegiate
Skills & more
From Parker's professional profile.
Podcasts & interviews
featuring Parker ConradHow To Build The Future: Parker Conrad
How to Build the Future
Parker Conrad on Rippling's new round, new lease, and new critic
TechCrunch · techcrunch.com
The former CEO of Zenefits is taking another crack at HR tech
Quartz · qz.com
Frequently asked questions
- Where does Parker Conrad work?
- Parker Conrad is Co-founder & CEO at 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.
Paths to reach Parker
People who overlapped with Parker at the same organization — a shared school or employer with one of them is a warm way in.
Together at RipplingParker: Co-founder & CEO
Together at ZenefitsParker: Co-founder & CEO
Together at StripeParker: Member Board of Directors
Founder mafias
Y Combinator mafia8,759
Also came through, then founded or led a company.
+ 8,752 more
Stripe mafia90
Also came through, then founded or led a company.
+ 83 more
Zenefits mafia18
Also came through, then founded or led a company.
+ 11 more
Rippling mafia2
Also came through, then founded or led a company.
Same school
Also attended Harvard University1,470
+ 1,464 more
Shared employers
Also worked at Rippling45
+ 39 more
Also worked at Stripe174
+ 168 more
Also worked at Zenefits33
+ 27 more
Also worked at Amgen61
+ 55 more




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