This article has been contributed by Mr. Abhinav Sehgal and Ms. Riya Chadha, Co-Founders, SEO Designs and Digi Uprise.
The notion that founders require a co-founder who complements and contrasts them is akin to a good relationship. As in relationships, having a person who complements your strength and weakness makes the team better. If a founder is great at think out of the box concepts and bringing wonderful campaigns and another is great at execution, they can create something better together than they could individually.
Every individual has something to offer, be it skills, experience, innovative thought or insight. This collaboration makes the company develop and face difficulties more efficiently. Just like how personal relationships function optimally when individuals support each other, businesses thrive when founders work harmoniously with one another.
How a Co-Founder Helps During Tough Times
Building a business is a tough ride that will put you through situations which are mentally and emotionally draining. There will certainly be tough times, with setbacks, slow progress, and moments of doubt. Through these hard times, having a supportive co-founder can make a huge difference. A co-founder not only bears half the burden but also provides emotional support and fresh insights to look forward to the bigger picture.
They can help you stay driven, offer advice when you’re stuck, and keep you focused. With a person by your side who is well aware of the setbacks, the work pressure feels lighter, and by having each other on your side, you’re more equipped to face the challenges and keep pushing forward.
As an entrepreneur, we have gone through most of the unforeseen difficulties and, quite a number of times, wondered whether the effort was worth it. Success does not always feel within reach and can be slow in coming when the market is competitive like the one we’re in today. But with a solid business partner like I had, the experience was a game-changer. We were constantly each other’s biggest source of motivation, egging and spurring the other to continue on even when frustrated and overwhelmed.
We were there for one another during tough times offering encouragement and reminding each other of the vision we shared. Leading a company alone can be exhausting and isolating, but we’ve realized that collaboration brings strength and resilience. We were not only just a business partner but also life partner who stuck with the other individual riding the highs and lows, making rugged nights into splendid sunsets. A co-founder is not necessarily just someone with whom you are going to divide responsibilities, you become someone upon whom you hand over your company, your ambition, and future.
Trust, Vision, and Alignment: The Foundation of a Strong Co-Founder Relationship
A co-founder is much more than just a person who shares responsibilities, they become someone you entrust with your business, your dreams, and your future. Trust is a fundamental when choosing a co-founder. The success of your business isn’t solely dependent on just external forces, but also on the strength of the partnership you build.
Startups fail, not due to market challenges, but because of the disagreements and misunderstandings between co-founders. Differentiating goals, egos getting in the way, or mismatched work ethics can tear apart the foundation of a business before it even has a chance to grow. When co-founders aren’t aligned in their vision or approach, it leads to arguments and tensions that are insurmountable.
As we built our companies, we made sure to prioritize not only working through the skills, but trust and a shared vision. It was crucial that we were also aligned in our goals for the business, not only in our expertise. We ensured that we had open, honest discussions on expectations, decision-making, and long-term goals from the start.
The transparency with one another enabled us to discuss possible problems beforehand and assist us in ensuring we were all on the same page.
By clear definition and emphasized duties and vision, we were in a better position to navigate challenges with smoothly, ensuring it was simple to remain committed to our vision and have a solid partnership amidst the highs and lows of development. The ideal co-founder can be a startup’s most valuable asset, playing an important role in the success of the business.
If you are an entrepreneur, it’s advisable to look for a partner who is not only contributing skills but also someone who encourages and inspires you to stretch your boundaries. Look for someone who contrasts your strengths and weaknesses, and is there to support you through the adversities. Much like in a personal relationship, the right co-founder will not only help celebrate your wins but will also help push through the downfalls.
They can provide a new outlook, share the emotional and mental burden, and help keep the business running during the difficult times. With the right partnership, you have the opportunity to achieve so much more than you can by yourself, creating a foundation for growth and resilience.
In the end, successful businesses are not often the work of solitary efforts but rather due to incredible teams. Creating a business demands teamwork, varying skill sets, and comparable goals, all of which are made possible through the right people being beside you.
When two individuals are in agreement not just in life but also in business, they produce a special synergy and from our experience as a business power couple, a complementary partnership in business enables each individual to contribute their creativity, innovation and individual strengths to the table.
A successful company is not founded upon strategy and implementation alone, it flourishes based on phenomenal collaboration with individuals who introduce a vision with strategy as well as aspiration with pragmatism.
Writing when you have a word limit to stick to is stimulating and challenging at the same time. The leveraging character limit for your own good is simply at another level. And that’s the idea behind Twitter. This social media platform has revolutionized concise messaging through the concept of tweets.
News, views, reviews, and whatnot are exchanged on Twitter. Sports, politics, movie industry, social workers, businessmen, organizations, the ordinary public…nearly every class and kind of person could be found on Twitter. It’s hard to follow that favourite celeb of yours had it not been for Twitter. Twitter now X is social media platform founded by Jack Dorsey, Biz Stone, Evan Williams, and Noah Glass
Jack Dorsey is an American entrepreneur and the co-founder and former CEO of Twitter. He is also the founder of Block, Inc. (Formerly Square). The net worth of Jack Dorsey is $4.1 billion, as of February 2025. Dorsey remained the CEO of Twitter till November 29, 2021, when he stepped down from the coveted position and was replaced by Parag Agrawal. Dorsey also resigned from Twitter’s Board of Directors on May 25th, 2022.
This StartupTalky article explores Jack Dorsey’s success story, including his early life, history, childhood, personal life, education, awards, net worth, and more.
Jack Dorsey Biography
Name
Jack Dorsey
Born
November 19, 1976
Place
St. Louis, Missouri, United States
Nationality
American
Parents
Marcia Dorsey, Tim Dorsey
Education
Bishop DuBourg High School, Missouri University of Science and Technology, New York University
Known for
Co-Founder and Ex-CEO of Twitter, Co-Founder of Block, Inc.
Jack Patrick Dorsey was born on November 19, 1976, in the city of St. Louis, Missouri, United States. Jack grew up in a middle-class Catholic family. He grew to be one of the most famous entrepreneurs alongside his brothers, Andrew and Dannie Dorsey. Tim Dorsey & Marcia Smith Dorsey are the parents of Jack Dorsey.
When Jack Dorsey was young, he was an observant kid who had a speech impediment. As a result, he normally stayed at home and developed a fascination for simplicity. An introvert in childhood, Jack overcame his shyness by participating in various oratory competitions. After many failed attempts, he overcame his fear of speaking in front of the public.
As a teenager, Dorsey loved spending time with computers. An early version of the IBM computer fascinated him and he spent hours, if not days, analyzing and understanding it. His ambition was to draw a live map of New York City, comprising several dots or legends that represented vehicles and landmarks.
Jack Dorsey – Education
Jack Dorsey attended Bishop DuBourg High School and after leaving high school, he enrolled in the Missouri University of Science and Technology.
Missouri University of Science and Technology
He left after two years to pursue his dream of living in New York and joined New York University only to drop out in the final year to work on his idea of Twitter. His goal of creating the live map took over his academics but fate has its quirks.
During the summer of 1991, Jack Dorsey joined Mira Digital Publishing Company. A young Dorsey interrupted his boss in the middle of a project. Although his boss promised to talk to him within a minute, Jack didn’t get to speak to him. After the meeting, his boss saw him standing at the same spot. Jack had a thing for patience. He went on to lead a team of programmers in their thirties.
Jack Dorsey Young
Jack Dorsey – The Dot-Com Setback
Jack Dorsey got into the Dispatch Management Services Corp by hacking their security system and emailing the company’s manager, Greg Kidd, on how to patch the hack. He worked for the company for several years and worked for Greg Kidd’s project called dNet.com. However, the dot-com bubble destroyed the efforts that were put in for dNet.com, and Dorsey was left unemployed. His condition was so bad that he had to go for massage therapy courses.
Dorsey was then saved by Odeo Company, which specialized in internet startups. The company was headed by Evan Williams and faced a financial crisis and ideological difficulties amongst the employees.
Jack Dorsey – Launch of Twitter
Jack Dorsey created Twitter because he wanted to combine the SMS concept with an algorithm so that the would-be read only by the sender’s network. This was the only core logic behind Twitter. After two weeks, Dorsey and his friend came up with the iconic blue bird logo for Twitter.
Twitter Logo
The first tweet was done by Dorsey which read – “just setting up my twttr” (yes, twttr, and not Twitter). Twitter went public in the year 2006.
In the start, many people labelled the Twitter concept as “useless”. Even Williams was sceptical about its potential. It was a hard time since companies like Odeo, which supported young programmers to build their own companies, were not available to help Dorsey with his Twitter venture.
