What were the backgrounds of Instagram's founders before starting the company?

Before founding Instagram, Kevin Systrom and Mike Krieger had diverse backgrounds that contributed to their success in creating the app. Here's a detailed look at their backgrounds:

### **Kevin Systrom**

1. **Education**:
   - **Stanford University**: Kevin Systrom graduated from Stanford University with a degree in Management Science and Engineering. His education provided him with a strong foundation in both technical and business aspects, which was crucial for launching and growing a tech startup.

2. **Professional Experience**:
   - **Odeo**: Before starting Instagram, Systrom worked at Odeo, a podcasting company co-founded by Evan Williams (later a co-founder of Twitter). Odeo was an early-stage startup, and Systrom's role there exposed him to the startup culture and technology development.
   - **Google**: He also interned at Google, where he worked on various projects related to product management and engineering. His experience at Google provided him with valuable insights into technology and product development.

3. **Photography Interest**:
   - **Personal Passion**: Systrom had a personal interest in photography, which played a significant role in shaping Instagram's focus on visual content. His passion for photography and design influenced the development of Instagram's photo filters and user interface.

### **Mike Krieger**

1. **Education**:
   - **Stanford University**: Mike Krieger also graduated from Stanford University, where he earned a degree in Symbolic Systems. This field combines computer science, linguistics, and cognitive psychology, providing a multidisciplinary approach that was valuable for building user-centric products.

2. **Professional Experience**:
   - **Krieger's Startup Experience**: Before Instagram, Krieger worked on various projects and startups. Notably, he was involved in a social search company called **Meebo**, which was acquired by Google in 2012. His experience with Meebo and other tech projects helped him develop skills in product design and user experience.
   - **Engineering and Design**: Krieger's background in engineering and design complemented Systrom's business and technical skills, making them a strong team for developing a user-friendly and innovative app.

### **Collaboration and Skills**
- **Complementary Skills**: The combination of Systrom's business acumen and Krieger's engineering and design expertise created a well-rounded team. Their complementary skills helped them create an app that was not only technically sound but also visually appealing and user-friendly.

Together, Systrom and Krieger leveraged their backgrounds and experiences to build Instagram into a successful and influential social media platform. Their combined expertise in technology, design, and business was critical to the app's early success and rapid growth.