Early Life
Mark Elliot Zuckerberg was born on May 14, 1984, in White Plains, New York. He grew up in Dobbs Ferry, New York, with his three sisters. His father, Edward Zuckerberg, ran a dental practice, and his mother, Karen Zuckerberg, was a psychiatrist. From a young age, Zuckerberg displayed an interest in computers. He attended Ardsley High School and Phillips Exeter Academy, where he excelled in academics and captained the fencing team.
Rise to Success
In February 2004, while attending Harvard University, Zuckerberg, along with Eduardo Saverin, Andrew McCollum, Dustin Moskovitz, and Chris Hughes, launched TheFacebook, initially for Harvard students. The platform quickly gained popularity, expanding to other universities and eventually becoming accessible to everyone. Zuckerberg dropped out of Harvard to focus on the company. Sean Parker became company president and the company moved to Palo Alto, California. PayPal co-founder Peter Thiel gave Facebook its first investment. In 2005, the company dropped "the" from its name after purchasing the domain name Facebook.com. The company's IPO in 2012 was one of the largest in tech history.
Key Business Strategies
Zuckerberg's key business strategies include a focus on long-term innovation, as demonstrated by Meta's investments in the metaverse and AI. His leadership style emphasizes a culture of innovation and risk-taking, encouraging employees to "move fast and break things." Zuckerberg has also focused on acquisitions, including Instagram and WhatsApp, to expand the company's reach and influence.
Philanthropy
Zuckerberg and his wife, Priscilla Chan, are committed to philanthropy through the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative. They have pledged to give away the majority of their wealth to "advancing human potential and promoting equality." Their philanthropic efforts include investments in scientific research, education, and criminal justice reform.
