Jack Dorsey

Jack Dorsey
Name	Jack Dorsey
Caption	Dorsey in 2015
Birth name	Jack Patrick Dorsey
Birth date	19 November 1976
Birth place	St. Louis, Missouri, U.S.
Education	University of Missouri–Rolla (transferred), New York University (left)
Occupation	Technology entrepreneur, computer programmer
Known for	Co-founding Twitter, Square, and Bluesky Social
Net worth	$4.8 billion (2024 est.)

Jack Dorsey is an American technology entrepreneur and computer programmer best known as a co-founder and former chief executive of the microblogging platform Twitter and the fintech company Square. His career has been defined by a focus on simplifying complex systems, from real-time communication to digital payments, making him a prominent figure in the Silicon Valley landscape. Dorsey's later work includes founding the decentralized social media initiative Bluesky Social and advocating for cryptocurrency and bitcoin.

Early life and education

Jack Patrick Dorsey was born on November 19, 1976, in St. Louis, Missouri, and grew up in the city's Central West End. His father worked as an engineer for a company that developed mass spectrometry systems, while his mother was a homemaker. As a teenager, Dorsey developed a keen interest in urban planning and dispatch routing software, inspired by the movement of courier services and emergency vehicles across St. Louis. He attended Bishop DuBourg High School before beginning his higher education at the University of Missouri–Rolla (now Missouri University of Science and Technology), where he briefly studied computer science. Dorsey later transferred to New York University but left just short of completing his degree to pursue opportunities in the burgeoning internet industry, moving to the San Francisco Bay Area.

Career

Dorsey's early career involved freelance programming for dispatch companies, which informed his concept for a real-time status-update service. In 2006, he co-founded Odeo, a podcasting company, with Noah Glass and Evan Williams; it was within this incubator that the idea for Twitter was developed. He, along with co-founders Biz Stone and Williams, officially launched Twitter in July 2006, with Dorsey serving as its first CEO. After being ousted in 2008, he returned to lead the company again in 2015, overseeing its initial public offering on the New York Stock Exchange and significant user growth. Concurrently, in 2009, Dorsey founded Square (now Block, Inc.), a financial services and mobile payment company, serving as its CEO and chairman. He stepped down as CEO of Twitter in November 2021, shortly after which the company was acquired by Elon Musk. In 2019, he initiated the development of Bluesky Social, a decentralized social media protocol, which launched publicly in 2023.

Other ventures and investments

Beyond his primary companies, Dorsey has been an active angel investor and venture partner. He co-founded The B Team, a global initiative of business leaders, and has invested in numerous technology startups, including Instagram, Foursquare, and Medium. A prominent advocate for cryptocurrency, he has integrated bitcoin functionality into Square's Cash App and serves on the board of the Bitcoin Foundation. Dorsey also founded Start Small LLC, a limited liability company through which he directs his philanthropic and investment activities, and has shown interest in projects involving artificial intelligence and renewable energy.

Political and philanthropic activities

Dorsey's political and philanthropic efforts are often channeled through his Start Small fund. In 2020, he pledged $1 billion, approximately 28% of his wealth at the time, to fund global COVID-19 relief, universal basic income pilots, and girls' health and education initiatives. He has made significant donations to organizations like GiveDirectly and the OpenAI research lab. Politically, Dorsey has engaged with figures across the spectrum, testifying before the U.S. Congress on social media content moderation, and has supported efforts for internet freedom and digital rights, occasionally drawing scrutiny for his platform's policies during events like the January 6 U.S. Capitol attack.

Personal life

Dorsey maintains a notably minimalist and ascetic lifestyle, with practices rooted in Vipassanā meditation and a strict daily routine. He has lived in various locations, including a reported house in San Francisco, an apartment in New York City, and has expressed a desire to split his time between Africa and the United States. His personal interests include fashion, and he has been featured in publications like Vogue; he is also a licensed masseur. Dorsey follows a disciplined diet, often engaging in intermittent fasting, and has undertaken extended silent meditation retreats at centers like the Dhamma Giri in India.

Controversies and criticism

Dorsey's tenure at Twitter was marked by significant controversy, including persistent criticism over the platform's handling of misinformation, hate speech, and its role in political discourse. He faced backlash from both the Republican and Democratic parties for decisions on content moderation, such as the banning of former President Donald Trump and the labeling of tweets from politicians. His leadership style was questioned during Senate hearings, and internal company turmoil was reported. Furthermore, his advocacy for bitcoin and cryptocurrency has drawn skepticism from traditional financial analysts and regulators, while his other venture, Square, has faced scrutiny from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau over its practices.

Category:American technology entrepreneurs Category:American computer programmers Category:1976 births Category:Living people