David Karp (entrepreneur)
Encyclopedia
David Karp is an entrepreneur living in New York City
. He is the founder and CEO of the short-form blogging platform Tumblr
. In 2010, he was named to the MIT
Technology Review
TR35
as one of the top 35 innovators in the world under the age of 35.
of Manhattan
, the son of Barbara Ackerman and Michael Karp. He attended The Calhoun School
from 3rd to 8th grade, where his mother taught science, until high school when he briefly attended Bronx Science
before dropping out at the age of 15 and started homeschooling
. Karp began interning for animation producer Fred Seibert
at 14, and from there went on to work as a software consultant for UrbanBaby
, an online parenting forum. Karp left UrbanBaby in 2006 and began working on Tumblr later that year. The site launched early in 2007.
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. He is the founder and CEO of the short-form blogging platform Tumblr
Tumblr
Tumblr is a website and microblogging platform that allows users to post text, images, videos, links, quotes and audio to their tumblelog, a short-form blog. Users can follow other users, or choose to make their tumblelog private. The service emphasizes ease of use. The site ranks as the 10th...
. In 2010, he was named to the MIT
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
The Massachusetts Institute of Technology is a private research university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts. MIT has five schools and one college, containing a total of 32 academic departments, with a strong emphasis on scientific and technological education and research.Founded in 1861 in...
Technology Review
Technology Review
Technology Review is a magazine published by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. It was founded in 1899 as "The Technology Review", and was re-launched without the "The" in its name on April 23, 1998 under then publisher R. Bruce Journey...
TR35
TR35
The TR35 is an annual list published by MIT Technology Review magazine, naming the world's top 35 innovators under the age of 35.Some of the most famous winners of the award include Larry Page and Sergey Brin , Linus Torvalds , Jerry Yang , Jonathan Ive , Mark Zuckerberg...
as one of the top 35 innovators in the world under the age of 35.
Early life and education
Karp grew up on the Upper West SideUpper West Side
The Upper West Side is a neighborhood in the borough of Manhattan, New York City, that lies between Central Park and the Hudson River and between West 59th Street and West 125th Street...
of Manhattan
Manhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
, the son of Barbara Ackerman and Michael Karp. He attended The Calhoun School
Calhoun school
The Calhoun School is an independent, coeducational college preparatory school located in New York City's Upper West Side. Classes are offered for preschool through 12th grade...
from 3rd to 8th grade, where his mother taught science, until high school when he briefly attended Bronx Science
Bronx High School of Science
The Bronx High School of Science is a specialized New York City public high school often considered the premier science magnet school in the United States. Founded in 1938, it is now located in the Bedford Park section of the Bronx...
before dropping out at the age of 15 and started homeschooling
Homeschooling
Homeschooling or homeschool is the education of children at home, typically by parents but sometimes by tutors, rather than in other formal settings of public or private school...
. Karp began interning for animation producer Fred Seibert
Fred Seibert
Frederick "Fred" Seibert is a television and film producer and entertainment entrepreneur who owns Frederator Studios, and who has held leading positions with MTV Networks, Hanna-Barbera, and Next New Networks; he owns Frederator Studios...
at 14, and from there went on to work as a software consultant for UrbanBaby
UrbanBaby
UrbanBaby is a New York-based Internet forum devoted to anonymous discussion of urban motherhood founded in August 1999.The site had employed David Karp as a software consultant before he went on to found Tumblr using his earnings from his time at UrbanBaby. A similar site in Japan is the Yomiuri...
, an online parenting forum. Karp left UrbanBaby in 2006 and began working on Tumblr later that year. The site launched early in 2007.