[4][5] Originally named Insurance Zebra, the company was initially started in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania while Lyons was living in a friend's basement and collecting unemployment checks.

[9] The company received $1.5 million in seed funding from investors that included Mark Cuban, Silverton Partners, Floodgate, and Birchmere Labs.

[8] In September 2013, having closed a $3 million extended seed round, the company launched to the public in both Texas and California, the two states with the most drivers.

By the end of 2013, The Zebra was available to users in all 50 states, while increasing its platform to 204 companies that included 22 carriers such as Esurance and The General.

[20] NBC Nightly News recommended The Zebra as a tool to compare car insurance quotes and save on rates.

[29] The Zebra offers a way for consumers to get real-time quotes from car insurance companies by filling out an online form.

[12] As the driver fills out the form, answering more questions about things like their age, driving record, and credit score, the quotes increase in accuracy.

[30][31] The Zebra has published additional reports on topics that impact the insurance industry, such as: Joshua Dziabiak joined after the financing in 2013 as COO/CMO.