The Tale of Burbn to Instagram
Author: Vanshika Yadav
Rewind to the March of 2010 when Kevin Systrom gave birth to his brainchild, called Burbn, the OG Instagram. Well you guessed it right! The name was definitely inspired from Systrom’s love for fine whiskeys and bourbons, and the idea grew on the roots of people’s love for location-based check-in apps. The app idea was amazing. However, Burbn was like a distant cousin to another app called foursquare. So, Kevin and Michael Krieger, the marketing guy, decided to make it different by advancing it with a feature of sharing photos!
Kevin and Michael came together when Kevin received a huge funding for growing Burbn into an application for smartphones and as per his confession in an interview, he didn’t know how to code, thus leading to partnership of Systrom and Krieger.
In 2010, both the Stanford graduates started working on a project called Burbn, a location-based app for checking in and sharing plans with friends. However, they soon realized that Burbn was too cluttered with features and needed a simpler, more focused approach. This realization led them to pivot and create what would eventually become Instagram.
On October 6, 2010, Instagram was officially launched. The app allowed users to share photos and apply various filters to enhance their images. It was an instant hit, resonating with people’s desire for quick and visually appealing content sharing. Within just two months, Instagram had a million registered users, and it continued to grow rapidly.
In April 2012, Facebook acquired Instagram for approximately $1 billion, a move that further solidified Instagram’s place in the social media landscape. Under the guidance of Systrom and Krieger, Instagram continued to evolve, introducing features like Stories, IGTV, and Shopping, making it an essential platform for businesses and individuals alike.
The founding of Instagram highlights the power of recognizing market needs, embracing simplicity, and capitalizing on emerging trends. Today, Instagram boasts over a billion monthly active users, a testament to the remarkable journey that began with a simple idea and the dedication of its founders.
This is another instance for all those people who want to make it in the Product Management domain that first we need an idea, then we need courage to build a better version of that idea. If you are interested in learning more about product management, check out the courses on Accredian.
