From an immigrant on foodstamps to a billionaire
For Koum, 38, the windfall would stand in stark contrast to his years as a teenager, when his family relied on food stamps after emigrating from Ukraine. The experience of living in a country where phone lines were often tapped, instilled the importance of privacy in him, said Jim Goetz, a partner with Sequoia Capital Ltd., WhatsApp’s lone venture capital investor. WhatsApp doesn’t collect information like name, gender, address or age. Instead, users are approved after their phone numbers are authenticated. “It’s a decidedly contrarian approach shaped by Jan’s experience growing up in a communist country with a secret police,” said Goetz in a blog post yesterday on Sequoia’s website. “Jan’s childhood made him appreciate communication that was not bugged or taped.” Lees het volledige artikel hier: http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-02-20/whatsapp-s-founder-goes-from-food-stamps-to-billionaire.html In verband met geldwolven die denken geld te kunnen claimen ...