[3] The company was founded in Palo Alto, California as Global Link Information Network, Inc. on November 9, 1995,[4] by Greg Kouri and brothers Elon and Kimbal Musk.

Initially, Global Link provided local businesses with an Internet presence,[5]: 61  but later began to assist newspapers in designing online city guides before being purchased by Compaq Computer in 2000.

Davidow Ventures changed the fundamental strategy of Zip2 from localised direct to business sales to instead selling national back end software packages to newspapers to build their own directories.

According to chairman and co-founder Elon Musk, twenty of those newspapers led to full-scale city guides.

The New York Times reported that Zip2 also provided newspapers with an online directory, calendar, and email alongside their core offering.

AutoGuide connected online newspaper users with local dealership or private party car sellers.