Meta Platforms, Inc. operates as the parent company of Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, and Threads. Mark Zuckerberg founded the original Facebook platform in 2004 from his Harvard University dormitory.
The company serves over 3.9 billion monthly active users across its family of apps. Meta generates revenue primarily through advertising on its social media platforms.
Headquartered in Menlo Park, California, Meta trades publicly on NASDAQ under the ticker symbol META. The company rebranded from Facebook, Inc. in October 2021.
About Meta
Sector
Technology
Industry
Social Media & Technology
CEO
Mark Zuckerberg
Website
meta.com
Headquarters
Menlo Park, CA
Founded
February 4, 2004
Status
Public (NASDAQ: META)
Meta Founders
Mark Zuckerberg
Co-founder & CEO
Eduardo Saverin
Co-founder
Andrew McCollum
Co-founder
Dustin Moskovitz
Co-founder
Chris Hughes
Co-founder
Meta History
February 2004
Mark Zuckerberg launches "TheFacebook" from his Harvard dorm room for college students.
May 2012
Facebook completes its IPO on NASDAQ, raising $16 billion in the largest tech offering at that time.
April 2012
Facebook acquires Instagram for $1 billion, adding the photo-sharing platform to its portfolio.
February 2014
Facebook purchases WhatsApp for $19 billion, the largest acquisition of a venture-backed company in history.
October 2021
Facebook, Inc. rebrands to Meta Platforms, Inc., signaling a shift toward building the metaverse.
FAQs
Who owns Meta?
Mark Zuckerberg owns the controlling stake in Meta through Class B shares. Institutional investors including Vanguard and BlackRock hold substantial positions. The company trades publicly on NASDAQ.
When did Meta come out?
Meta launched as Facebook on February 4, 2004. The company rebranded to Meta Platforms, Inc. on October 28, 2021. Zuckerberg announced the name change at the company's Connect conference.
Is Meta an American company?
Who made Meta logo?
Meta's infinity-loop logo was created in collaboration with design agencies working with Meta's internal team. The blue infinity symbol represents interconnected experiences. The design debuted during the October 2021 rebrand announcement.