Kevin Systrom

Kevin Systrom is an American entrepreneur and computer programmer best known as the co-founder and former chief executive officer of the social media platform Instagram. He developed the initial prototype of the app, focusing on photo sharing and distinctive filters, alongside co-founder Mike Krieger. Under his leadership, the company grew rapidly before its landmark acquisition by Facebook, Inc. in 2012 for approximately $1 billion in cash and stock. Following his departure from the company in 2018, he has been active in venture capital and startup investing.

Early life and education

He was born in Holliston, Massachusetts, and developed an early interest in computer programming and technology. While attending Middlesex School, a private preparatory school in Concord, Massachusetts, he was introduced to the concept of computer science. He later enrolled at Stanford University, where he initially studied management science and engineering. During his time at Stanford, he participated in the Mayfield Fellows Program, a prestigious work/study program for aspiring entrepreneurs, and also spent a semester abroad studying photography in Florence, Italy. He graduated in 2006 with a Bachelor of Science degree.

Career before Instagram

After graduating from Stanford, he declined a job offer from Mark Zuckerberg at the then-small startup Facebook and instead joined Google as part of the Gmail and Google Calendar product marketing teams. He later moved to the corporate development team, working on acquisitions like the travel guide service FeedBurner. Seeking a more entrepreneurial path, he left Google in 2009 to join the travel recommendation startup Nextstop, which was founded by former Google employees. It was during his nights and weekends at this time that he began teaching himself to code in Python and developed the prototype for a location-based check-in app called Burbn.

Co-founding and leadership of Instagram

Through the entrepreneurial community in San Francisco, he connected with Mike Krieger, and together they pivoted from the cluttered Burbn app to focus solely on mobile photo sharing. They launched Instagram exclusively on the iOS App Store in October 2010, featuring a suite of vintage-inspired filters and a simple social feed. The app gained one million users in its first two months, attracting the attention of prominent venture capital firms like Andreessen Horowitz and Baseline Ventures. In April 2012, just prior to a planned funding round, he and Krieger negotiated the sale of Instagram to Facebook, Inc. for $1 billion. He remained as CEO, overseeing the app's expansion to Android, the introduction of Instagram Stories, and growth to over one billion users before his departure in September 2018.

Post-Instagram ventures and investments

Following his exit from Instagram, he and his wife, Nicole Systrom, founded Sutro Energy Group, a venture focused on investing in climate change solutions. He has also become an active angel investor and venture partner, investing in numerous technology startups through entities like his own fund. His investment portfolio includes early-stage companies in sectors such as health technology, fintech, and artificial intelligence, including the medical imaging firm Artisight and the financial infrastructure company Ramp. He serves as an advisor to several organizations and continues to be a sought-after speaker on topics of entrepreneurship and product design.

Personal life and philanthropy

He married Nicole Systrom, a sustainability advocate and investor, in 2016 in Napa Valley, California. The couple resides in San Francisco and is known for their philanthropic activities, particularly in the areas of environmental conservation and scientific research. They have made significant donations to institutions like the University of California, San Francisco for neurological disease research and support various initiatives aimed at addressing climate change. An avid photographer, his personal work often features landscapes and travel, reflecting the core inspiration behind his most famous creation.

Category:American technology company founders Category:American computer programmers Category:1983 births Category:Living people