Naturally, there was a concern for funds to keep Twitter away from shuttering. However, the Twitter team soon found a scanned image of half a million dollars in its checkbox. A guy named Fred Wilson offered this cheque and was willing to work for Twitter as a strategic consultant. His plans assisted Twitter in building a global reach.
With time, Twitter cemented its place and the rapid developments in smartphone tech only bolstered Twitter’s growth. Twitter has around 2.2 billion visits per month at present. During the Southwest Film Festival in 2007, employees used multiple screens to show the facility of the real-time messages offered by Twitter. This helped increase the daily tweets count from twenty to sixty thousand.
In May 2008, the billionth tweet was posted. In the same year, the market capitalization of Twitter reached a whopping $1.5 billion. The market cap of Twitter was last recorded at $26.10 Billion in February 2022.
In October 2009, Twitter gained its first revenue of around $25 million. Google Inc. and Microsoft had a role to play in this deal. The deal was centred on the condition that Twitter messages would become visible to Google and Bing search engines. Later, Dorsey refused to work with Facebook.
In 2013, there was a 182% increase in Twitter’s shares. This was due to an increase in the stock’s value in IPO (the stock price was $26, but increased to more than $46 on the first day of trading). At present, 85% of the revenues come from online advertisements.
Jack Dorsey, being the brain behind one of the most popular social media platforms of our times makes him an iconic social media entrepreneur. Jack Dorsey is currently worth around $4.1 billion, as of February 2025 reports.
Jack Dorsey Net worth
Jack Dorsey – Exit From Twitter
Jack Dorsey served as the CEO of Twitter since he founded Twitter in 2006. However, he had to resign due to the alleged problems in the functioning of the platform and in the management of the company for which he was pushed out of his role by the board in 2008.
The genius, however, witnessed a Steve Jobs– style return to his home company as a CEO in 2015 and had finally opted to resign on November 29, 2021, when he left the office to give way to Parag Agrawal, who replaced him immediately the very same day.
Speaking about Agrawal, Dorsey has mentioned that firstly, he wants to stop Twitter to be an entity that is founder-led. Furthermore, he mentioned that his trust in him “is bone-deep”.
Twitter co-founder Jack Dorsey said that he won’t be hanging there on the Board of Twitter for long. This is vital because he thinks that it is “important to give Parag the space he needs to lead”. Dorsey took to his homegrown platform to post his resignation letter, which reads:
Jack Patrick Dorsey quit the Twitter Board of Directors on May 25, 2021. Though he stepped down from being the Twitter CEO on November 29, 2021, he still remained aligned with the social media giant’s Board of Directors, however, he had already planned to leave the Board since he stepped down from the CEO position. Twitter is witnessing a visible change in its administration and is going through a major transformation since the days when Jack Dorsey stepped down. Now, Parag Agrawal is the CEO of Twitter, while Elon Musk is on the verge of acquiring the popular social media platform, which would bring in more change to follow.
Dorsey is now working on the development of Block, Inc. (Formerly Square). While Square still exists as one of the company’s main products, the company changed its name to Block on December 10, 2021.
Block Inc. is headquartered in San Francisco, California, USA, and is financial services and digital payments company founded by Jack Dorsey and Jim McKelvey in 2009. The company Block derived its former name “Square” from its square-shaped card readers. Block is currently a public company that was registered on the New York Stock Exchange in November 2015.
Square, which is a payments platform that helps small and medium-sized businesses accept credit card payments and use tablet computers as payment registers for a point of sale system, is one of the core businesses of Block. Some other products/businesses of Block include:
Cash App – A mobile app that allows money transfers between users and businesses.
Afterpay – A buy-now-pay-later service of Block.
Weebly – Weebly is a website hosting service.
Tidal – Tidal offers audio and music videos to the users as a subscription-based music podcast and video streaming service.
In the year 2012, Starbucks invested $25 million in Square, Inc. The CEO of Starbucks, Howard Schultz joined Square’s board and became one of the most important personalities on the board.
Jack Dorsey – Awards and Achievements
Jack Dorsey’s Major Achievements:
Co-founded Twitter and led its expansion into a global social media platform.
Founded Square (now Block), transforming mobile and digital payments.
Philanthropic contributions, supporting education, COVID-19 relief, and universal basic income.
Jack Dorsey’s Awards & Recognitions:
MIT Technology Review (2008): Named one of the Top 35 Innovators Under 35.
The Wall Street Journal (2012): Awarded Innovator of the Year in technology.
Crunchies Awards (2012): Honored as Founder of the Year at the 5th Annual Crunchies.
Jack Dorsey is an American entrepreneur best known for co-founding Twitter and founding Square (now Block). He played a key role in shaping social media and digital payments.
Where did Jack Patrick Dorsey go to high school?
Jack Dorsey went to Bishop DuBourg High School.
What is Jack Dorsey education?
Jack Dorsey attended Missouri University of Science and Technology and New York University, but he dropped out in his final year to work on Twitter.
Where was Jack Dorsey born?
Jack Patrick Dorsey was born on November 19, 1976, in the city of St. Louis, Missouri, United States.
When did Jack Dorsey start Twitter?
Jack Dorsey started Twitter in 2006 and his first tweet was “just setting up my twttr”.
How did Jack Dorsey start Twitter?
When Odeo went out of business, Jack Dorsey started work on his idea where he wanted to combine the SMS concept with an algorithm so that the would-be read-only by the sender’s network.
Did Jack Dorsey graduate college?
No, Jack Dorsey dropped out first from the Missouri University of Science and Technology and after two years he transferred to the New York University but dropped out from there too to work on Twitter.
Did Jack Dorsey leave Twitter Board?
Yes, Jack Dorsey resigned from Twitter’s Board of Directors on May 25, 2022.
When did Jack Dorsey leave Twitter?
Jack Dorsey, the founder of Twitter, stepped down from the Twitter CEO position On November 29, 2021, which brought Parag Agrawal as the new Twitter CEO. Furthermore, on May 25, 2022, Jack Dorsey left the Twitter Board of Directors, which was when Jack Dorsey left Twitter altogether.
Who are Jack Dorsey siblings?
Jack Patrick Dorsey has two brothers Daniel and Andrew.
Where did Jack Dorsey go to high school?
Jack Dorsey went to Bishop DuBourg High School.
How did Jack Dorsey start Twitter?
Jack Dorsey started Twitter in 2006 with Noah Glass, Biz Stone, and Evan Williams. It began as an idea for a simple status-sharing platform. The first tweet was posted by Dorsey on March 21, 2006. Twitter quickly grew into a major social media platform.
What did Jack Dorsey invent?
Jack Dorsey co-invented Twitter (2006), a social media platform for short messages, and founded Square (now Block) (2009), a mobile payments company.
Larry Page, the technological luminary who gave shape to the Google revolution, stands as one of the most influential forces in the field. Born on March 26, 1973, he is from Lansing, Michigan location that would come to define much of the new order of the digital world. His interest in computers when a mere child made him turn into the technology giant he eventually became.
A genius in algorithm development, Page co-founded Google in 1998 with Sergey Brin. Page’s PageRank development revolutionized how we interact with information on the Internet. However, Larry Page isn’t just a tech mogul; he’s a forward thinker who is still taking risks, pushing boundaries from his leadership of Google to his brash creation of Alphabet Inc.
In this article, we are going to explore Larry Page’s life, which will include early influences, education, career highlights, personal life, education, history, and investments as we try to understand the mind of a true technological innovator.
Larry Page – Biography
Name
Larry Page
Born on
March 26, 1973 (age 51)
Birthplace
Lansing, Michigan, US.
Education
University of Michigan (BS) Stanford University (MS) Computer Engineer Computer scientist
Occupations
Businessman
Organizations
Google Alphabet Inc.
Known for
Co-founding and creating Google Co-founding Alphabet Inc. Co-creating the PageRank algorithm
Lawrence Edward Page, born on March 26, 1973, in Lansing, Michigan, was born to change the face of the technology and innovation world. Page’s environment at an early age led him to create a difference. His father, Carl Victor Page Sr., who taught computer science at Michigan State University, was known as a “pioneer in computer science and artificial intelligence”, according to the BBC. His mother, Gloria Page, was equally influential, an instructor in computer programming at Lyman Briggs College.
Page’s father’s side of the family made him continue in Protestant traditions, but his mother’s side came from Jewish heritage, and his maternal grandfather immigrated to Israel. However, Larry’s upbringing was not religious. His parents divorced when he was eight, and the situation didn’t affect his long relations with his mother and his father’s long-term partner, Joyce Wildenthal, who also worked as a professor at MSU.
