# Parker Conrad

> Parker Conrad is the co-founder and CEO of Rippling, a $16.8B HR and IT platform revolutionizing enterprise software. After being forced to resign from Zenefits in 2016 amid compliance scandals, he staged one of Silicon Valley's most dramatic comebacks, building Rippling into a unicorn that surpassed his previous company's peak valuation. Worth $2.3B, Conrad pioneered the controversial 'compound startup' philosophy - building multiple products in parallel rather than focusing narrowly - and is known for his impatient drive, contrarian thinking, and obsession with detail. From studying sea snail brains as a teenager to running payroll for 5,000 employees, he embodies the resilient, ambitious founder archetype.

- **Role:** Co-Founder and CEO at Rippling
- **Organizations:** Rippling, Zenefits, SigFig, Wikinvest, Amgen, Y Combinator
- **From:** New York City, New York, USA
- **Nationality:** American
- **Education:** Bachelor of Arts in Chemistry, Harvard University, High School, The Collegiate School
- **Known for:** Built Rippling to $16.8B valuation and $1B+ ARR, Grew Zenefits from $20K savings to $4.5B valuation in under 3 years (fastest-growing startup of 2014), Pioneered 'compound startup' philosophy challenging conventional Silicon Valley wisdom about focus

## Career timeline

- **1997** — Won third place ($20,000) in Westinghouse Science Talent Search for sea snail neurobiology research
- **2003** — Graduated from Harvard University with BA in Chemistry; served as Managing Editor of The Harvard Crimson
- **2003-2007** — Product manager at Amgen, a biotechnology firm in California
- **2007** — Co-founded Wikinvest (later became SigFig) with Mike Sha, a portfolio-management startup for retail investors
- **2012** — Left SigFig after falling out with co-founder; joined Y Combinator
- **2012** — Founded Zenefits with $20,000 in savings, inspired by the Affordable Care Act
- **2014** — Zenefits named fastest-growing startup of the year; reached $4.5B valuation with 1,600 employees and 10,000 customers
- **2016** — Resigned from Zenefits in February after compliance violations involving unlicensed insurance brokers
- **2016** — Co-founded Rippling in April with Prasanna Sankar (CTO), operated in stealth mode for two years
- **2018** — Rippling publicly launched
- **2021** — Rippling valued at $6.5B, surpassing Zenefits' peak valuation
- **2022** — Raised $250M at $11.25B valuation
- **2025** — Forbes ranked Conrad #1623 on Billionaires list with $2B net worth; Rippling raised $450M at $16.8B valuation
- **2026** — Launched Rippling AI analyst; revenue growing 78% YoY with over $1B ARR

## Achievements

- Built Rippling to $16.8B valuation and $1B+ ARR
- Grew Zenefits from $20K savings to $4.5B valuation in under 3 years (fastest-growing startup of 2014)
- Pioneered 'compound startup' philosophy challenging conventional Silicon Valley wisdom about focus
- Third place finish in Westinghouse Science Talent Search ($20,000 prize) for neurobiology research
- Managing Editor of The Harvard Crimson
- Staged one of Silicon Valley's most notable comeback stories after Zenefits scandal
- Built Rippling to surpass Zenefits' peak valuation
- Raised over $1.85B in total funding for Rippling
- Achieved billionaire status ($2.3B net worth) by 2025
- Rippling serves 7,000+ employees with 78% YoY revenue growth

## Latest updates

- **2025-05** — Rippling raised $450M at $16.8B valuation, bringing Conrad's personal stake to approximately $2.3B
- **2026-03** — Launched Rippling AI analyst, which Conrad called 'the most successful launch we've ever done'
- **2026-03** — Announced revenue growing 78% YoY with over $1B in annual recurring revenue, with growth accelerating for three consecutive quarters
- **2026** — Rippling now has 7,131 employees and continues expanding its product suite

## Links

- Website: https://rippling.com
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/parkerconrad/
- Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/parkerconrad

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Profile page: https://yespress.io/parker-conrad
Published by YesPress — https://yespress.io
Last updated: 2026-05-03