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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
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| WhatsApp: The new billionaires behind it | WhatsApp: The new billionaires behind it |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Until 24 hours ago, WhatsApp founder Jan Koum and his business partner Brian Acton were relatively unknown outside Silicon Valley tech circles. | Until 24 hours ago, WhatsApp founder Jan Koum and his business partner Brian Acton were relatively unknown outside Silicon Valley tech circles. |
| Now they are being discussed worldwide as California's latest billionaires. | Now they are being discussed worldwide as California's latest billionaires. |
| The internet is alive with the news that Mr Koum, 37, and Mr Acton, 42, have sold WhatsApp to Facebook for $19bn (£11.4bn). | The internet is alive with the news that Mr Koum, 37, and Mr Acton, 42, have sold WhatsApp to Facebook for $19bn (£11.4bn). |
| In fact, before founding WhatsApp, both men were actually turned down for jobs at Facebook. | In fact, before founding WhatsApp, both men were actually turned down for jobs at Facebook. |
| This is an irony that has not been lost on internet commentators in light of the huge amount the social networking giant is laying out for WhatsApp. | This is an irony that has not been lost on internet commentators in light of the huge amount the social networking giant is laying out for WhatsApp. |
| So what do we know about the men behind WhatsApp? | So what do we know about the men behind WhatsApp? |
| 'Appreciate communication' | 'Appreciate communication' |
| Ukrainian Mr Koum emigrated to the US at the age of 16 with his mother, to escape "the political and anti-Semitic environment", according to Forbes. | Ukrainian Mr Koum emigrated to the US at the age of 16 with his mother, to escape "the political and anti-Semitic environment", according to Forbes. |
| His childhood in the Ukraine was a seminal influence on the creation of WhatsApp, according to investor Jim Goetz. The service, with its emphasis on messaging privacy, was influenced by "growing up in a communist country with a secret police", Mr Goetz said in a blog post. | His childhood in the Ukraine was a seminal influence on the creation of WhatsApp, according to investor Jim Goetz. The service, with its emphasis on messaging privacy, was influenced by "growing up in a communist country with a secret police", Mr Goetz said in a blog post. |
| "Jan's childhood made him appreciate communication that was not bugged or taped," Mr Goetz wrote. | "Jan's childhood made him appreciate communication that was not bugged or taped," Mr Goetz wrote. |
| When he arrived in the US, Mr Koum and his mother lived on food stamps, Mr Goetz added. | When he arrived in the US, Mr Koum and his mother lived on food stamps, Mr Goetz added. |
| Mr Koum has been shaped by his experiences, and appears to remain true to his roots, reportedly signing the Facebook deal that is set to make him a billionaire on the door of his old benefits office. | Mr Koum has been shaped by his experiences, and appears to remain true to his roots, reportedly signing the Facebook deal that is set to make him a billionaire on the door of his old benefits office. |
| No ads | No ads |
| Mr Koum met Mr Acton in 1997, and the two became friends while they were both working at Yahoo. | |
| Mr Acton's background was somewhat different from Mr Koum's - his adoptive father had attempted a career in golf, and his mother ran an air-freight business, according to Wired UK. | |
| By 2007, both men had become disillusioned with their employer, and had developed an intense antipathy to advertising, a central plank of Yahoo's business model. | By 2007, both men had become disillusioned with their employer, and had developed an intense antipathy to advertising, a central plank of Yahoo's business model. |
| "No-one wakes up excited to see more advertising, no-one goes to sleep thinking about the ads they'll see tomorrow," Mr Koum said in a 2012 blog post. | "No-one wakes up excited to see more advertising, no-one goes to sleep thinking about the ads they'll see tomorrow," Mr Koum said in a 2012 blog post. |
| They left Yahoo to unwind and follow other opportunities, leading to Mr Koum setting up WhatsApp in 2009. | They left Yahoo to unwind and follow other opportunities, leading to Mr Koum setting up WhatsApp in 2009. |
| Mr Acton joined the company in November of that year after a failed job hunt, which included rejections from both Twitter and Facebook. | Mr Acton joined the company in November of that year after a failed job hunt, which included rejections from both Twitter and Facebook. |
| But the California-based software engineer took the knockback from Twitter with good humour, tweeting: "Got denied by Twitter HQ. That's ok. Would have been a long commute." | But the California-based software engineer took the knockback from Twitter with good humour, tweeting: "Got denied by Twitter HQ. That's ok. Would have been a long commute." |
| And when he also failed to get a job with Facebook, he took took it graciously, tweeting: "Facebook turned me down. It was a great opportunity to connect with some fantastic people. Looking forward to life's next adventure." | And when he also failed to get a job with Facebook, he took took it graciously, tweeting: "Facebook turned me down. It was a great opportunity to connect with some fantastic people. Looking forward to life's next adventure." |
| Silicon Valley maverick | Silicon Valley maverick |
| Despite WhatsApp's emphasis on social messaging, Mr Koum has been opposed to much of what makes Silicon Valley tick. | Despite WhatsApp's emphasis on social messaging, Mr Koum has been opposed to much of what makes Silicon Valley tick. |
| Rather than embracing self-promotion, marketing, an advertising-funded business model and an eye for a fast buck, Mr Koum has gone in the opposite direction. | Rather than embracing self-promotion, marketing, an advertising-funded business model and an eye for a fast buck, Mr Koum has gone in the opposite direction. |
| "Next person to call me an entrepreneur is getting punched in the face by my bodyguard. Seriously," he tweeted in May 2012.. | "Next person to call me an entrepreneur is getting punched in the face by my bodyguard. Seriously," he tweeted in May 2012.. |
| "People starting companies for a quick sale are a disgrace to the valley," he said in a later tweet. | "People starting companies for a quick sale are a disgrace to the valley," he said in a later tweet. |
| Some might say that just five years after starting, 450 million users and 50 employees later, the deal with Facebook would constitute a "quick sale". | Some might say that just five years after starting, 450 million users and 50 employees later, the deal with Facebook would constitute a "quick sale". |
| Just don't call Mr Koum an entrepreneur. | Just don't call Mr Koum an entrepreneur. |