Introduced by his father to the Exidy Sorcerer computer at age six in 1979, Larry fell in love with technology. He spent an entire lifetime nurtured by those cutting-edge inventions. He learned to use this machine fast so that he didn’t just use it for school purposes but as an opportunity to inquire about everything. His older brother, Carl Victor Page Jr., furthered this curiosity by teaching Larry how to take apart and understand household items, creating a mindset of innovation and problem-solving.
Larry could remember his childhood home as a “mess” of creativity, full of technology tools strewn across the rooms. With computers and popular science magazines everywhere, he was in his learning environment. A voracious reader, Larry often sat with books, pouring inspiration that would later define his visionary outlook.
Music was a dimension that had almost the same impact on his upbringing. Larry learned multiple instruments and studied music composition, which he credited for shaping his approach to technology. His time at Interlochen Arts Camp, where he focused on flute and saxophone, instilled an acute awareness of time—a quality he likened to the precision required in computing.
He once noted, “In music, you’re very cognizant of time. Time is the primary thing. That legacy of speed influenced Google.”
Larry’s formal education started at Okemos Montessori School in Michigan, where he attended from ages 2 to 7. This nurturing environment encouraged his early love for exploration and creativity. He later graduated from East Lansing High School in 1991. His summers at Interlochen Center for the Arts, where he studied music, further complemented his academic growth.
His undergraduate years were at the University of Michigan, where, in 1995, he graduated in computer engineering with honors. His inventive genius made him first produce a functioning line plotter printer using Lego bricks, then reverse-engineer the contents of some of the proprietary ink cartridges he purchased and invent mechanics to drive them. Through these examples and all his future endeavors, he again shows an ability to put creativity to the service of technical skill.
He was also president of the Eta Kappa Nu honor society and participated in the 1993 University of Michigan Solar Car team, demonstrating his commitment to innovation and sustainable technology. He also made some innovative suggestions, such as replacing the university bus system with a driverless monorail—a very early insight into his interest in automation and efficiency.
Larry then went to Stanford University for his Master of Science in Computer Science in 1998, followed by a PhD. He initiated the research that would forever alter the internet’s landscape. Terry Winograd guided his research and was about the mathematical properties of the World Wide Web. During this time, he developed PageRank, which would become the algorithmic backbone of Google.
Larry Page is the visionary co-founder and former CEO of Google and has a career marked by innovation, bold risk-taking, and unrelenting ambition. It all started in 1998 with Sergey Brin when they decided to change the internet by building a search engine that would become the mainstay of the web. The creation of Google, one of the most influential companies in history, began as a university project at Stanford University.
However, Page’s leadership style has always challenged the status quo. He was very involved with product development in Google’s early days, always pushing the boundaries of what search engines could do. He had a vision that was far greater than mere search improvements; he saw the internet as a vessel to unlock knowledge and connect the world. Google’s meteoric rise was founded on its search algorithm Page, and Brin developed PageRank, which presented the most relevant search results based on the web’s link structure.
Page’s role changed as the company grew. He spent years working on the technical side of the business and began increasingly getting involved in defining the company’s overall strategic direction. When Google was young, Eric Schmidt became CEO in 2001. With Schmidt at the helm, Page and Brin could concentrate on product innovation, and he was excellent at running the company’s operations. Page’s deep technical expertise and relentless drive to innovate made all the difference for Google to become at the top of the tech world.
Page took over Schmidt’s position as CEO in 2011. He gave up the position of CEO and took on executive chairman. This marked a new page in the company’s history because Page had envisioned the future he wanted the company to reflect. He began by increasing the freedom of the product divisions. Leaders within those divisions were allowed greater independence when making more innovative and feasible decisions. He overhauled the senior management of Google, creating the “L-Team,” a team of senior executives who worked closely with him to keep everyone in line. This restructuring, combined with a renewed emphasis on collaboration and communication, paved the way for some of Google’s most transformative initiatives.
Under Page’s leadership, Google set a path to consolidate its products and services, honing its offerings to create a more cohesive and unified user experience. His work improving designs and user interfaces peaked with “Project Kennedy,” a program aimed at rebranding Google’s aesthetic identity across all its offerings. This project aimed at making Google’s services intuitive, refined, and cohesive, an expression of Page’s belief that simplicity and beauty should form the core of the user experience.
Page also launched Google into previously unexplored territory besides software and search innovations. He headed the company’s acquisition strategy, which focused on firms that could bring about transformative change in society. The most notable acquisition was in 2011 with Motorola Mobility, secured due to the necessity to obtain patents to keep Android safe from lawsuits by competitors like Apple and Microsoft. Although Page sold Motorola in 2014 at a loss, his vision for acquiring and nurturing new technologies allowed Google to maintain its position as a leader in the tech industry.
Larry Page and Sergey Brin
Page’s vision went beyond traditional technology. He overhauled the senior management of Google, forming the ‘L Team’ — a group of senior executives who worked with him to keep everyone in line. It marked the beginning of some of Google’s most transformative initiatives, and it did so by restructuring under the banner of collaboration and communication.
Under Page’s leadership, Google proceeded to consolidate and simplify its products and services, building a more cohesive and unified user experience.
In 2013, he created Calico, his research and development initiative to help fight aging and improve human health. This biotechnology was Page’s more general vision: to address hard, difficult problems—problems that have the potential to improve people’s lives across the planet. Additionally, he has invested in companies like Tesla Motors and Kitty Hawk to help create the future of energy, transportation, and space exploration.
In 2015, Page conceived the idea of restructuring Google into Alphabet Inc., the parent company that would separate the core internet businesses from its more risky ventures. He was replaced as Google CEO by Sundar Pichai, and Page was made CEO of Alphabet, focusing on the vision and more high-risk ventures, while Pichai was allowed to run Google day to day. Page’s decision to step down as Google CEO was a smart move and many people thought it would be a good idea to keep control of the company while taking on the next technological wave.
Although Page stepped down as CEO of Google in 2019, his presence remains strong at Google and Alphabet. His legacy is one of unyielding innovation and a bold, forward-looking vision for technology. He didn’t settle for incremental progress; he always wanted breakthrough progressions that would transform the world.
Larry Page’s personal life reflects a nice mix of personal passions, deep-rooted family commitment, and passion for innovation, with very strong elements toward sustainability and philanthropy. Like his professional endeavors, his personal path is marked by some important events, family commitments, and investments that shape not only his legacy but also his life.
In the early 2000s, Page’s personal life collided with his professional one when he briefly dated Marissa Mayer, a Google employee and later the CEO of Yahoo! This was an interesting collision of two of the brightest minds in the tech industry. However, Page’s romantic life had increasingly gravitated around long-term partner Lucinda Southworth, whom he married in 2007.
Page and Southworth’s wedding was celebrated on Necker Island, a luxury Caribbean island owned by Richard Branson, highlighting their connection’s celebrity status. Lucinda Southworth, who comes from a respected research scientist background, is also the sister of American actress and model Carrie Southworth. Page and Southworth have also started a family, with two children born in 2009 and 2011, making Page an even more devoted family man.
In 2005, he bought the historic Pedro de Lemos House in Palo Alto, California, a 9,000-square-foot Spanish Colonial Revival residence designed by Pedro Joseph de Lemos, a polymath and founder of the Carmel Art Institute. The house was constructed between 1931 and 1941.
In 2009, he started buying the surrounding lands to construct an enormous eco-friendly house. The properties he bought were carefully deconstructed, and the materials used were reused to show his dedication to environmental sustainability.
Apart from his residential deals, Page also had a penchant for the unusual. In 2011, he bought a 193-foot superyacht named Senses for $45 million. The yacht was another testament to Page’s love for discovery and adventure with a touch of luxury.
In 2013, he shared on his Google+ profile that his vocal cords were paralyzed due to an autoimmune condition called Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, which had been affecting his ability to speak normally. Yet, Page continued to lead with determination despite the challenges. He donated more than $20 million to vocal cord nerve function research at the Voice Health Institute in Boston, and his commitment to finding a cure was evident in his continued interest in scientific progress.
In 2014, through his family foundation, Carl Victor Page Memorial Fund, Page donated $15 million to fight the Ebola virus epidemic in West Africa. His generosity demonstrates a belief in using his wealth and resources to better the world against pressing global issues.
In 2021, reports indicated that Page had a resident’s visa to New Zealand, and the family had to move to this country during the COVID-19 crisis since they had been staying in Fiji. Thus, this signified Page’s desire to live in peace and away from public scrutiny, focusing on how his family has been doing with the situation.
He has bought several islands in the Caribbean and South Pacific. Some of his most recent purchases include Hans Lollik Island in 2014, Eustatia Island, Cayo Norte in 2018, and Tavarua in 2020. These properties are examples of his preference for the unique, secluded, and pristine, and give a glimpse into the lifestyle of one of the world’s most influential tech moguls.
