Zinc Inc. (renamed from Cotap Inc, Jun 2016) is a San Francisco-based company that sells a mobile messaging application for businesses.[2] Unlike consumer-focused apps such as WhatsApp and WeChat that require phone numbers, Cotap allows users to find and connect with other users who share their corporate email domain. The company was founded in May 2013 by former Yammer executives Jim Patterson and Zack Parker.[2] That month, Cotap announced it had received $5.5 million in a Series A funding round from Charles River Ventures and Emergence Capital Partners.[3] Cotap received $10M in Series B funding in January 2014.[4]

Zinc Inc (since Jun 2016, formerly Cotap Inc)[1]
Company typeIncorporated
IndustryMobile messaging
FoundedMay 2013 (2013-05)
FounderJim Patterson and Zack Parker
HeadquartersSan Francisco,
Area served
Global
Websitehttps://www.zinc.it/

Cotap released its first app, which is available for iOS, in October 2013.[5] In February 2014 Cotap released a native Android app.[6] In August 2014, Cotap released a Mac and Web app alongside the announcement of cloud storage integrations with Box, Dropbox, Google Drive and OneDrive.[7] Both iOS and Android apps, as well as the Mac and Web apps, allow users to send individual and group messages.

On raising $5M in a funding round led by Emergence Capital Partners and Charles River Ventures, Cotap changed its name to Zinc and appointed a new Chief Executive, Stacey Epstein.[8]

In April 2017 a further $11M round of investment was raised from GE Ventures, Hearst Ventures and existing investors Emergence & Charles River.[9]

Zinc was acquired by ServiceMax in 2019 for an undisclosed amount.[10]

References

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  1. ^ "Zinc Inc - Company Profile and News". Bloomberg News.
  2. ^ a b Lunden, Ingrid (29 May 2013). "Ex-Yammer Execs Raise $5.5M For CoTap, A Mobile Messaging App Aiming To Be WhatsApp For The Workplace". TechCrunch.
  3. ^ Nusca, Andrew. "CoTap lands $5.5 million in funding; workplace mobile messaging". ZD Net. Archived from the original on June 8, 2013.
  4. ^ Lunden, Ingrid (28 January 2014). "Enterprise Messaging App Cotap Nabs $10M To Make 'Every Worker A Knowledge Worker'". TechCrunch.
  5. ^ Yeung, Ken (2 October 2013). "Cotap is a mobile messaging app built for the enterprise, coming first to iOS". The Next Web.
  6. ^ Wells, Antonio. "(New App) Cotap - Work Messaging". AndroidTapp. Archived from the original on May 1, 2015.
  7. ^ Lunden, Ingrid (27 August 2014). "Cotap, A WhatsApp For The Workplace, Adds Box, Dropbox, Google, OneDrive And Desktop App". TechCrunch.
  8. ^ http://www.marketwired.com/press-release/zinc-raises-5-million-to-help-businesses-inform-and-empower-deskless-workers-2131953.htm [dead link]
  9. ^ http://www.marketwired.com/press-release/zinc-raises-11-million-led-by-ge-ventures-to-transform-deskless-communication-2209881.htm [dead link]
  10. ^ "ServiceMax Acquires Zinc to Expand Service Execution Management Offering".