How did the co-founders finance the startup of YouTube?

The co-founders of YouTube financed the startup primarily through **initial seed funding** and **personal investments**. Here's a brief overview of how they managed to get the platform off the ground:

1. **Personal Savings and Contributions**: The co-founders, Chad Hurley, Steve Chen, and Jawed Karim, initially used their own savings and contributions from their previous employment at PayPal to fund the early development of YouTube.

2. **Seed Funding**: In November 2005, shortly after launching the site, YouTube received its first round of external funding. **Sequoia Capital**, a prominent venture capital firm, invested approximately $3.5 million in the startup. This funding was crucial for expanding the infrastructure, scaling the platform, and covering operational costs.

3. **Additional Venture Capital**: As YouTube's popularity grew, it attracted further investment. By mid-2006, Sequoia Capital invested an additional $8 million to support the company's rapid growth and prepare for its acquisition by Google later that year.

These funding sources allowed YouTube to develop its platform, manage the growing demand, and ultimately position itself as a leading player in the online video market.