WhatsApp is a beloved messaging service that we have been using for the last 8 years. What most people don’t know is that it was co-founded by two people and one of them is leaving the company.
From a Facebook post, Brian Acton, WhatsApp’s co-founder informed the world that he was leaving the company. Here is the full statement.
After 8 years at WhatsApp, I have decided to move on and start a new chapter in my life.
I am very fortunate at my age to have the flexibility to take new risks and focus on what I’m passionate about. I’ve decided to start a non-profit focused at the intersection of non profit, technology and communications. It’s something I’ve thought about for a while, and now it’s time to just focus and execute. I’ll have more to share in the coming months.
This decision is, of course, a tough one. I’m proud of what our team has accomplished in only a few years, and it’s humbling to see that so many people rely on WhatsApp every day.
This is an interesting time for Brian Acton to leave WhatsApp after being in the company since its inception. Facebook bought it for $19.3 billion over 3 years ago and now has a staggering 1.3 billion active users. The company is also preparing to go to the next phase of its life which is all about it monetizing the platform.
Brian Acton had quite the year in 2009. He famously tweeted that he got denied by Twitter that year, only for him to co-found WhatsApp which has made him a billionaire since. Moving on to start a non-profit seems like an interesting venture that we are yet to see its fruits.
