Jack Patrick Dorsey born November 19, 1976 is an American entrepreneur, philanthropist, and programmer. He is best known as the co-founder and former CEO of Twitter, Inc., serving as CEO from 2015 until 2021. Additionally, he is the co-founder, principal executive officer, and chairman of Block, Inc. (formerly Square), the company behind the Square financial services platform. As of October 2023, Forbes estimated his net worth at $3.1 billion.
Jack Dorsey Biography 2024
Before founding Twitter, Dorsey moved to California and, in 2000, started a company in Oakland focused on dispatching couriers, taxis, and emergency services via the web. At the same time, he explored other ideas, including networks of medical devices and a “frictionless service market.” In July 2000, inspired by platforms like LiveJournal and AOL Instant Messenger, Dorsey came up with the idea for a web-based, real-time status and messaging service. His concept was to allow users to share short status messages easily among their friends. After meeting Biz Stone at Odeo, a company focused on text messaging, Dorsey and Stone collaborated to create a prototype for Twitter, which they built in just two weeks. The concept quickly gained traction, attracting users and investment from Evan Williams, a co-founder of Odeo, who would later help fund and grow Twitter.
Jack Dorsey Biography Details
| Born | Jack Patrick Dorsey November 19, 1976 (age 48) St. Louis, Missouri, U.S. |
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| Occupations | - Programmer
- Internet entrepreneur
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| Known for | Co-founding Twitter, Inc. and Block, Inc. |
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| Board member of | - Block, Inc.Berggruen Institute’s Governance Center[2]
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Jack Dorsey Early Life
Dorsey was born and raised in St. Louis, Missouri. His father, Tim Dorsey, worked for a company that developed mass spectrometers, while his mother, Marcia (née Smith) Dorsey, was a homemaker. Jack is of partial Italian descent on his mother’s side. Raised in a Catholic household, he also has an uncle who is a Catholic priest in Cincinnati. He attended Bishop DuBourg High School and, in his youth, worked occasionally as a fashion model. By age 14, Dorsey had developed an interest in dispatch routing, which would later influence his career. Dorsey initially enrolled at the University of Missouri–Rolla in 1995 before transferring to New York University in 1997. However, he dropped out two years later, just one semester short of graduation. It was during his time at NYU that he conceived the idea for Twitter.
Jack Dorsey Career Overview
Career Milestones | Details |
Co-Founder of Twitter | Dorsey co-founded Twitter in 2006, revolutionizing social media communication. |
CEO of Twitter | He served as the CEO from 2015 until 2021, helping steer the company through its growth. |
Co-Founder of Square | In 2009, Dorsey co-founded Square to simplify mobile payments. |
CEO of Square | Dorsey remains the CEO of Block, Inc. (formerly Square), which expanded into broader financial services. |
Jack Dorsey Early Life
Key Points | Facts |
Birthplace | St. Louis, Missouri, USA |
Parent Information | Father: Tim Dorsey, Mother: Marcia Dorsey |
Cultural Heritage | Of partial Italian descent on his mother’s side |
Education | Attended University of Missouri-Rolla and NYU |
Early Interests | Dispatch routing and programming |
Work with Twitter
Major Events | Years |
Twitter’s Founding | Co-founded in 2006, based on real-time status updates. |
CEO Leadership | Dorsey served as CEO from 2015 to 2021, focusing on innovation and revenue growth. |
Role After CEO | Continued as Chairman of the Board after Williams became CEO in 2008. |
Impact on Social Media | Transformed communication with the introduction of the 140-character limit. |
Jack Dorsey Role in Block
Company Milestones | Facts |
Square Launch | Co-founded Square in 2009 to revolutionize mobile payments. |
IPO Filing | Square filed for an IPO in 2015, growing rapidly since its inception. |
Financial Services | Launched Square Financial Services, further diversifying the company’s reach. |
Remote Work Initiative | In 2020, announced that Square employees would become permanent remote workers. |
Public Image and Leadership Style
Key Aspects | Details |
Leadership Principles | Focused on simplicity, constraint, and craftsmanship in building Twitter. |
Public Engagement | Actively engaged with the public and world leaders, including State Department delegations. |
Reputation as CEO | Dorsey’s leadership was often critiqued, particularly regarding his part-time role in Twitter. |
Dorsey Involvement with Bitcoin
Bitcoin Advocacy | Points |
Bitcoin Supporter | Dorsey has been an advocate for Bitcoin, regularly speaking at Bitcoin events. |
Blockchain Interests | His company Block focuses on blockchain technology and cryptocurrency. |
Dorsey Philanthropic Efforts
Notable Donations | Details |
Start Small Fund | Dorsey moved $1 billion to fund COVID-19 relief and universal basic income programs. |
#TeamTrees Donation | Donated $350,000 to the nonprofit initiative to plant 20 million trees. |
Support for Anti-Racism | Donated $10 million to Boston University’s Center for Antiracist Research. |
Dorsey Personal Life
Personal Insights | Years |
Hobbies and Practices | Dorsey practices meditation and completed a Vipassanā course in 2017. |
Residence | In 2012, moved to the Sea Cliff neighborhood of San Francisco. |
Dorsey Political Involvement
Political Engagement | Details |
Support for Candidates | Donated to the campaigns of Andrew Yang and Tulsi Gabbard in 2019. |
Political Donations | Contributed $15 million to support guaranteed basic income programs in the U.S. |
Dorsey Work with Bluesky
Project Involvement | Facts |
Bluesky Support | Dorsey joined Bluesky’s board of directors to help develop a decentralized social network. |
Departure from Bluesky | Left the company in 2024 due to shifts in its corporate structure. |
Dorsey Role in Twitter’s Content Policies
Policy Changes | Details |
World Leader Exceptions | Applied exceptions for certain world leaders, including Donald Trump. |
Political Ad Ban | Announced a ban on political advertising on Twitter in 2019. |
Dorsey Impact on the Industry Tech
Industry Influence | View |
Social Media Innovation | Revolutionized communication with the creation of Twitter. |
Payment Processing | Innovated mobile payments with Square, allowing small businesses to accept card payments easily. |
Net Worth and Financial Standing
Financial Milestones | Details |
Net Worth (2023) | Estimated at $3.1 billion according to Forbes. |
Square’s Valuation | Square’s valuation reached $3.2 billion by 2012. |
Dorsey Leadership During Twitter’s Growth
Twitter Developments | Details |
User Growth Strategies | Focused on uptime improvements over monetization. |
Leadership Challenges | Faced criticism for his part-time commitment and Twitter’s growth stagnation. |
Dorsey Relationship with Elon Musk
Musk’s Involvement | Facts |
Twitter Sale | Dorsey retained his 2.4% stake when Twitter was sold to Elon Musk in 2022. |
Public Support | Dorsey supported Musk’s acquisition, referring to X (formerly Twitter) as “freedom technology.” |
Jack Dorsey Net Worth
Jack Dorsey estimated his net worth to be $3.1 billion.
Jack Dorsey Summary
Jack Dorsey has played a transformative role in both the social media and payment processing industries. His co-founding of Twitter and Square has revolutionized communication and small business transactions. Through his leadership, he has driven innovation, particularly with Square’s mobile payment solutions and Twitter’s real-time messaging platform. Despite facing controversies and challenges throughout his career, Dorsey remains a prominent figure in tech. His philanthropic efforts and support for decentralized technologies, including Bitcoin and Bluesky, further solidify his influence on the tech world.
