Jan Koum, the visionary hacker behind the WhatsApp revolution
He lost his parents at a very young age and needed public assistance after emigrating to the US. His passion for computing led him to create the most successful instant messaging application on the planet.
Jan Koum, co-founder of WhatsApp, was an Ukrainian immigrant who struggled financially in his early years in the US, relying on food stamps. He created WhatsApp in 2009 with Brian Acton, driven by a passion for technology and a desire to create a great product. The app became a huge success, and in 2014, Facebook acquired it for $22 billion, making Koum a billionaire.
Koum has emphasized the importance of privacy, citing his childhood experiences with his parents avoiding phone conversations due to fear of Soviet government surveillance. After the acquisition, Koum continued to receive shares from Facebook until 2018, without actively working for the company.
Written by urgent.news from Expansion ES's report — not a translation of it. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
