The current world presents a watershed in the international economic scenario, the crisis that affects us, COVID 19, has created tensions in all sectors and for large corporations it is no exception; The business reality faces a great challenge. How to survive from its trenches and generate liquidity? The answer can be found in this new proposal.

Unicorns, technology companies with a value of more than 1,000 million dollars to which most startups aspire, in many cases do not consider elements of inclusion and diversity that are important for this new world that we face.

The Zebra companies, a term coined in 2017 by “Zebras Unite” through a proposal promoted since 2015 by Jennifer Brandel (CEO and co-founder of Hearken) and Mara Zepeda (CEO and co-founder of Switchboard) met at Social Capital Markets (SOCAP ) in San Francisco with the idea of ​​seeking to change the focus of attention in the business sector and launch themselves into the world as the new entrepreneurs that are being important today.

The origin of this alternative proposal arises when looking for a more real pattern than the stereotype of the unicorn, since, being an imaginary animal, almost unattainable but that, we see it as the exponent of technology companies to which investors bet, leaving behind side to these more realistic new companies where the new name offers a tangible creature, which also has the concept of the duality of black and white colors, which represents the inclusion of ethnic multiculturalism and the exposure of women as business leaders.

This new idea arises as a transformation of the traditional vision of the Silicon Valley company where it has as an exponent a reliable company, which seeks sustainable prosperity, compared to unicorns, which, in turn, pursues exponential growth.

The great challenge for these companies was the search for financing, where they had to find a place when a conservative idea of ​​entrepreneurs still prevails that often leaves minorities out. However, zebra companies are strong, since the unicorn proposal seeks market concentration, while zebras wave the flag of plurality and horizontality in development, there are no competitions, there is mutual support.

At Horizones Consulting, we analyze different forms of business growth where it is noteworthy that zebra companies generate high economic and social value, this being a proposal that we will see increasingly latent in the following years.

Tinsel is an example of a zebra company, the Startup whose representative Aniyia Williams presents a product that responds to the needs of women to stay in the world of technology efficiently, using personal accessories such as necklaces, to make something like headphones less chaotic than they normally would be.

This product attracted the attention of Backstage Capital, an organization that specifically finances businesses established by women, ethnic minorities, and members of the LGBT community (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender), who often do not have a presence in business ventures. venture capital, where, according to this institution, only 10% of the agreements that are closed are for women, Afro-descendants and homosexuals.

Although zebra companies are a recent proposal, we do not doubt that it is a movement worth paying attention and that it can acquire great relevance in the new post-COVID 19 stage; Where the world as we know it will have changed, for which we consider that there will be greater social awareness and greater care for people’s consumption. What could be a proposal that generates echo and relevance in the following years.

The world has changed dramatically in recent years and has new trends in respect for human rights and the environment. It is necessary to design new value formulas and adjust the business strategy, and what better way than to do it from a perspective of unity and social cohesion.

It is important that businesses today update their value propositions with an angle of inclusion and respect for all their collaborators and clients.