Larry Page is one of Google’s founders. He has invested strategically in many industries to reflect his interest in innovation, technology, and space exploration. His investment portfolio consists of a few pioneering companies that advance the limits of what is achievable in their respective domains.
Announced Date
Organisation Name
Jun 9, 2016
Kitty Hawk
May 26, 2016
Planetary Resources
Apr 21, 2015
Twigtale
Sep 1, 2012
Planetary Resources
May 1, 2006
Tesla
Larry Page – Controversies
Larry Page has been involved in various controversies lately and so receives attention for his pathbreaking contributions to technological advancement and his association with grave legal and ethical concerns.
For instance, most recently, the US Virgin Islands government faced problems in serving a subpoena to Page in its civil suit against JPMorgan Chase. The suit claims that the bank is equally responsible for what had happened by being complicit in sex trafficking through one of its long-time clients, convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. All documents from Page referring to the communications he made with Epstein and JPMorgan are subpoenaed about information concerning Epstein’s role in human trafficking and soliciting women to engage in commercial sex. Despite the many attempts by the US Virgin Islands to comply with the subpoena, Page has managed to avoid any action against him in court thus far. Even the government had sought leave of the Manhattan federal court to permit alternative service through the mail or other public means. Such a prolonged battle in the courtroom brings significant questions about Page’s relationship with Epstein and JPMorgan and challenges his claims within the tech space.
Further intensifying the ongoing controversy, Page’s associations with the ultra-wealthy and privileged lifestyle have ignited discussions regarding access and influence. In early 2021, during the global pandemic, Page was permitted to enter New Zealand under exceptional circumstances to accompany his ailing son, who necessitated urgent medical attention. His entry provoked scrutiny, as it was authorized through a special visa program designated for individuals prepared to invest millions into the country. Critics say this only shows that the rich have disproportionate access to privileges that others can only dream of, especially at a time when most borders were closed to foreign visitors.
Larry Page’s involvement in these long-standing controversies paints a disturbing narrative about the complexities surrounding his wealth and power. From legal entanglements surrounding Epstein’s sex trafficking operations to questions of his preferential treatment as a billionaire in New Zealand, Page’s reputation remains under intense scrutiny. While he might have been an integral part of forming one of the most influential companies in history, his actions and associations continue to spark intense debate over the responsibilities that come with significant power and wealth.
Larry Page – Awards and Recognition
Larry Page is the co-founder of Google and a visionary leader. He is known worldwide for his important work in technology and new ideas. His awards show his strong character and a major influence on the digital age.
1998: PC Magazine named Google one of the Top 100 Websites and Search Engines, starting its rise to power in the tech industry.
1999: Google won the Technical Excellence Award for Innovation in Web Application Development, establishing its technical prowess.
2000: The search engine won a Webby Award and a People’s Voice Award that further cemented its position as a revolutionary force in technology.
2001: Google won all the Search Engine Watch Awards. These included Outstanding Search Service, Best Image Search Engine, Best Design, etc.
2002: The World Economic Forum named Page a Global Leader for Tomorrow, recognizing his forward-thinking leadership.
2003: Page, along with Sergey Brin, received an honorary MBA from IE Business School, honoring their entrepreneurial spirit and innovation.
2004: Fundamentally changing how information is retrieved warranted them being awarded the prestigious Marconi Foundation Prize and inducted as Fellows at Columbia University. The same year, they received the Golden Plate Award from the American Academy of Achievement.
2005: Page and Brin were elected Fellows of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and the world’s most influential thinkers.
2008: Google was represented by Page, who won the Communication Award at the Prince of Asturias Awards.
2009: He was awarded an honorary doctorate by the University of Michigan during its graduation commencement ceremony.
2011: He was the 24th richest billionaire in the world and the 11th richest person in the US, according to Forbes.
2014: Fortune Magazine named Page “Businessperson of the Year,” calling him “the world’s most daring CEO.” The Bloomberg Billionaires Index listed him as the 17th richest person in the world that same year, with a net worth of $32.7 billion.
2015: Voted by Google employees, Page became the #1 Chief Executive in Forbes’ “America’s Most Popular Chief Executives” list.
2017: The city of Agrigento, Italy, granted Page honorary citizenship, crediting him with making a global impact and contribution.
Larry Page – Interesting Facts
Larry Page had a very insatiable thirst for technology from a young age. His interest in the technology industry grew when he grew up in a family of computer science professors and developed a program to help his parents organize their files, a precursor to his future role as a pioneer in the technology industry.
Page co-founded Google in 1998 with Sergey Brin, who was continuing his pursuit of a Ph.D. at Stanford University.
With the PageRank algorithm, the internet changed the face of the internet by rating web pages based on how many and how good the links are.
Page became CEO of Google at the ridiculously young age of 25 and steered the company through one of technology’s most successful initial public offerings in 2004. At that juncture, leadership was vital in securing Google as the most powerful name in the new digital age.
In 2015, Page and Brin took it one step further by setting up Alphabet Inc., a parent company that includes Google and many other ventures. It allowed them to focus on new frontiers of technology while remaining in the lead in search and advertising.
Page’s efforts to solve the world’s most complex problems extend far beyond the scope of a search engine. Through his leadership, Google has pursued projects in self-driving cars (Waymo), life sciences (Verily), and renewable energy, with each project exemplifying his drive to push the boundaries of technology for the greater good.
Page bases his approach on believing that technology can help change the world. His philosophy is centered around setting ambitious goals and harnessing the power of technology to tackle the most pressing problems in society; this is exactly what has fueled Google’s success and drives his private ventures.
The page was criticized concerning the data collection done by Google, which was associated with issues about privacy. Still, he maintained support for the practices undertaken by the firm, stating that it was committed to offering specific services that met users’ needs, underlining his commitment to innovation even amidst controversy.
A relatively private individual, Page is a passionate aviator, possessing a license that exemplifies his enthusiasm for flying. His personal life reflects his professional endeavors—driven by an unwavering commitment to innovation. Page fosters an environment of experimentation and risk-taking at Google, promoting daring ideas and forward-thinking concepts.
Conclusion
Larry Page’s contributions to the internet are invaluable. Together with Sergey Brin, his hard work and smart strategies built Google into a global powerhouse. Without Google, life wouldn’t be as simple and convenient as it is today.
FAQs
Who is Larry Page?
Larry Page is a co-founder of Google, created with Sergey Brin in 1998. He developed its search engine and later became CEO of Google and Alphabet Inc., transforming online information access.
What is Larry Page net worth?
Larry Page’s net worth is $159.7 billion as of January 2025.
What is Google founder, Larry Page age?
Larry Page was born on March 26, 1973. He is 51 years old.
Who is Google founder?
Google was founded by Larry Page and Sergey Brin in 1998.
Who is the owner of Google?
Google is owned by Alphabet Inc., its parent company. Alphabet’s largest shareholders include its co-founders, Larry Page and Sergey Brin, along with other investors.
What is Larry Page education?
Larry Page studied Computer Engineering at the University of Michigan for his bachelor’s degree. He then pursued a Master’s and PhD in Computer Science at Stanford University, where he met Sergey Brin and started Google.
When was Google founded?
Google was founded on September 4, 1998, by Larry Page and Sergey Brin while they were PhD students at Stanford University.
Prabhkiran Singh is the Director and Co-founder at Bewakoof, one of India’s largest casualwear and lifestyle brands. The company keeps a regular check on trendy fashion products and offers their customers an affordable price for the products. Its net worth has increased by 7.39%. The estimated annual revenue of Bewakoof in 2020 was INR 200 Crores.The net worth of Bewakoof is estimated at INR 100 Crores.
In this StartupTalky article, we will explore Prabhkiran Singh’s success story, including his early life, history, net worth, childhood, personal life, education, investments, achievements, and more.
Prabhkiran wanted to become a cricketer and play for India. He did not think he could do a 9-5 job which is why he started working or planning on his entrepreneurial journey from his college days. Prabhkiran started his first business venture in his college days with a lassi cafe, known as khadke gLASSI, before co-founding Bewakoof.com in the year 2012. He currently resides in Mumbai, Maharashtra, India.
Prabhkiran Singh – Education
Prabhkiran Singh’s educational resume shows that he studied Bachelor of Technology degree in Civil Engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Bombay from 2007-2011.
Prabhkiran Singh – Professional Life
Prabhkiran was an internship trainee for two months at Delhi Metro Rail Corporation Ltd. He kept a check on the maintenance and Quality Audits of newly built Metro Civil Structures.
