On September 25, 2018, Instagram’s co-founders Kevin Systrom and Mike Krieger announced their departure from the company to pursue new creative ventures.
Systrom and Krieger, who launched the photo-sharing platform over eight years ago, stated their intent to “explore our curiosity and creativity.” Instagram, acquired by Facebook in 2012 for $1 billion, now boasts over a billion users. Reports indicate that the co-founders may have had disagreements with Facebook’s strategies to monetise the app.
In a blog post, CEO Systrom elaborated, “Building new things requires that we step back, understand what inspires us and match that with what the world needs; that’s what we plan to do,” adding that they remain “excited for the future of Instagram and Facebook.” He further expressed gratitude to the community, saying, “Over 8 years ago, Kevin and I started Instagram, hoping to build something that would bring out people’s creativity and spirit for exploration. Now it’s time for the next chapter. A huge thank you to everyone in the community who we’ve met along the way.”
Mike Krieger reiterated this sentiment on social media, emphasising their readiness for the next phase. Meanwhile, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg praised the pair’s contributions, stating that their combined creative talents were a significant asset. He remarked, “I’ve learned a lot working with them for the past six years and have really enjoyed it. I’m looking forward to seeing what they build next.”
Systrom and Krieger’s original vision centred on simplicity, which they believed was compromised with the integration of advertisements and the unsuccessful launch of IGTV, a feature allowing users to share longer videos. This divergence from the original vision may have contributed to their decision to leave.
The departure of Systrom and Krieger marks the end of an era for Instagram, but it also opens a new chapter for the co-founders as they seek to embark on fresh innovative projects.