If you've ever wondered how a startup founder mulls a giant acquisition offer, read all of the texts between Instagram cofounder Kevin Systrom and one of his investors after Mark Zuckerberg first approached them
- The House Judiciary Committee has published documents relating to its tech antitrust investigation, including a copy of a conversation between Instagram cofounder and Benchmark investor Matt Cohler.
- The conversation — which took place in 2012, prior to Facebook's $1 billion acquisition of Instagram — provides a rare glimpse into the mind of a startup founder when a would-be buyer comes calling.
- You can read the full conversation below, in which Systrom wonders whether Zuckerberg will "go into destroy mode" if Instagram chose to stay independent.
The tech antitrust hearing has revealed a number of surprising pieces of information about the businesses of Amazon, Apple, Facebook, and Google. But it's also afforded a peek into the mindset of tech founders, offering a glimpse into some never-before-seen conversations.
The House Committee on the Judiciary on Wednesday published documents relating to its antitrust investigation into some of the biggest companies in tech, including a trove of emails between Zuckerberg and employees, as well as messages related to Facebook's business.
One such message exchange is between two individuals whose names are redacted, but whom the Judiciary Committee's website identifies as Instagram cofounder Kevin Systrom and Benchmark investor Matt Cohler. The conversation revealed Systrom's mindset at a time when Instagram was will an independent company.
The exchange took place in 2012, before Instagram was acquired by Facebook for $1 billion. While it's only one conversation, it provides a rare look into the mind of a startup founder as he weighs a potential acquisition, including whether Zuckerberg would "go into destroy mode" if Systrom turned down an offer.
Read the full conversation between Systrom and Cohler below:
