# Snap: Evan Spiegel

- Show: [How I Built This](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this)
- Published: 2025-04-21
- Length: 1h 06m
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2025-04-21-snap-evan-spiegel

## Summary

Evan Spiegel, co-founder and CEO of Snap, recounts the journey from a Stanford design project to building a global social media platform. He details the early development of Snapchat, the strategic decision to reject a $3 billion acquisition offer from Mark Zuckerberg, and the company's pivot toward augmented reality with Spectacles. Spiegel also discusses the challenges of early fundraising, navigating a co-founder lawsuit, and his philosophy on long-term innovation versus short-term profitability.

## Chapters

- [0:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2025-04-21-snap-evan-spiegel#t=0) Introduction: Evan Spiegel and Snap
- [4:31](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2025-04-21-snap-evan-spiegel#t=271) Stanford, FutureFreshmen, and the Birth of Snapchat
- [15:10](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2025-04-21-snap-evan-spiegel#t=910) Early Growth, Funding, and the Reggie Brown Lawsuit
- [33:20](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2025-04-21-snap-evan-spiegel#t=2000) Rejecting Facebook's $3 Billion Acquisition Offer
- [51:39](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2025-04-21-snap-evan-spiegel#t=3099) Rebranding to Snap and the Vision for Augmented Reality
- [56:26](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2025-04-21-snap-evan-spiegel#t=3386) Public Markets, Political Engagement, and Reflections on Luck

## Topics

- [Starting a product company](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/starting-a-company)
- [Fundraising & investors](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/fundraising)
- [Validation & product-market fit](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/validation-and-product-market-fit)
- [Growth, exits & acquisitions](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/growth-exits-and-acquisitions)
- [AI & machine learning](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/ai-and-machine-learning)
- [Leadership, teams & culture](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/leadership-and-culture)

## Most relevant to

early-stage companies, companies scaling up

## Mentioned

- Snap (company)
- Snapchat (product)
- Spectacles (product)
- Facebook (company)
- Instagram (product)
- Lightspeed (company)
- Benchmarks (company)
- Naviance (product)
- FutureFreshmen (product)
- Google (company)
- Meta (company)
- TikTok (company)
- American Express (company)
- Groupon (company)
- Vine (product)

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- [Ep. 23 | Arduino Co-founder Massimo Banzi on How Arduino Took the World by Storm](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/moores-lobby/2021-04-29-ep-23-arduino-co-founder-massimo-banzi-on-how-arduino-took-the-world-by-storm) (Moore's Lobby)
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## Citing this page

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