Pierre Omidyar

Date of Birth: June 21, 1967

Zodiac Sign: Cancer

Biography

Pierre Morad Omidyar is a French-born Iranian-American entrepreneur and philanthropist best known for founding eBay, the online auction website, in 1995. Omidyar was born in Paris, France, and moved to the United States at a young age. He attended Tufts University, where he graduated with a degree in computer science. Omidyar’s career began in software development, but his entrepreneurial spirit led him to create eBay, which revolutionized the way people buy and sell goods online. Under his leadership, eBay grew rapidly and became a significant player in the e-commerce industry. Beyond eBay, Omidyar is also known for his philanthropic efforts, particularly through the Omidyar Network, which focuses on social good through impact investing and philanthropy.

5 Interesting Facts about Pierre Omidyar

1. Pierre Omidyar wrote the original code for eBay over a long weekend in 1995.

2. eBay was initially called “AuctionWeb.”

3. In 1998, eBay went public and Omidyar became a billionaire at the age of 31.

4. Omidyar is an advocate for investigative journalism and owns a substantial stake in First Look Media, which publishes The Intercept.

5. He has committed substantial resources to philanthropic causes, particularly in the areas of human rights and poverty alleviation.

5 Most Interesting Quotes from Pierre Omidyar

1. “We have technology, finally, that for the first time in human history allows people to really maintain rich connections with much larger numbers of people.”

2. “The interesting thing is that in every industry, whether it’s a successful industry or not, there are entrepreneurs.”

3. “I never had it in mind that I would start a company one day and it would really be successful. I have just been motivated by working on interesting technology.”

4. “What makes eBay successful? The real value and the real power at eBay is the community. It’s the buyers and sellers coming together and forming a marketplace.”

5. “You have to really believe that your vision is going to work and you have to be willing to do whatever it takes, and you have to have the passion and the energy and the perseverance to keep going.”