He founded “khadke gLASSI” which ran for eight months from February 2010 to September 2010. The company produced a chain of lassi outlets selling fresh and flavored lassi, via take-away joints, opened with the vision to tap the “latent” lassi market of India. The Times of India and the National News Channel News 24 featured the venture and appreciated the innovative business model.
At the age of 23, he founded his online fashion and lifestyle venture, Bewakoof in 2012. Under his supervision, Bewakoof has grown by leaps and bounds. He has been actively growing the business since its formation.
Prabhkiran Singh – Founder of Bewakoof
Prabhkiran Singh is the Director and Co-founder at Bewakoof. He founded Bewakoof Brands Private Limited in April 2012, headquartered in Mumbai, Maharashtra, India with his friend and Co-founder, Siddharth Munot.
The business model of Bewakoof is backed by strong innovation in Technology and Supply Chain with an aim to make fashion affordable and accessible to the youngsters of India. The site receives half a million visitors per month, mostly transmitted from their own social media channels.
Bewakoof is the biggest D2C online brand in India and the company aims to be the most loved and respected brand among youngsters. The four days of Mind to Market in Printed Products made Bewakoof the fastest supply chain in the segment. Now it literally sells 1 lakh products per month and ships to more than 19000 pin codes.
Prabhkiran has been working on it since his IIT Mumbai days and discussed the do’s and don’ts with his hostel friends. He aimed to balance high-quality products with the price of a product, to make it affordable for all. He strongly believed in team spirit and ethics and worked with his employees as brand partners.
Bewakoof is one of the fastest-growing online-only fashion and lifestyle brands in India. It captivates with its casual, impactful, and stylish approach. The brand is a symbol of quirky and cool fashion available to the customers at affordable prices which acquires a significant fondness among people and has a cool and funky approach across all social media platforms.
Bewakoof is specially made for youngsters and has a strong base of audiences across its social media platform. About ten Bollywood movies advertised and merchandised the e-commerce venture with over 3000+ style trends. It caters to the younger audience mostly of the 15-35 age group and has a widespread collection in men’s and women’s categories.
Bewakoof initially started with an investment of INR 30,000. The company started receiving seed funding after six months of operations. Prabhkiran also raised angel funding via Snapdeal founders, Kunal Bahl and Rohit Bansal, and Former IDFC Securities MD, Nikhil Vora.
Aditya Birla’s TMRW acquired a majority stake of 70-80% in Bewakoof by investing INR 200 crore in the company in December 2022. As of February 15, 2023, Bewakoof Brands is now a step-down subsidiary of Aditya Birla’s TMRW.
Prabhkiran Singh – Idea behind the name Bewakoof
The name Bewakoof is a Hindi word that means one who does not understand anything. Prabhkiran revealed that Bewakoof is all about adding cheerfulness, making it less boring, more fun, less serious, less worrying, and more hopeful. It signifies the light-heartedness of life, by enabling Self Expression via Products that make the shopping experience fun and affordable at the same time.
Thus we can say that a Bewakoof is someone who follows his heart. He does not act in accordance with societal constraints. The Indian young population is undoubtedly a cool generation that believes in following their hearts, thus Bewakoof eventually becomes a relatable brand.
Bewakoof Financials 2023
In FY23, Bewakoof’s revenue decreased from INR 160.2 crore to INR 147.1 crore in FY22. They reported a net loss of INR 30.1 crore in 2022 and INR 12.7 crore, due to total expenses remaining high at INR 241.8 crore in 2023. Key costs included materials, employee benefits, and advertising.
Prabhkiran Singh – Bewakoof Movie Merchandising
Movie merchandising is an area of importance for the company. Prabhkiran Singh, Bewakoof owner, efficiently worked with merchandise partners forBollywood movies like, ‘Gunday’, ‘Bewakoofiyan’, ‘Gangs of Wasseypur’, ‘Boss’ and ‘Sholay’.
He asserted that Bewakoof is Bollywood’s favorite brand and the first point of contact for merchandising all major production houses. It has already partnered with Yash Raj Films (YRF), Red Chillies, Eros, T-Series, Viacom18, Excel Entertainment, and Zee TV for their movies as their exclusive merchandising partners.
He further got the license to merchandise globally popular entities like Disney, Marvel, DC, Archie, Garfield, SpongeBob, and more.
Prabhkiran Singh also founded a website, Utter Bewakoof which displayed a stream of viral-worthy articles. The articles are based on providing funky, engaging youth-oriented contemporary content. The website has become a reading hub with the latest slice and spice of trending stories happening around the world.
FAQs
Who is Bewakoof founder?
The 2 Bewakoof founders are Prabhkiran Singh and Siddharth Munot.
Who is Bewakoof CEO?
Prabhkiran Singh is the founder and CEO of Bewakoof.com.
Is Bewakoof an Indian brand?
Yes. Bewakoof is headquartered in Mumbai, India.
What is Prabhkiran Singh, owner of Bewakoof net worth?
The net worth of Prabhkiran Singh is unknown but the Net Worth of Bewakoof is well beyond INR 100 Crores.
What is Prabhkiran Singh age?
Prabhkiran Singh was born in 1990. He is 34 years old.
Who is Prabhkiran Singh’s wife?
Jaya Singh is the wife of Prabhkiran Singh.
What is Prabhkiran Singh education?
Prabhkiran Singh studied Bachelor of Technology degree in Civil Engineering fromthe Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Bombay.
Who is Bewakoof brand owner?
Bewakoof was acquired by Aditya Birla’s TMRW for INR 200 crore.
Kabeer Biswas is among some entrepreneurs in India who, with his friends, made the delivery of daily essentials quick and easy for us. Kabeer Biswas founded the delivery startup Dunzo in January 2015, headquartered in Bengaluru, Karnataka, India. Kabeer serves as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) at Dunzo. Kabeer is the Co-founder of Dunzo along with three of its Co-founders, including Ankur Agarwal, Dalvir Suri, and Mukund Jha. They are broadening the service of quick commerce startups in top cities across India. According to the latest reports as of January 2025, Kabeer Biswas is preparing to step down from his role at Dunzo.
Know all about the personal and professional life of Kabeer Biswas, his education, success story, net worth, Dunzo’s net worth & more in the post ahead!
Kabeer was born in 1984. His father died while Kabeer was only 19 years old. His father left considerable wealth for him, which allowed him to experiment with various ideas and take risks without thinking of choosing a safe route. His mother knew the business left behind by his father. Hence, she was secure with Kabeer, not worrying about his mother’s well-being. Thus, Kabeer himself asserted that this is the reason he has no dependents and can formidably experiment on the ideas he took an interest in.
Kabeer Biswas – Education
Kabeer pursued a Bachelor of Electronics in Computers from the University of Mumbai (2000-2004). He later did a Master in Business Administration (MBA) from SVKM’s Narsee Monjee Institute of Management Studies (NMIMS).
Kabeer Biswas – Professional Life
Bharti Airtel Limited
Kabeer started his professional career as soon as he completed his MBA in 2007. He joined Bharti Airtel Limited in 2007 as a Rural NPD. After two years, he was promoted to the Social, Communities, and Location Based Services. He thus spent about three and half years working in this company, from June 2007 to October 2010.
Videocon Telecommunications Limited
He later worked for Videocon Telecommunications Limited in the New Product Development area. He worked there for almost three months, from October 2010 to December 2010.
Y2CF Digital Media Private Limited
Kabeer then worked for Y2CF Digital Media Private Limited in the Product area. He worked there for three years, from January 2011 to December 2013. He founded a company called Hoppr, which was acquired by Hike in 2014.
Kabeer Biswas, Ankur Agarwal, Dalvir Suri and Mukund Jha | Dunzo Founders
Kabeer started his local delivery set-up Dunzo from a small WhatsApp group. It eventually gained popularity and transformed into a hyperlocal mobile application service.
He believed that in the space of delivery and logistics, if all systems do not work on tech-based business, then at least customers who need such service should be served well. This thinking should be approached by companies, and they must think of gaining not only customers but valuable customers.
Thus, Kabeer thought of establishing a business that would help people who formerly needed delivery services. Dunzo renders its delivery services in top cities:
Kabeer, the Dunzo founder, started off with the hyperlocal delivery service Dunzo in 2015. It began delivering its services in some of Bengaluru’s most opulent areas like Indiranagar, Koramangala, and the central business district, aiming at making life easier for its users, abiding by the time-consuming tasks.
Dunzo provides its delivery services in packages, pick up and drop, online restaurant discovery, ordering online food, grocery, medicine, laundry, local couriers, and Bike taxis as well. The company receives ten lakh orders monthly.
