Jawed Karim is a German-American computer scientist and entrepreneur best known as a co-founder of YouTube. He uploaded the platform’s first video, Me at the zoo, in 2005. Karim also helped develop PayPal’s anti-fraud system. Despite his low profile, his contributions shaped online video sharing.
| Name | Jawed Karim |
| Age | 46 years old |
| Date of Birth | October 28, 1979 |
| Gender | Male |
| Occupation | Internet Entrepreneur, Software Engineer |
| Marital Status | Married |
| Religion | Christianity |
| Place of Birth | Merseburg, East Germany |
| Nationality | American |
| Net Worth | $350 million |
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Jawed Karim Biography
Jawed Karim is a German-American software engineer, internet entrepreneur, and co-founder of YouTube. He was born on October 28, 1979, in Merseburg, East Germany, to a Bangladeshi father and a German mother. He played a crucial role in developing YouTube and became the first person to upload a video to the platform. His video, “Me at the zoo,” was uploaded on April 23, 2005, marking the beginning of the world’s most popular video-sharing website.
Jawed Karim Educational Background
Karim attended Saint Paul Central High School in Minnesota after his family moved to the United States in 1992. He later studied computer science at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. While still a student, he left to work at PayPal but continued his coursework remotely, eventually earning his bachelor’s degree. Later, he pursued a master’s degree in computer science at Stanford University.
Jawed Karim Career
Karim’s career began with an internship at Silicon Graphics, Inc., where he worked on 3D voxel data management. He then joined PayPal, where he met his future YouTube co-founders, Steve Chen and Chad Hurley. Together, they launched YouTube in 2005. While he played a vital role in its development, Karim took a less public role in the company and opted to remain an advisor while focusing on his studies. In 2006, when Google acquired YouTube for $1.65 billion, Karim received 137,443 shares worth approximately $64 million at the time.
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YouTube
Karim was instrumental in the creation of YouTube, contributing to its early development, design, and concept. His video “Me at the zoo” remains the first-ever video uploaded to YouTube. While he took a step back from active management, he occasionally voices his opinions on the platform’s updates. He has publicly criticized YouTube’s removal of the dislike button and previous attempts to integrate Google+ into the commenting system.
Jawed Karim Investments
Beyond YouTube, Karim is an active investor in various tech startups. He co-founded Youniversity Ventures (now YVentures) in 2008 with Keith Rabois and Kevin Hartz. Through this venture, he became one of the first investors in Airbnb. His investment portfolio also includes companies like Palantir, Reddit, and Eventbrite.
Jawed Karim Awards
Karim’s contributions to YouTube have made him one of the most influential figures in the tech industry. His role in revolutionizing online video content has earned him respect and recognition in the tech world.
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Jawed Karim Age
As of 2025, Jawed Karim is 46 years old, having been born on October 28, 1979.
Jawed Karim Personal Life
Karim is known for his privacy and maintains a low public profile. Despite his immense success, he prefers to stay out of the limelight and focus on his business ventures and personal interests.
Jawed Karim Wife
Karim is married but prefers to keep his marital and family life private. He maintains a low profile, focusing on his professional work in technology and entrepreneurship instead of media appearances or personal disclosures.
Jawed Karim’s Family
Jawed Karim is the son of Naimul Karim, a Bangladeshi researcher at 3M, and Christine Karim, a German biochemist who worked at the University of Minnesota. Karim has a younger brother named Ilias Karim. The family moved from East Germany to West Germany in the early 1980s to escape xenophobia, and later relocated to Saint Paul, Minnesota, in 1992. Jawed’s upbringing in a diverse household shaped his worldview and professional pursuits.
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Jawed Karim Net Worth
Jawed Karim’s estimated net worth is around $350 million as of 2025, mainly from his YouTube shares and strategic investments in tech companies. He earned $64 million when YouTube was sold to Google in 2006. Karim has also invested in companies like Reddit, Eventbrite, and Airbnb, contributing to his substantial wealth.
Jawed Karim Social Media Handles
Karim maintains an extremely low presence on social media, though his profiles are not frequently updated.
- Instagram: @jawedkarim.official
- YouTube: jawed
- Facebook: Jawed Karim.
Jawed Karim Movies
Jawed Karim’s filmography includes two notable projects: Me at the Zoo (2005), his first video on YouTube, which remains iconic for being the first uploaded video on the platform, and The Wayback: A Real YouTube Rewind (2018), which reflects on YouTube’s history. These projects have contributed to his legacy in the digital media world, but his main influence is through his work in tech and entrepreneurship.