Why the Next Unicorn Might Actually Be a Zebra
- Green Tide
- 4 days ago
- 3 min read
You may have heard that this company is the next unicorn. But have you ever heard about a company being the next zebra?
The term “zebra company” is relatively new in the business world, and it’s solving a problem that’s been growing under the surface of today’s startup culture. While unicorns have dominated headlines and investor dreams, zebras represent a more grounded, balanced, and socially conscious approach to building businesses.
So, what exactly is a zebra company?
A zebra is a business that is not only profitable but also committed to giving back to society. It’s a company that takes care of people, profit, and the planet — the triple bottom line. Unlike unicorns, which are purely white and mythical, zebras are black and white, symbolizing harmony between two goals that are often treated as mutually exclusive: making money and making a difference.
Zebra companies are rising as an alternative to the unicorn mindset, which often centres solely around aggressive growth and maximized profits. Unicorns tend to scale fast, disrupt industries, and win market share at all costs. But this “growth at all costs” model often leads to the neglect of social responsibility, sustainability, and ethical governance. In many cases, it also results in burnout, inequality, and environmental damage.
Unicorns are rare and highly celebrated, but they often come with a cost. Some well-known unicorns include Uber, ByteDance (the parent company of TikTok), and Stripe. These companies are innovative and successful, but their impact on labour rights, data privacy, and carbon emissions has sparked ongoing debate.
Zebras, on the other hand, offer a model of business that is real, regenerative, and community-focused. They grow at a steady pace, not by disrupting markets, but by contributing to them. They focus on creating value that benefits not just shareholders, but all stakeholders — customers, employees, communities, and the environment.
Importantly, zebra companies don’t believe in competition as a zero-sum game. Just as zebras are known to live in herds and rely on mutual protection, zebra businesses collaborate, support one another, and co-create ecosystems that are more sustainable and inclusive. They are driven by cooperation, not conquest.
One of my favourite examples of a zebra company is Tomorrow Bank, a digital banking platform based in Germany. Tomorrow is built on the belief that money can be a force for good. It allows users to track the climate impact of their purchases and invests deposits in projects that support renewable energy, sustainable agriculture, and social development. It’s a bank that aligns your values with your wallet, offering a sustainable and ethical way to manage finances without compromising on innovation or performance.
Other well-known zebra companies include Patagonia, which reinvests profits into environmental causes; Etsy, which empowers small creators and artisans; and Buffer, a social media company known for its radical transparency and employee well-being initiatives.
The emergence of zebra companies signals a shift in how we define success in business. It’s not just about valuation anymore — it’s about values.
In a world facing climate crises, economic inequality, and social fragmentation, we don’t just need more billion-dollar companies. We need more balanced, ethical, and collaborative ones. The unicorn may be a powerful symbol of ambition, but the zebra is a much-needed symbol of integrity. It’s real, resilient, and runs in a herd — just like the future of business should.
: By - Sanjita Lodha
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