# Instagram: Kevin Systrom & Mike Krieger (2017)

- Show: [How I Built This](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this)
- Published: 2017-11-13
- Length: 31m
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2017-11-13-instagram-kevin-systrom-mike-krieger-2017

## Summary

Instagram co-founders Kevin Systrom and Mike Krieger recount the rapid evolution of their company from a location-based app called Burbn to a photo-sharing platform, highlighting the critical pivot driven by user behavior and the addition of filters. They discuss the chaotic early scaling challenges, including server crashes during launch, and the strategic decision to build an open social graph rather than a closed network. The episode also covers the viral growth fueled by early adopters like designers and celebrities, the eventual acquisition by Facebook for $1 billion, and a significant crisis involving a controversial terms of service update that led to user backlash.

## Chapters

- [0:54](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2017-11-13-instagram-kevin-systrom-mike-krieger-2017#t=54) Introduction: Kevin Systrom & Mike Krieger
- [2:22](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2017-11-13-instagram-kevin-systrom-mike-krieger-2017#t=142) From Burbn to Instagram: The Pivot
- [5:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2017-11-13-instagram-kevin-systrom-mike-krieger-2017#t=300) Early Funding and Co-Founder Dynamics
- [7:46](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2017-11-13-instagram-kevin-systrom-mike-krieger-2017#t=466) Developing the Filter and Launch Strategy
- [10:42](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2017-11-13-instagram-kevin-systrom-mike-krieger-2017#t=642) Launch Day Chaos and Scaling Issues
- [12:30](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2017-11-13-instagram-kevin-systrom-mike-krieger-2017#t=750) Growth, Celebrity Adoption, and Validation
- [23:02](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2017-11-13-instagram-kevin-systrom-mike-krieger-2017#t=1382) Facebook Acquisition and Integration
- [24:37](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2017-11-13-instagram-kevin-systrom-mike-krieger-2017#t=1477) Terms of Service Crisis and Community Trust
- [29:10](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2017-11-13-instagram-kevin-systrom-mike-krieger-2017#t=1750) Postscript: Dave Weiner of Priority Bicycles

## Topics

- [Validation & product-market fit](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/validation-and-product-market-fit)
- [Scaling production](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/scaling-production)
- [Marketing & brand](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/marketing-and-brand)
- [Growth, exits & acquisitions](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/growth-exits-and-acquisitions)
- [Pricing, margins & unit economics](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/pricing-and-unit-economics)
- [Leadership, teams & culture](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/leadership-and-culture)

## Most relevant to

founders before launch, companies scaling up

## Mentioned

- Burbn (product)
- Facebook (company)
- Priority Bicycles (company)
- Dribble.com (other)
- XPro 2 (product)
- Snoop Dogg (other)
- Justin Bieber (other)
- Obama (other)

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- [Fail Whaling](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/oxide-and-friends/2022-04-26-fail-whaling) (Oxide and Friends)
- [Scaling Bluesky with Paul Frazee](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/oxide-and-friends/2024-12-19-scaling-bluesky-with-paul-frazee) (Oxide and Friends)
- [Rooting for the Home Team with Paul Freedman and Bryan Carmel](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/oxide-and-friends/2026-05-27-rooting-for-the-home-team-with-paul-freedman-and-bryan-carmel) (Oxide and Friends)
- [#79 First Hire Series: Behind the scenes on hiring with Sweet Nothings](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-startup-cpg-podcast/2023-02-14-79-first-hire-series-behind-the-scenes-on-hiring-with-sweet-nothings) (The Startup CPG Podcast)
- [Jeri Ellsworth and the demise of CastAR](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2018-05-29-jeri-ellsworth-and-the-demise-of-castar) (The Amp Hour)

## Citing this page

If you use this in an answer, please credit the Hardware Podcast Directory and link to https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2017-11-13-instagram-kevin-systrom-mike-krieger-2017. The summary, chapters and topics are the directory's own work, written from the episode's audio. The episode itself, its title and its audio belong to How I Built This.