Paul Buchheit

Paul Buchheit
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Name	Paul Buchheit
Birth date	1977
Birth place	Webster, New York, U.S.
Alma mater	Case Western Reserve University
Occupation	Computer programmer, entrepreneur
Known for	Creator of Gmail, developer of Google AdSense prototype, coined "Don't be evil"
Spouse	Meredith

Paul Buchheit. An American computer programmer and entrepreneur best known as the creator of the pioneering webmail service Gmail and an early developer of the advertising system that became Google AdSense. He is also credited with coining "Don't be evil", the famous corporate motto for Google. His work in the early 2000s at Google and his subsequent ventures in venture capital and startup funding have established him as a significant figure in Silicon Valley.

Early life and education

Born in 1977 in Webster, New York, he demonstrated an early aptitude for technology and programming. He pursued his higher education at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, where he earned a degree in computer science. During his time at university, he was actively involved in various programming projects, which laid a strong foundation for his future career in software development. His academic background provided the technical skills that would later prove instrumental during the formative years of Google.

Career at Google

Buchheit joined Google in 1999 as its 23rd employee, during a period when the company was transitioning from a search engine startup to a major technology firm. He initially worked on the development of Google Groups and contributed to the underlying infrastructure of the company's core search products. His most impactful early project was the creation of the prototype for Google AdSense, a contextual advertising system that would become a primary revenue source for the company and much of the World Wide Web. This work demonstrated his ability to merge innovative product ideas with robust technical execution.

Gmail and "Don't be evil"

In 2001, he began developing a new email service, driven by frustration with existing webmail offerings and a vision for a product with superior search capabilities and abundant storage. This project, launched to the public on April Fools' Day in 2004, became Gmail, revolutionizing webmail with its then-unprecedented one gigabyte of free storage and powerful integration with Google Search. Concurrently, during a meeting about corporate values, he suggested the phrase "Don't be evil" as a core tenet for Google's conduct, a maxim that would become deeply associated with the company's identity for many years. The success of Gmail and the cultural impact of the motto cemented his legacy within the history of Google.

Post-Google ventures

After leaving Google in 2006, he co-founded FriendFeed, a social media aggregation service, alongside other former Google employees like Bret Taylor. The company was acquired by Facebook in 2009, after which he worked briefly as a software engineer at the social network. He subsequently became a prominent venture capitalist and angel investor, founding the investment firm Y Combinator's Continuity Fund and later starting his own fund. He has provided early funding and guidance to numerous successful startups, including Reddit, Instacart, and Rippling, through his role as a part-time partner at Y Combinator and his independent investments.

Philanthropy and personal life

He is married to Meredith, and the couple has two children, residing in the San Francisco Bay Area. A signatory of The Giving Pledge, he has committed the majority of his wealth to philanthropic causes, focusing on areas such as poverty alleviation, biosecurity, and animal welfare. His charitable work is often conducted through donor-advised funds and direct support to organizations like the Open Philanthropy Project. He maintains a relatively low public profile, dedicating his time to family, investment activities, and strategic philanthropy aimed at long-term global improvement.

Category:American computer programmers Category:Google employees Category:American technology entrepreneurs Category:People from Webster, New York Category:Case Western Reserve University alumni Category:Angel investors Category:1977 births Category:Living people