Dunzo eventually became the first Indian tech company to receive funding from Google in 2017. Dunzo started providing a platform to local businesses. The company has also started food delivery services in direct competition with Swiggy and Zomato. It has become a favorite brand among Bengaluru’s digital-savvy and time-strapped elite. At one point, Biswas’s net worth was estimated to exceed INR 6,000 crore.
The Dunzo Journey
Kabeer Biswas – Funding Raised via Dunzo
Dunzo has raised a total funding of $700 Million till January 2022. Reliance Retail has funded $240 million in January 2022 with Vikas Poddar and five other investors.
Dunzo received its first round of funding from Blume Ventures Aspada Ventures, escorted by other investors such as the MD of Google India- Rajan Anandan and Sandipan Chattopadhyay, worth $650k in March 2016.
In December 2017, the existing ventures and investors provided investments to Dunzo in another round of funding. This was Google’s first direct investment in a startup in India.
In August 2019, Dunzo raised a funding of Rs. 34.56 crores by issuing debentures and Series C1 preference shares to one of the existing investors, Alteria Capital. Dunzo has raised around $498 Mn across multiple funding rounds till date.
Kabeer, the founder of Dunzo, declared last year that he and his company will be focusing on the local businesses that are offline. He is trying hard to make the local economy a lot more efficient. For example, once a local grocer’s shop was declining and about to shut down, then Dunzo, under the leadership of Kabeer, signed it up as one of its delivery merchants. The shop is now gaining profits more than ever, in several past years.
Kabeer has specifically designed Dunzo to use the data of its core delivery areas to make life easier for its users. It is through this service that they got to know that the well-to-do users were frequently searching for some specific foodstuffs, which led them to open a food delivery service as well. At that time, no one knew what his customers needed, neither the user nor the retailer.
Kabeer Biswas – Stepping Down from Dunzo
Kabeer Biswas is planning to step down, as reported by Moneycontrol on 2nd January 2025. He may soon join Flipkart Minutes as head of operations. The 10-year-old company has faced difficulties in the last few years and now operates in fewer areas. Biswas is the last co-founder to leave, following the earlier exits of Dalvir Suri, Mukund Jha, and Ankur Agarwal.
Conclusion
Kabeer Biswas’s main aim was to make a living by saving people’s time. Dunzo, a hyperlocal delivery startup lets users transfer or deliver their desired product or parcel from one corner of the city to the other corner with just a click.
Dunzo can change the way you move things and how you shop and lets you access your city like never before. An app that connects you to the nearest delivery partner who can make purchases pick up items from any store or restaurant in the city, and bring them to you.
FAQs
Who is Dunzo CEO?
Kabeer Biswas is the Co-Founder & CEO at Dunzo. But he is set to quit from his position and join Flipkart Minutes.
What is Kabeer Biswas education?
Kabeer pursued a Bachelor of Electronics in Computers at the University of Mumbai and later obtained an MBA from SVKM’s Narsee Monjee Institute of Management Studies.
Is Dunzo funded by Google?
Dunzo has raised $40 million in Series E funding from Google and existing investors, including Lightbox, Evolvence, Hana Financial Investment, LGT Lightstone Aspada, and Alteria Capital in January 2021. Earlier in September 2020, Dunzo received $ 28 million from Google, Lighrock, and other investors.
Why did Google invest in Dunzo?
Dunzo is reimagining how e-commerce and delivery could be done in India, thereby posing a challenge to Amazon and Walmart-owned Flipkart, as well as local food and grocery delivery startups such as Swiggy, Zomato, BigBasket, and Grofers.
Who is Dunzo owner?
Dunzo was founded by Kabeer Biswas, along with Co-founders Ankur Agarwal, Dalvir Suri, and Mukund Jha, in 2014.
What is the valuation of Dunzo?
Dunzo has a net worth of $744 Million as of 2023.
What is Kabeer Biswas age?
Dunzo founder, Kabeer Biswas was born in 1984. He is 40 years old.
Who are Dunzo founders?
Kabeer Biswas, Ankur Agarwal, Dalvir Suri and Mukund Jha are the founders of Dunzo.
The social media segment continues to develop at an exponential rate with mind-boggling advancements being announced every other day. The first decade of the 21st century saw the emergence of Facebook, Twitter, Hike, and Snap Inc.
While everyone was busy with Facebook and Twitter, Instagram—a photo and video sharing application—was establishing a league of its own. The credit for Instagram’s existence goes to Kevin Systrom.
Kevin Systrom is the founder and former CEO of Instagram. Instagram is a photo and video sharing social media application. He is known as the reason behind Instagram’s success. Instagram gained 800 million monthly users in 2017 under his leadership.
Kevin Systrom was born on December 30 1983 in Holliston, Massachusetts. He developed a love for computers during his days at school. Kevin began creating programs for fun and usually pranked his friends by hacking their AOL Instant Messenger accounts. AOL was a popular instant messaging platform in the 1990s.
Kevin as a school going kid wanted to become a Disc Jockey, and used to pester Boston Beat—an old-school, vinyl-record store—by writing them emails and expressing his willingness to work for them. After a few weeks of hustling, he was given a part-time job for a few hours each week.
Kevin Systrom – Education
Kevin applied to Stanford University to pursue undergrad studies. At that time, Stanford University was well known for its deep ties with Silicon Valley. He initially enrolled in the Computer Science department, but later jumped to the Management Science and Engineering Program.
Kevin’s inclination for subjects with more practical coursework was the reason behind this shift. He was one of the twelve students who were selected to participate in the prestigious Mayfield Fellows Program at Stanford University.
Kevin Systrom – Career
Odeo
Mayfield Fellows Program paved way for a four-month internship at Odeo Inc in June 2005. Odeo Inc was a platform that gave its users an easy way to record and share podcasts.
Odeo Website
Kevin worked as a Technical and Business intern and also contributed to the creation of the Odeo Widget. Kevin’s work ethic and brilliance compelled Mark Zuckerberg to offer him a job, but Kevin declined as he was still an undergraduate.
Kevin Systrom with Mark Zuckerberg
Google
After completing his graduation, he went on to work with Google in 2006. He began as an Associate Product Marketing Manager and worked on Gmail, Google Calendar, Docs, and many other offerings. He soon shifted to the Corporate Development Team.
NextStop
The desire to work in the social media space prompted him to join a startup named Nextstop. NextStop was a social travel recommendation platform. He was hired as a product manager. This company was created by former Google employees. By virtue of Nextstop, he was able to devote time to coding and creating app-style programs.
While working at Nextstop, he realized his future lay in entrepreneurship. As a photography fanatic, he wanted to create a platform for users to share their pictures and videos. Kevin began working on the idea.
Kevin Systrom – How He Built Instagram From Scratch with Mike Krieger?
Kevin wanted to combine the ideas of Foursquare and Flickr. The result was a location-based photography sharing platform. He named it Burbn. To spread the idea amongst his acquaintances, he presented his work to Baseline Venture and Andreessen Horowitz in 2010. Thereafter, he decided to quit his job and solely focus on the development of his newly created prototype.
The Burbn concept was approved and appreciated by both Baseline Venture and Andreessen Horowitz; within two weeks, he received 500,000 USD for seed funding. He hired Mike Krieger as the cofounder of his company. Mike Krieger was so impressed by the prototype that he left his own startup.
Kevin Systrom and Mike Krieger
Kevin Systrom and Mike Krieger successfully created Burbn from HTML 5 check-in service. This product allowed users to make plans, post pictures, and hang out with friends.
Burbn App
While he was chilling out at the beach with his fiancée (now Wife) Nicole Schuetz, she told him that she would never use his app for its lack of filters. This conversation with Nicole inspired him to launch filters in Burbn.
Kevin Systrom with his wife Nicole Schuetz
The app was remodelled extensively. This app was available for iPhone 4 users. The reason was iPhone’s popularity and the high-quality camera with Holga-inspired lenses. These features ensured high-quality pictures. The co-founders started to work on further developments. After eight weeks, they launched Instagram on 6th October 2010.
After the launch, Kevin tweeted about a new member of the social media circuit. This was followed by press coverage and within two hours, the servers came down because they received too much traffic.
To keep Instagram afloat, they worked all night and later improved their server system by providing adequate backup and failover mechanisms. Within the first 24 hours, about 25,000 people had signed up for Instagram.
The first photo on Instagram was posted by the founder Kevin Systrom himself on July 16, 2010. The post has 292k Likes and 70.9k comments as of March 2022.
Kevin Systrom First Photo on Instagram
Instagram had about 7 million users within nine months. Some of the most popular celebrities on Instagram today are Kylie Jenner, Selena Gomez, Kim Kardashian, Justin Beiber, Jenifer Lopez, Rihanna and Beyonce.
