All of us love to hear inspirational stories, don’t we? Imagine being the first person to do something that turns out into a revolutionary one a few years down the lane! Well, I am talking about the founder of YouTube, Jawed Karim.
With a net worth exceeding 300 million USD, Jawed is a highly sought entrepreneur and investor worldwide. So, what has made this possible? How could Jawed accumulate a huge net worth? Let’s reveal the secrets below.
Who Is Jawed Karim?
Jawed Karim is popularly known as the co-founder of YouTube. However, he had a great start that led him to find a platform used by billions today.
| Name | Jawed Karim |
| Net Worth | ~ 300 million USD |
| Birth date | Oct 28, 1979 |
| Birthplace | Merseburg, Germany |
| Occupation | Entrepreneur & serial investor |
| Graduated From | The University of Illinois & Stanford University |
| YouTube Channel | Jawed |
Early Stages
Jawed Karim has a Bangladeshi ethnic origin. Born on 28th October 1979, the family settled in the United States in 1992. His mother belongs to Germany, and his father to Bangladesh. Hence, he has always demonstrated traces of both regions.
Nevertheless, his parents were scholars. His father worked as a researcher, and his mother as a professor at one of the most renowned institutions, the University of Minnesota.
Having studied at Central High School in Minnesota, he dropped out during his junior year. This was when he joined PayPal as one of the earliest employees. Was that a sign that he was going to make his aspiration big in the near future?
Maybe!
Note: Eventually, he passed out with a degree in Computer Science from the University of Illinois in 2004. He also went on to the extent of pursuing a doctorate from the University of California, San Diego.
Career Milestones
In the 1990s, when the tech industry was booming, Jawed took a huge leap in joining PayPal with other individuals, Chad Hurley and Steve Chen. In a few years of association with PayPal, the trio dropped out to kickstart their venture.
The curiosity to create a video-sharing platform began during Super Bowl XXXVIII when videos weren’t easy to glimpse. While Jawed was specific about a video-sharing system to help everyone share their views and opinions, Hurley and Chen were specific about a rating site to rate the attractiveness level of photos. As the trio listed a wide range of ideas, they recognized that YouTube had the potential to reach the masses.
This was when the journey of YouTube kickstarted. In 2005, the trio co-founded YouTube. Honestly, it started as a dating site, and it failed miserably due to a lack of ideas. Naturally, there was a shortage of funds as well. As a result, the trio decided to accept anyone and everyone to share videos (of any sort). Nevertheless, Jawed was the first to post the first video on YouTube.
One of the interesting memories associated with this moment that sounds exemplary today is the first video, “Me at the Zoo,” posted on Apr 23, 2005.
Quick Tip: This video has exceeded 227 million views as of 2023.
Although Jawed took a couple of years to continue his education at Stanford University, Steve Chen and Chad Hurley were pushing the journey of YouTube forward.
Over a decade, he has climbed the ladder faster to become a wealthy person with a huge net worth.
What Is Jawed Karim Net Worth?
By now, you would have gotten excited about Jawed Karim net worth in 2023. Let’s divide that into different income sources and then check the exact income accumulated.
1. Shares from Google
Google purchased YouTube in October 2006 for a stock value of 1.65 billion USD. Jawed was allocated 137,443 shares, accounting for 64 million USD on the allocation date. However, these have contributed to over 300 million USD of Jawed Karim’s net worth as of 2023 (assuming that no shares are sold yet).
2. Youniversity
Jawed was an enthusiastic entrepreneur who didn’t stop his aspiration with YouTube. He headed on further to launch Youniversity, a venture fund, along with two other individuals – Kevin Hartz and Keith Robis.
Taking this venture fund forward, Youniversity has been one of the early investors for Airbnb and expanded its funds to Eventbrite and Reddit. These added to Jawed Karim’s net worth further.
3. Y Ventures
In 2012, Jawed founded Y Ventures, a social platform that enables students to secure job opportunities from organizations of all sizes (especially startups). This has also acted as one of the major sources of income for Jawed.
4. Other initiatives
Jawed was an enterprising investor who never settled with one or two brands. He has always taken a step ahead in filling key gaps and kickstarting a new solution provider wherever required. As a social initiative, he also co-founded The Projahnmo Foundation to enhance the livelihoods of underprivileged children in Bangladesh.
Further, Jawed is also a board member of several firms, including Vioguard Corporation, Naimul Karim Foundation, and SocialCam. In the last decade, Jawed has spanned most industries and evolved into one of the key figures in Silicon Valley.
Inspiring Lessons From Jawed Karim
Jawed Karim wears multiple hats today. While most people are astonished by the founder of YouTube’s net worth, the reality lies in the key beliefs that made him succeed and grow further.
Some of the takeaways from his beliefs and values are:
- Never take a back step in sharing your opinion.
- Start early and be persistent about your vision.
- Learn and grow together as a team and prioritize what a user needs.
Behind the success of Jawed’s huge net worth as of 2023, his approach to early investment also lies.
Jawed Karim Net Worth – FAQs
How much money does Jawed Karim make?
Jawed Karim holds a net worth of over $300 million. The exact annual income varies significantly with a wide range of income sources. However, the net worth has only seen a surge in recent times.
How much did Jawed sell YouTube for?
At a time when Jawed worked along with Steve Chen and Chad Hurley, Google Inc. purchased YouTube for $1.65 billion in November 2006.
How old was Jawed Karim when he created YouTube?
Jawed Karim was only 25 years old when he established YouTube and posted the inaugural video titled “Me at the Zoo,” which was viewed 260 million times as of March 2023.
Is Jawed Karim still alive?
Jawed Karim is alive and is aged 43 years old as of 2023. He still actively invests in new ventures and ideas, thereby growing a massive community of entrepreneurs.
How rich is Jawed Karim?
Jawed Karim has a net worth of $310 million, and his richness can also be attributed to his perseverance, prior planning, and thirst for growth.
Wrapping Up
While Jawed’s net worth has amused people, there is no doubt that people also love him for his open thoughts and concerns to enhance user engagement.
This is a great example for every entrepreneur and influencer to insist on “user satisfaction” and “collaboration.” These are vital secrets for any business to grow.
Today, YouTube is estimated to hit a value of 170 billion USD. Perhaps, this revolutionary platform has had a humble beginning. Jawed has left behind an inspiring footprint everyone would like to experience!
