Dick Costolo

Dick Costolo, a digital entrepreneur who has launched a series of highly successful ventures, is best known as the former CEO of Twitter from 2010 to 2015.

Costolo graduated in 1985 with a B.S. degree in computer and communication sciences from the University of Michigan. He co-founded the web feed management provider FeedBurner, which was later acquired by Google. After the acquisition, Costolo began working in other areas of Google, and in July 2009, he left Google. In September 2009, it was announced that he was joining Twitter as its COO. Although his 2010 takeover as CEO was initially temporary, it eventually became a permanent role, during which he led the company from generating no revenue to achieving $1.5 billion in annual revenue.

In addition to his role as CEO at Twitter, Costolo has been actively involved in various ventures post-Twitter. He has launched 01 Advisors, a venture and advisory firm aimed at supporting entrepreneurs in building successful companies. He is also a Venture Partner at 01 Advisors. Costolo has made significant contributions to the creative industry as well, notably as a consultant on HBO’s “Silicon Valley.” Furthermore, he serves on the boards of Patreon and IfOnly, leveraging his extensive experience in technology and business.

In his speeches, Costolo draws on his comprehensive background as a digital entrepreneur, business executive, and his earlier experience as an improvisational comedian. He delivers insightful speeches with powerful messages about the future of social media and the Internet. He was appointed to the National Security Telecommunications Advisory Committee by President Obama and has been recognized by TIME magazine as one of the "10 Most Influential U.S. Tech CEOs."