Kevin Systrom – Facebook Instagram Acquisition
A lot of users had stopped using Facebook, and Mark Zuckerberg proposed Kevin for the unification of both apps. Much to his surprise, Kevin received offers from Jack Dorsey and Ali Rowghani. They wanted to buy Instagram for around 500 million USD. Besides this offer, Kevin was offered support from Sequoia Capital.
Initially, Kevin wanted to maintain Instagram as an individual entity. But after an offer of 1 Billion USD from Facebook, Kevin allowed Facebook to acquire Instagram in 2012. The deal was made on the terms that Instagram would function as an independent company.
In the following years, Instagram had over 300 million active users per month which increased to 400 million users in 2015. Instagram is also well known for introducing Boomerang, an app where users can shoot a one-second burst of five photos.
In 2018, Kevin Systrom, founder & CEO of Instagram and Mike Krieger co-founder & CTO of Instagram announced that they are stepping down. Adam Mosseri is the current CEO of Instagram, he took charge after Kevin and Mike left the company. The net worth of Kevin Systrom is $1.7 billion as of 2022.
Conclusion
With a valuation of over $100 billion, Instagram is one of the most valuable companies in the world. Kevin’s idea to change the concept of photo sharing became a trendsetter. A successful entrepreneur indeed!
Quite often you would come across motivational and awe-inspiring posts about how Jack Ma dealt with his struggles. Jack Ma Yun, the well-known Chinese business magnate, investor, and philanthropist, is popular not only with entrepreneurs, industrialists, billionaires, and business professionals but with many other individuals as well, students or otherwise.
Jack Ma’s net worth is $26 billion. Ma was once hailed as the richest man in China and currently features in the top 10 list of China’s richest men, with the richest man currently in China being Zhong Shanshan. Besides, Jack Ma was also listed second in the “Word’s 50 Greatest Leaders” by Fortune in 2017.
Starting his career as an English teacher, he co-founded one of the largest e-commerce websites that are in existence today, Alibaba, and is also counted amongst entrepreneurs with mind-boggling rags-to-riches backstories.
Did you know that Jack Ma, the owner of this multi-billion dollar online retail portal was rejected by Harvard university 10 times?
“I applied for Harvard, for 10 times, rejected,” Jack said. Therefore, he was not unknown to rejections and disappointments that plagued his journey to stardom. Nevertheless, the man wasn’t one to cave in so easily. While Jack wasn’t a hardcore techie himself, he did an amazing job in taking Alibaba to where it stands today.
Here’s the Jack Ma success story for you, if you are curious to learn about Jack Ma, how he founded Alibaba, and his journey!
Jack Ma wasn’t born into old money, he is a self-made billionaire. He had a modest childhood and grew up while communist China was transitioning into a superpower. Jack’s parents weren’t earning enough to consider themselves middle-class. It was Richard Nixon’s visit to China in 1972 that changed Jack’s childhood. President Richard Milhous Nixon’s trip to Jack’s hometown saw tremendous growth in tourism, converting Hangzhou into a tourist mecca. As a kid, Jack wanted to learn English and he used to provide tour guide services to foreigners for free. He used this as a medium to improve his English. Subsequently, Jack became an English teacher.
After graduating with a bachelor’s degree in English, he worked as a teacher at Hangzhou Dianzi University on a salary of 12 USD per month.
Jack Ma Story
Rejections and Jack Ma went hand in hand. After failing in his primary school exams multiple times, and failing his middle school exams thrice, those around him labelled him a failure. He was rejected every time he applied to Harvard University. He had ten rejections by Harvard University!
Disastrous results continued even after graduation. Multiple job rejections graced his journey; during the recruitment by KFC, he was the only one among 24 applicants not to be selected.
His initial ventures saw similar results, they plummeted. But, the stumbling didn’t deter him; he was adman to make a mark in the e-commerce segment.
Startup Ideation
Jack Ma visited the United States for a project on building of highways. His stay in the United States was an exposure to the world of computers. The people in China weren’t that exposed to the technology sector and hence, the usage of computers amongst Chinese was almost negligible. Services like e-mail and the internet weren’t a common occurrence.
When Jack used the search engine Mosaic, the first word he searched was beer. The search results quickly flashed on the screen. But when he searched for China, there were no search results. This infuriated Jack Ma, and he took the onus of bringing China on the internet radar.
Jack Ma’s Alibaba Conceived
Jack Ma’s Alibaba
After approaching his friends, seventeen agreed to join him for an e-commerce startup, and named it “Alibaba”. The company was created in his apartment. Alibaba was struggling to survive initially as it did not receive a single penny in investment. The investments of 20 Million USD form SoftBank and 5 million USD from Goldman Sachs in 1999 saved Alibaba from falling apart.
The biggest challenge for Alibaba was to gain the trust of the Chinese which it succeeded at in the end. Jack Ma motivated his team In times of difficulty by telling them they were a young team still learning. A leader was about to change the face of e-commerce.
Once Alibaba was in the picture, it faced stiff competition from eBay in China. To defeat eBay, Yahoo came to assistance. The company invested 1 billion USD in Alibaba. In exchange for the investment, Yahoo gained a 40% stake in the company. This was fruitful for both the companies as Alibaba became a household name in China and Yahoo gained 10 billion USD through Alibaba’s IPO.
Jack Ma stepped down as the CEO of Alibaba in 2013. However, he continued as the executive chairman. The company created history as its 150 billion IPO was the largest offering of a US-listed company in the New York stock exchange’s history. By virtue of this IPO, Jack became the richest man in China.
Apart from serving people and bringing revolution through Alibaba, Jack supports environmentalism. He is a member of the global board of The Nature Conservancy. Jack has also funded a 27,000-acre nature reserve in China.
The Alibaba group conducts various annual talent shows in order to engage with their customers. Jack is known to be a natural entertainer. During one such event, he performed wearing a punk costume in front the audience.
A Lesson to Learn from Jack Ma
Coming across challenges, stumbling forward and then rising up sums up Jack Ma’s journey. To many, he is the ideal entrepreneur. Alibaba has given a face to many small and medium sized businesses across the globe. The world shall remember Jack Ma as a visionary who gave it the behemoth, Alibaba.
Rankings In Various Lists
Jack Ma is ranked 1 in the China Rich List, 2019.
He is ranked 21 in the Billionaires List, 2019.
He is ranked 7 in the Richest In Tech, 2017.
He stands in the 21st position in the Most Powerful People List, 2018.
Jack Ma Yun is a Chinese business magnate, investor and philanthropist. He is the founder of the E-commerce giant Alibaba and is a stakeholder at Alipay, its sister company, which is an e-payment portal.
Being an only person like a one-man army for your startup is very tough. It also possesses a huge risk if the person is starting a startup and thinking to do it alone. But finding the perfect co-founder for a startup is one of the most difficult tasks as it can make or break the future of your company. Still, the question is how to choose a co-founder who is not only committed but also shares your vision and passion for the company. So, here are a few websites, ways, and tips on how to find a co-founder for your startup.
The big entrepreneurs always suggest that for a startup founder, it is important to have a co-founder in order to bear the loss and share profits and other responsibilities of the company. A co-founder needs to be good at everything that you are not. So let’s get some insight on how you can find your co-founder for startup.
Some Websites to Find Perfect Co-Founder for Startups:
1. CoFounderLab
CoFounderLab
CofoundersLab platform mainly emphasizes on a variety of resources for business partnerships starting with team building, certification courses designed to help grow businesses and funding. They have their meet up events in 45+ cities. They provide a community of 400,000 entrepreneurs to validate the ideas of the startup founder and make it move forward. It helps in finding the perfect partner for a business.
CollabFinder is one of the best co-founder websites. It is a platform to build projects and relationships with people like you. Post a project idea with the help of which, people can help you in preparing and building a quality product or service with just one click, or you can browse and ask other members which you like to suggest some ideas for your project. So far, people have used CollabFinder to build everything from funded startups to weekend side projects and everything in between.
3. Founder2be
This company has partnered with leading incubators, accelerators, and universities which can help you to find the perfect co-founder for your startup. Founder2be connects designers, hackers, hustlers having shared interests and complementary skills matching with your profile. Co-founder discovers each other online, meet up in person and then start amazing startups together. The sign-up is easy and free. Then, one can find the perfect co-founder for their startup. It is a community of 95,000 + co-founders, to find and choose from.
It is a one-click referral hiring solution that help companies, hiring managers and recruiters. One can find the most talented candidates within their team’s professional and social networks. Hachi is built on top of a constantly growing huge network of 60 million professionals from over 200,000 organizations, with 52 billion relationships. Hachi searches not only your employees’ direct connections but also their friends on all major professional and social networks.
