Early Life
Tobias Lütke was born in Koblenz, Germany, in 1980. At a young age, he was fascinated by computers, rewriting game code and modifying hardware as a hobby. At 16, he left school and began an apprenticeship in computer programming.
Rise to Success
In 2002, Lütke moved to Canada. In 2004, frustrated with existing e-commerce solutions while trying to create an online snowboard shop, he built his own platform using Ruby on Rails with partners Daniel Weinand and Scott Lake. This platform became Shopify in 2006. Under his leadership, Shopify went public in 2015.
Key Business Strategies
Shopify's success stems from its user-friendly platform that allows businesses to create and manage online stores. The company has over 5 million customers and processed US$292.3 billion in transactions in 2024. Shopify has expanded by creating an app store for developers to sell apps and integrations.
Philanthropy
Lütke and his wife, Fiona McKean, have supported environmental causes through their Thistledown Foundation. The couple has donated to various causes, including $1 million to “Conquer COVID-19” to fight the pandemic. They also invested in a print-on-demand platform and have supported initiatives for decarbonization.