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2024-04-15 09:24:23

Zhang Yiming

Chinese internet entrepreneur
Chinese internet entrepreneur
Zhang Yiming, born in 1983, founded ByteDance in 2012. He created Toutiao and Douyin (TikTok). With a net worth of $40.2 billion in March 2024, he is the second-richest person in China. Zhang stepped down as ByteDance CEO in November 2021.
1983-04-01
Zhang Yiming's Birth
Zhang Yiming was born on April 1, 1983, in Longyan, Fujian, China. He showed an early interest in technology and computers.
1984-01-01
Birth of Zhang Yiming
Zhang Yiming, the Chinese tech magnate and founder of ByteDance, was born on January 1, 1984, marking the beginning of his journey towards becoming a prominent figure in the technology industry.
2005
Zhang Yiming graduates from Nankai University with a degree in software engineering
In 2005, Zhang Yiming graduated from Nankai University in Tianjin with a degree in software engineering.
2006
Zhang Yiming works as the first engineer at Kuxun and later becomes technical director
In 2006, Zhang Yiming started working as the first engineer at the travel website Kuxun and eventually rose to the position of technical director.
2007-12
Zhang's Sales Experience
In 2007, Zhang gained valuable sales skills while working as an engineer, which he later utilized to grow his company, ByteDance.
2008
Zhang Yiming joins Microsoft but leaves due to corporate restrictions
In 2008, Zhang Yiming joined Microsoft but later left due to corporate restrictions.
2009
Founding 99fang.com
In 2009, Zhang started his first business, a property search site called 99fang.com, which sparked his drive for entrepreneurship.
2011
Launch of Toutiao News Platform
Zhang Yiming introduced Toutiao, a news platform powered by artificial intelligence, as his first step towards creating innovative platforms separate from Baidu.
2012
Founding of Beijing ByteDance Technology Co.
Zhang Yiming founded Beijing ByteDance Technology Co., which owns popular apps like TikTok and Toutiao. The company is valued at $75 billion and has around 1 billion monthly users globally.
2013
Forbes' China 30 Under 30 List
Zhang Yiming was listed in Forbes' China 30 Under 30 list in 2013.
2014
Expansion into Video Business by ByteDance
In 2014, Zhang Yiming directed ByteDance into the video business by developing products like Douyin and Xigua Video. These platforms became highly popular with over 600 million daily users on Douyin and Xigua Video being a major platform for mid-to-long videos.
2015-09
Launch of TikTok by ByteDance
In September 2015, ByteDance introduced its video-sharing app TikTok, initially known as Douyin in China. The app gained popularity among Gen Z and millennials, eventually becoming a global sensation.
2016
ByteDance acquires Musical.ly
A year after the launch of TikTok, ByteDance purchased the Chinese social media platform Musical.ly for US$800 million and merged it with TikTok, further expanding its user base and features.
2017
Acquisition of Musical.ly
Zhang Yiming's company, ByteDance, acquired Musical.ly in 2017.
2018
Becoming World's Most Valuable Startup
In late 2018, ByteDance, founded by Zhang Yiming, became the world's most valuable startup.
2019
Time Magazine's 100 Most Influential People
Zhang Yiming was recognized in Time magazine's 100 Most Influential People list in 2019.
2020-09
United States Department of Justice calls Zhang Yiming a 'mouthpiece' of the Chinese Communist Party
In September 2020, the United States Department of Justice referred to Zhang Yiming as a 'mouthpiece' of the Chinese Communist Party in a legal filing.
2021-11-03
The Success Story Of Zhang Yiming, Founder Of Tiktok
An article detailing the journey and achievements of Zhang Yiming, the founder of TikTok, discussing his success and impact on the social media and technology industry.
2021-11-04
Zhang Yiming steps down as CEO of ByteDance
On November 4, 2021, Zhang Yiming announced his resignation as the CEO of ByteDance, completing a leadership handover that was previously announced in May 2021.
2023-05
Former employee accuses Zhang Yiming of facilitating bribes
In May 2023, The New York Times reported that a former employee accused Zhang Yiming in a lawsuit of facilitating bribes to Lu Wei.
End of the Timeline
Zhang Yiming

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Zhang Yiming

Chinese internet entrepreneur
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