5. MEETUP.COM
Meetup- Community of Co-Founders.
It is the world’s largest and well-known network of local groups. There are more than 9,000 groups get together in local communities each day. Each one with the goal of improving themselves or their communities. Its mission is to revitalize local community and help people around the world self-organize. Meetup believes that people can change their personal world, or the whole world, by organizing themselves into groups that are powerful enough to make a difference.
6. Younoodle
Younoodle- Co-Founder engagement website.
It is a technology engine that powers the global startup revolution. They make it happen by connecting corporations with disruptive startups through the Corporate Startup Innovation program on the platform. They have managed to run about 550+ innovation programs on their platforms, over the last 5 years.
They work with corporations, universities, accelerators, governments as well as on the other platform. Some use the judging platform to accept, screen and evaluate applicants for competitions or accelerators. And some others, they tap into the global network of talent to do brand or technology engagement and also help governments and policymakers on implementing entrepreneurship programs.
Ideaswatch- Growing your business with a Co-Founder.
Ideaswatch is all about sharing ideas for new products or services that one would love to use if they can be executed. On the websites, they can discuss startup ideas with entrepreneurial minds from all over the world and start a business together. People can get in touch with other people passionate about the same idea and can start a business together.
Sharing ideas can be very productive because it will encourage young entrepreneurial minds to start something new and productive in nature. It also, motivate others to share their ideas too, so others can also get inspired.
8. Code Army
Code Army- Empowering your business with a Co-Founder
Code Army is a startup which provides services to other digital startups. If one has an idea for a tech business, then Code Army is the best place which can guide you on how to set it successfully. At, the website, the workers consult, guide and teach others how to manage a tech business.
Code Army is one of the best platforms which provides a learning and mentoring program to guide non-tech entrepreneurs, the way of dealing with their IT project. They use a large group of skilled and experienced professionals, coming from all around the world: businessmen, marketers, CTOs, designer, and more, all characterized by a common drive, the dream of starting a startup.
9. Founders Nation
FoundersNation- Build the foundation of your business with a Co-Founder.
It is a platform for entrepreneurs and founders, built to connect dreamers that wish to make the world a better place through innovation and technology. It provides a variety of ranging founders to choose as a co-founder.
10. Linkedin
Linkedin- Connecting your business with the Perfect Co-Founder.
The most common and the popular, of all. Linkedin is the source of finding co-founders, employees, and everything, required for a business. It connects the world’s professionals to make them more productive and successful. With more than 450 million members worldwide, including executives from every Fortune 500 company, LinkedIn is the world’s largest professional network on the Internet.
Now some ways to find a co-founder are:-1- Use the existing network, you have and look for people who are as enthusiasts like you and will understand your vision.2- As mentioned above, look for these co-founder finding websites to find the perfect co-founder, one wants. Here, one can have options and can choose from a lot of capable co-founders, one wants.
The 3-Job boards may be the most underrated place to find co-founders but it still can e used to find the co-founder required for the startup. One can write the perfect requirements including the description of the company, the job responsibilities and requirements for being the co-founder of the startup.
Finding the ideal co-founder can be a difficult process to find but once found, one can be very successful in the business. Comment below how you found your perfect co-founder or the tips you followed to find the ideal co-founder, for your startups.
FAQs
How to choose a co founder for startup?
When you’re choosing a co–founder, you want to make sure that there are some similarities between you two. You want to make sure that your co–founder is willing to put in the same amount of work that you do, work similar hours, and communicate in a similar style.
How to find co founders on LinkedIn?
You can also search for a co–founder on LinkedIn by typing in the role you’re looking to fill within the search bar. Here’s the process: Find the dropdown button on the left criteria pane labelled “People.” “All” may be selected by default.
How to find a co founder for your startup?
Try to find some bloggers in your niche and spread your story through their articles. List yourself on co–founder platforms and ask people to read your story before contacting you. Meet a lot of people in startup events like Startup Weekend, In50Hours, Saturday ventures, and TechSparks.
Spare yourself a minute or two and make a note of the mobile applications you consistently use. There’s a high chance of WhatsApp being one of them. Want to text someone? WhatsApp. Want to do a video call? WhatsApp. Eager to share the latest joke? WhatsApp. The one stop solution for messaging, voice calls, video calls, and whatnot, WhatsApp is now an indispensable part of our life. WhatsApp is in a league of its own, racing past competition. By 2011, approximately one billion messages were being sent per day on the app.
Indians are the most active users in WhatsApp according to country wise survey; they are 10% of the total users worldwide. By 2013, WhatsApp had 200 million active users and according to a recently concluded survey, WhatsApp has over 1.5 billion monthly active users. WhatsApp was co-founded by Brian Acton and Jan Koum. It was then acquired by Facebook in 2014 for a whopping $19 billion. Presently, Acton is associated with the Signal Foundation. According to Forbes (2020), BrianActon is the 836th-richest person in the world, with a net worth of $2.5billion.
Brian Acton – Biography
Name
Brian Acton
Born
February 17, 1972 – Michigan
Age
48 (2020)
Nationality
American
Education
Stanford University (BS), Lake Howell High School
Known for
Co-founded WhatsApp with Jan Koum in 2009, Co-founded Signal Foundation with Moxie Marlinspike in 2018, Founder Sunlight Giving
Brian Acton is the co-founder of WhatsApp, a freeware platform to send messages and files. He is a computer programmer and an internet entrepreneur. Brian is currently is the executive chairman of the Signal Foundation, a company wants to secure global communication across the world. Brian is a former employee of Yahoo! and was rejected by Facebook for employment.
Brian Acton – Journey
Brian Acton – Journey
Brian Acton – Education
A child prodigy, Brian was brought up in Central Florida and studied at Lake Howell High School. Even after receiving a full scholarship to pursue studies at the University of Pennsylvania, he chose Stanford University. He has a degree in Computer Science from Stanford University, 1994.
Brian was a system administrator at Rockwell International, before switching to the tech giant, Apple Inc. and Adobe where he was a product tester. He was also associated with Yahoo! as its 44th employee. He worked for over nine years at Yahoo! and unfortunately, lost millions when he had invested in the dotcom boom. The dotcom bubble was a period of excessive speculation in the United States where there was a massive growth of the internet world; it lasted over a decade. After a loss in investments, Brain and Jan took a year off and went to the neighboring continent of South America. Post this vacation, Brian and Jan applied at Facebook, but both were rejected.
Brian Acton as Founder of WhatsApp
The Facebook rejection was disappointing but not enough to deter Brian. When Jan Koum brought an iPhone in the year 2009, Brian recognized the endless opportunities the App Store had. The duo along with Alex Fishman pondered over an app of theirs. Brian Acton along with Jan Koum announced the coming of WhatsApp by setting up its headquarters in California on the 24thof February, 2009.
Brian sold WhatsApp to the social media giant Facebook in 2014 at a valuation of $22 billion. Life’s a full circle in the end, the company that rejected Brian ended up buying his own venture!
Whatsapp Logo
Brian Acton – Net Worth and Influence
Brian’s net worth is $2.5 billion (As per Forbes 2020). He is ranked 551st by Forbes. By owning a 20% stake in WhatsApp, he was one of the most influential people in the company. He was later offered jobs at companies like Twitter and Facebook, which he turned down. He even left WhatsApp due to a dispute with Facebook regarding the monetization of WhatsApp, voluntarily parting away with $850 million in unvested options.
With success comes great power, and with great power comes great responsibility. A venerated entrepreneur ought to serve the society. This attribute is deeply entrenched in all the successful entrepreneurs we’ve seen till date. Brian lays great emphasis on philanthropy.
In 2014, Brian and his wife Tegan Acton started the Sunlight Giving. This organization provides basic services to the children in the range of 0-4 years who belong to families with low income. After leaving WhatsApp in 2017, he started another foundation named the Signal Foundation in 2018.
Even after multiple setbacks, Brain didn’t back down. He learned from his mistakes, not repeating them again.
“You never know what’s coming up, just don’t forget to try harder the next day”, advocates Brian.
The fact that Facebook rejected Brian but ended up buying his startup is inspiring. Brian and Koum focused on user satisfaction, denying advertisements on WhatsApp. The Facebook-WhatsApp partnership wasn’t one Brian wished for due to conflict in opinions (Facebook is known for advertisements and the duo of Brian and Koum never supported ads on WhatsApp). A man true to his words, Brian has always placed his consumers over publicity and money. A luminary, Brian Acton has left an indelible mark on the digital space.
Yash Gupta
