Who is the founder of WhatsApp - briefly?
Jan Koum is the co-founder of WhatsApp. He launched the company with Brian Acton in 2009.
Who is the founder of WhatsApp - in detail?
Jan Koum, a Ukrainian-American computer programmer and entrepreneur, is the co-founder of WhatsApp, one of the world's most popular messaging platforms. Born in Kyiv, Ukraine on February 24, 1976, Koum immigrated to the United States with his mother at the age of 16 due to the economic hardships and anti-Semitism prevalent in their home country. They initially settled in Mountain View, California, where Koum's mother worked as a babysitter and he attended high school.
After graduating from Monta Vista High School in Cupertino, Koum enrolled at San Jose State University to study mathematics and computer science. However, his academic pursuits were cut short when he dropped out to focus on a job as a security tester for Ernst & Young. In 1997, Koum joined Yahoo! as an infrastructure engineer, where he met Brian Acton, who would later become his co-founder at WhatsApp.
Koum and Acton left Yahoo! in September 2007 after being rejected for a job at Facebook. They took some time off before deciding to create their own company. In January 2009, they incorporated WhatsApp Inc. in California. The name "WhatsApp" was derived from the phrase "What's up?", reflecting Koum's vision of creating a messaging application that would replace the traditional greeting text messages with a more dynamic and interactive platform.
The initial version of WhatsApp was launched on the App Store for iPhone users in November 2009. The app quickly gained traction, allowing users to send text messages over the internet using their phone numbers as identifiers rather than usernames. This innovative approach simplified communication and made WhatsApp a popular choice among smartphone users.
In February 2014, Facebook acquired WhatsApp for approximately $19 billion, making it one of the largest acquisitions in the tech industry. Following the acquisition, Koum served as a member of Facebook's board of directors until April 30, 2018, when he announced his decision to step down from his position at WhatsApp and leave Facebook.
Koum's journey from an immigrant teenager in California to the co-founder of one of the most influential technology companies is a testament to his visionary leadership and innovative spirit. His creation of WhatsApp has revolutionized the way people communicate globally, breaking down barriers and connecting individuals across different cultures and continents.