Facebook launched with five names on it, but one founder was diluted almost to nothing, and three classmates spent years arguing the idea was stolen from them.
Zuckerberg agreed to build their site, delayed them, and used their concept to launch a competitor first.
Facebook argued the idea of an online student directory was not unique and that it was built independently; it settled without admitting wrongdoing.
Built and launched TheFacebook and has led it since; retained control through the dilution of early partners and, later, a dual-class share structure giving him majority voting power.
Co-founder who provided the initial funding and ran early business operations. His stake was heavily diluted in a 2005 recapitalization and he was removed; a 2009 settlement restored recognition as a co-founder.
Co-founder and early technical/operations lead; Zuckerberg's roommate. Later co-founded Asana and the Good Ventures/Open Philanthropy efforts.
Co-founder and early spokesman/product voice. Left to work on the 2008 Obama campaign; in 2019 publicly called for Facebook to be broken up.
Co-founder who designed early graphics and logo elements and worked on early features.
With his brother and Divya Narendra, ran HarvardConnection (later ConnectU) and hired Zuckerberg to help build it; later alleged he stole their idea and code time to build Facebook.
Co-ran HarvardConnection/ConnectU and pursued the idea-theft claim against Zuckerberg alongside his brother and Narendra.
Co-creator of HarvardConnection/ConnectU and co-plaintiff in the idea-theft claim.
First president; helped incorporate the company in Delaware, structure control in Zuckerberg's favor, and bring in Peter Thiel. Left in 2005.
Facebook's first outside investor (~$500,000 angel) and a long-serving board member.
Accel partner who led the 2005 Series A and joined the board.
0 of 11 have put their version on the record.
In late 2003 the Winklevoss twins and Narendra hired Zuckerberg to help build HarvardConnection (later ConnectU). Zuckerberg launched TheFacebook in February 2004 while that relationship was unresolved. The parties settled in 2008 for $65M in cash and stock; courts later refused to unwind the deal.
Zuckerberg agreed to build their site, delayed them, and used their concept to launch a competitor first.
Facebook argued the idea of an online student directory was not unique and that it was built independently; it settled without admitting wrongdoing.
Unresolved: Whether the overlap was idea theft or independent creation of a common concept.
The team relocates to Palo Alto for the summer. Sean Parker becomes president, the company reincorporates in Delaware, and control is structured around Zuckerberg.
That Zuckerberg agreed to build their HarvardConnection social network, stalled them, and used the idea (and their time) to launch Facebook instead.
Facebook denied stealing the idea, arguing social directories were not novel and that Facebook was independently created; the case was resolved by a $65M settlement without an admission.
In late 2003 the Winklevoss twins and Narendra hired Zuckerberg to help build HarvardConnection (later ConnectU). Zuckerberg launched TheFacebook in February 2004 while that relationship was unresolved. The parties settled in 2008 for $65M in cash and stock; courts later refused to unwind the deal.
Zuckerberg agreed to build their site, delayed them, and used their concept to launch a competitor first.
Facebook argued the idea of an online student directory was not unique and that it was built independently; it settled without admitting wrongdoing.
Unresolved: Whether the overlap was idea theft or independent creation of a common concept.
Thiel invests about $500,000 for roughly a 10% stake and joins the board — Facebook's first outside capital.
Saverin was a co-founder who funded and ran early operations. A 2005 recapitalization sharply diluted his stake and he was removed. A 2009 settlement recognized him as a co-founder and left him with a reported ~5% stake.
The dilution was engineered to cut him out of a company he co-founded and funded.
The recapitalization is defended as normal early-stage restructuring; the settlement affirmed his co-founder status without detailing fault.
Unresolved: Whether the dilution was lawful restructuring or a deliberate freeze-out.
That he was a genuine co-founder who was wrongfully diluted and pushed out through the 2005 recapitalization.
The dispute settled in 2009 with Facebook recognizing Saverin as a co-founder and him retaining a reported ~5% stake; specific terms are confidential.
Accel Partners leads a ~$12.7M Series A at roughly a $98M valuation; Jim Breyer joins the board. 'TheFacebook' becomes 'Facebook.'
In late 2003 the Winklevoss twins and Narendra hired Zuckerberg to help build HarvardConnection (later ConnectU). Zuckerberg launched TheFacebook in February 2004 while that relationship was unresolved. The parties settled in 2008 for $65M in cash and stock; courts later refused to unwind the deal.
Zuckerberg agreed to build their site, delayed them, and used their concept to launch a competitor first.
Facebook argued the idea of an online student directory was not unique and that it was built independently; it settled without admitting wrongdoing.
Unresolved: Whether the overlap was idea theft or independent creation of a common concept.
Saverin was a co-founder who funded and ran early operations. A 2005 recapitalization sharply diluted his stake and he was removed. A 2009 settlement recognized him as a co-founder and left him with a reported ~5% stake.
The dilution was engineered to cut him out of a company he co-founded and funded.
The recapitalization is defended as normal early-stage restructuring; the settlement affirmed his co-founder status without detailing fault.
Unresolved: Whether the dilution was lawful restructuring or a deliberate freeze-out.
The film dramatizes both disputes (drawing on Ben Mezrich's book, for which Saverin was a source), fixing a particular version of Facebook's founding in popular memory.
Facebook's IPO values the company at over $100 billion. Days earlier, Saverin renounces his U.S. citizenship, drawing scrutiny.
The company rebrands as Meta Platforms, signaling a pivot to the 'metaverse' — a reframing of corporate identity 17 years after the founding.
Chairman & CEO with majority voting control; renamed the company Meta in 2021.
Diluted in 2005, recognized as co-founder in 2009; billionaire investor based in Singapore.
Left in 2008; co-founded Asana and major philanthropy.
Left in 2007; later called for Facebook to be broken up.
Left in the late 2000s; later CEO of Philo.