Famous Quote
“Do the simple thing first.”
Why #46
Systrom built the app that defined visual social media and sold it for $1B with 13 employees. Instagram changed how billions of people share their lives and is now worth $100B+ — one of the greatest startup outcomes in history.
The Story
Kevin Systrom co-founded Instagram in 2010 and built the photo-sharing app that defined visual social media. Instagram went from zero to 1 million users in two months, hit 30 million users in 18 months, and was acquired by Facebook for $1 billion in 2012 — when it had just 13 employees. It was one of the most successful acquisitions in tech history, as Instagram is now estimated to be worth $100B+ on its own.
Systrom was a Stanford graduate who taught himself to code while working at a travel startup. He originally built a location-based app called Burbn, but noticed users cared most about the photo-sharing feature. He stripped everything else away, added filters that made amateur photos look professional, and Instagram was born. That editorial instinct — knowing what to remove, not what to add — was the key to Instagram's success.
He left Meta (Facebook) in 2018 amid reported tensions with Mark Zuckerberg over Instagram's direction and independence. Since then, Instagram has evolved into a short-video platform competing with TikTok — a direction many argue Systrom would have resisted. His original vision of beautiful, curated photo sharing changed how a generation documents and shares their lives.
Key Achievements
Co-founded Instagram (2010) — defined visual social media
Grew to 1M users in 2 months, 30M in 18 months
Sold Instagram to Facebook for $1B with just 13 employees
Instagram now worth an estimated $100B+
Invented photo filters that made amateur photos look professional
Instagram Stories (added later) now used by 500M+ daily
By the Numbers
$1B
Acquisition Price
13
Employees at Acquisition
2B+
Instagram MAU
$100B+
Estimated Current Value
Fun Facts
He taught himself to code while working at Nextstop, a travel recommendation startup.
Instagram's first photo was of a golden retriever at a taco stand in Mexico — posted by Systrom himself.
He originally built Burbn (named after his love of bourbon), then stripped it down to just photo sharing.
He studied management science and engineering at Stanford, not computer science.
He interned at Odeo, the podcasting company that eventually pivoted to become Twitter.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who are the greatest entrepreneurs of all time?
The greatest entrepreneurs include Steve Jobs (Apple), Elon Musk (Tesla/SpaceX), Jeff Bezos (Amazon), Bill Gates (Microsoft), and Mark Zuckerberg (Meta). Each built companies that fundamentally changed how the world works — from personal computing and smartphones to e-commerce, cloud computing, and social media.
What makes someone a successful entrepreneur?
Successful entrepreneurs share several traits: the ability to identify unmet needs, willingness to take calculated risks, relentless execution, and resilience in the face of failure. They combine vision with practical problem-solving and are willing to persist long after most people would quit. Capital and credentials matter far less than most people think — resourcefulness beats resources.
Can you become an entrepreneur without a business degree?
Absolutely. Many of the greatest entrepreneurs had no business education. Steve Jobs dropped out of college. Richard Branson left school at 16. Sara Blakely was selling fax machines. Henry Ford had no formal engineering training. Jack Ma was an English teacher. What matters is not the degree — it is the ability to see an opportunity, build something people want, and persist through failure.
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