WhatsApp co-founder Brian Acton is leaving the firm after 8 years to start a new journey in the non-profit world.
In February 2014, WhatsApp sold to Facebook at a record $19 billion with $4 billion in cash and $12 billion in Facebook shares and $3 billion in restricted shares. The two said the deal was due to a shared mission to bring more connectivity and utility to the world by delivering core internet services efficiently and affordably.
Acton founded WhatsApp with Jan Koum, who is now the CEO of the Facebook-owned service.
“After 8 years at WhatsApp, I have decided to move on and start a new chapter in my life,” Acton wrote on Facebook. “I am very fortunate at my age to have the flexibility to take new risks and focus on what I’m passionate about. I’ve decided to start a non-profit focused at the intersection of nonprofit, technology and communications. It’s something I’ve thought about for a while, and now it’s time to just focus and execute. I’ll have more to share in the coming months.”
The name of the non-profit is yet to be revealed but Acton says it will be at the intersection of nonprofit, technology and communications and it’s something he has thought about for a while, and now it’s time to just focus and execute. He says he will share more in the coming months.
