Early Life
Mark Elliot Zuckerberg was born on May 14, 1984, in White Plains, New York. He grew up in a well-educated family, which nurtured his interest in computers early on. He attended Ardsley High School, then Phillips Exeter Academy, where he excelled in computer programming.
Rise to Success
In 2004, while attending Harvard University, Zuckerberg co-founded Facebook with Eduardo Saverin, Dustin Moskovitz, Andrew McCollum, and Chris Hughes. Initially, it was a social networking site for Harvard students, but quickly expanded to other universities and eventually, the general public. Zuckerberg dropped out of Harvard to focus on the burgeoning company.
Key Business Strategies
Facebook's success is attributed to its focus on user data and targeted advertising, which fueled its rapid financial growth. Key acquisitions, like Instagram and WhatsApp, expanded Meta's influence beyond social networking into messaging and virtual reality. Zuckerberg's strategic decisions, including the rebranding to Meta to shift focus to the metaverse, have been pivotal.
Philanthropy
In 2015, Zuckerberg and his wife, Priscilla Chan, founded the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative (CZI). The CZI aims to address societal challenges by focusing on science, education, and community needs. Zuckerberg has also pledged to give away 99% of his Meta shares over his lifetime for philanthropic causes.