Snapchat is a popular social media app that allows users to send photo and video messages that disappear after being viewed. The app was originally created in 2011 by Stanford University students Evan Spiegel, Bobby Murphy, and Reggie Brown. While Snapchat started off small, it has grown into one of the world’s most used social platforms with over 100 million daily active users as of 2016.
The Founding of Snapchat
Snapchat was founded in 2011 by Evan Spiegel, Bobby Murphy, and Reggie Brown, who were students at Stanford University at the time. The original idea for Snapchat centered around creating an app that would allow people to send photo messages that disappeared shortly after being viewed, therefore promoting more natural conversations.
Evan Spiegel began working on the prototype for Snapchat, originally called Picaboo, in the spring of 2011 as a product design class project at Stanford. Spiegel then partnered with fellow Stanford students Bobby Murphy, who became the lead developer, and Reggie Brown. The team continued working on the app concept over the next several months and officially launched the iOS version of Snapchat in July 2011.
Snapchat’s Headquarters
Snapchat is headquartered in Venice, California. After launching the app in 2011, the company was initially run out of co-founder Evan Spiegel’s father’s house in Los Angeles. As Snapchat started growing, the team moved into a small beachfront office space in Venice.
In November 2013, Snapchat set up its official headquarters at 63 Market Street in Venice. This remained the company’s main office location even through its rapid growth over the next few years. While Snapchat has expanded internationally and opened additional offices in locations like New York and London, its global headquarters remains in Venice.
Some key facts about Snapchat’s Venice headquarters:
- Location: 63 Market Street, Venice, CA 90291
- Opened in November 2013
- Encompasses approximately 70,000 square feet spread across 2 buildings
- Located near Venice Beach and the famous Venice Boardwalk
- Features an open floor plan with removable walls and desks on wheels
- Includes a large cafeteria, gym, wellness room, and outdoor spaces for employees
Snapchat’s Venice HQ reflects the laidback beach lifestyle that’s iconic to Southern California. The indoor spaces are designed to be flexible and easily reconfigured as the company evolves. Outdoor courtyards, green spaces, and rooftop decks provide natural light and allow employees to take breaks and collaboratively brainstorm in a relaxed environment.
Snapchat’s Growth and Expansion
After the initial launch in 2011, Snapchat quickly took off in popularity. By 2012, the app was processing over 25 photos per second and daily active users had grown into the millions. Seeing the app’s potential for connecting people through visual stories, Evan Spiegel decided to move Snapchat’s headquarters from his dad’s house to a small office on Market Street in Venice.
| Year | Daily Active Users | Milestones |
|---|---|---|
| 2011 | 127 (September 2011) | Snapchat initial launch |
| 2012 | 25 million (December 2012) | Moved to Venice HQ |
| 2013 | 50 million | Introduced Snapchat Stories |
| 2014 | 100 million | Raised $485 million in funding |
| 2015 | 100 million (May 2015) | Launched Discover feature |
As shown in the table above, Snapchat experienced tremendous growth from its early days in 2011 to over 100 million daily active users by 2015. The company raised significant venture capital during this period, allowing it to quickly scale its operations. Major product developments like Stories and Discover further boosted Snapchat’s popularity through the mid 2010s.
International and U.S. Office Expansion
While Snapchat expanded its Venice headquarters to accommodate more employees, the company also opened additional offices globally to support its international growth. Some of Snapchat’s other main office locations include:
- New York City, New York – East Coast hub focused on ad sales and marketing
- London, UK – Services Europe, Middle East, and Africa regions
- Paris, France – European center of engineering and product design
- Berlin, Germany – European operations office
- Dubai, UAE – Operations center for Middle East and North African markets
- Mumbai, India – Asian engineering hub to support Android development
- Sydney, Australia – Services Australia and New Zealand users
- Toronto, Canada – Canadian sales, marketing, and engineering office
In addition to the international offices above, Snapchat has added smaller regional offices across the U.S. These include locations in Seattle, Washington; San Francisco, California; Dallas, Texas, Detroit, Michigan; Atlanta, Georgia; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; and Boston, Massachusetts.
The company has also built out its presence in Los Angeles beyond Venice. Its Santa Monica office focuses on advertising technology, while the Playa Vista location hosts the hardware engineering and Spectacles teams.
Conclusion
Snapchat’s global headquarters remains at its original home in Venice, California. This beachfront office space reflects the relaxed, creative culture that the company embodies. While Snapchat has expanded significantly across the U.S. and internationally over the past decade, Venice is still considered its main hub. The company continues to innovate and connect people across the world through ephemeral messaging from its roots along the California coast.