Instagram founders leave Facebook to explore new things

Instagram founders say they are leaving the company to explore “curiosity and creativity again”. The duo, Kevin Systrom and Mike Krieger, sold the photo and video-sharing social networking service to Facebook for a consideration of US$1 billion in cash and stock in 2012.

Kevin Systrom and Mike Krieger with staff

Systrom said they are now ready for their next chapter. “Mike and I are grateful for the last eight years at Instagram and six years with the Facebook team. We’ve grown from 13 people to over a thousand with offices around the world, all while building products used and loved by a community of over one billion. We’re now ready for our next chapter,” said Systrom.

He said they are grateful for the last eight years at Instagram and six years with the Facebook team. “We’ve grown from 13 people to over a thousand with offices around the world, all while building products used and loved by a community of over one billion. We’re now ready for our next chapter.

“We’re planning on leaving Instagram to explore our curiosity and creativity again. 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.”They said: “We remain excited for the future of Instagram and Facebook in the coming years as we transition from leaders to two users in a billion. We look forward to watching what these innovative and extraordinary companies do next.”