Zip2s

Zip2 was a software company founded in 1995 by brothers Elon Musk and Kimbal Musk, along with Greg Kouri. The company's primary focus was on providing online city guides and business directories. Users could access information about local businesses, events, and news through the Zip2 website. A significant aspect of Zip2's service was its ability to help businesses establish an online presence, allowing them to list their addresses, phone numbers, and business descriptions on the internet. This was a novel concept in the early days of the World Wide Web.

The company's technology also included a mapping and directions feature, which was considered innovative for its time. Zip2 aimed to bridge the gap between traditional print media, like yellow pages, and the emerging digital landscape. They licensed their technology to newspapers, enabling these publications to create their own online directories and compete in the burgeoning internet market. This partnership model was crucial to Zip2's growth and reach.

In 1999, Compaq Computer Corporation acquired Zip2 for approximately $307 million in cash and $34 million in stock. This acquisition marked a significant exit for the Musk brothers and provided them with the capital to pursue other ventures. Elon Musk famously used his share of the Zip2 proceeds to found X.com, which eventually merged with Confinity to become PayPal. Kimbal Musk also went on to found several other companies. Zip2's legacy is as an early pioneer in online directory services and a foundational company in the entrepreneurial journey of Elon Musk.