2000
Built real‑time dispatch software for local services.
Jack Dorsey: A Far‑Reaching Visionary in Modern Tech
Co‑founder of Twitter, Block (formerly Square), and Bluesky.
Welcome to the Avocadata Marketplace blog, where we dive into industry‑shaping entrepreneurs, groundbreaking technologies, and the people behind global innovation. Today, let's explore the journey of Jack Patrick Dorsey, an American business magnate whose ventures continue to disrupt tech and finance.
Forbes estimates his net worth at over $5.6 billion (December 2024), underscoring his influence in the modern tech landscape.
Roots in the Midwest
Birth and Upbringing
Jack Patrick Dorsey was born on in St. Louis, Missouri. Raised in a Catholic household, he credits his Midwestern upbringing for grounding his later ambitions.
1976
Born in St. Louis, Missouri.
Early 1990s
Attended Bishop DuBourg High School; discovered a fascination with dispatch routing.
Age 14
Built early software for taxi‑dispatch logistics—foreshadowing Twitter's realtime ethos.
Leaps into a Tech Career
In the early 2000s Dorsey founded a company in Oakland that provided real‑time dispatching for couriers and taxis. By mid‑2000, his ideas matured into a prototype for short status updates—an early seed of Twitter.
Prototype
Sketched a web‑based “status” platform after studying LiveJournal & AIM.
Vision
Explored seamless service markets and connected medical devices.
Twitter: A Micro‑Blogging Game‑Changer
Conception & Early Days
At podcast startup Odeo, Dorsey, Biz Stone, and Evan Williams transformed the “status” prototype into Twitter. Within weeks they attracted venture capital and a passionate user base.
Corporate Shifts & Growth
After stepping aside as CEO in 2008, Dorsey focused on product reliability while Twitter ballooned from a side‑project into a cultural staple.
Return to the Helm
Dorsey returned as Twitter CEO in 2015, rolling out major changes like removing photos and links from the 140‑character count and introducing algorithmic timelines.
2015
Re‑appointed CEO.
2016
Expanded tweet features; improved recommendations.
2021
Resigned; succeeded by Parag Agrawal.
Block (Formerly Square): FinTech Re‑imagined
Founded in 2009 with Jim McKelvey, Square democratized card payments with a tiny mobile reader. The company IPO’d in 2015 and rebranded to Block Inc. in 2021 to emphasize blockchain initiatives.
2009
Square launches.
2015 IPO
Goes public—valuation $2.9B.
2021
Rebrands as Block Inc.
Bluesky: A Decentralized Social Vision
Bluesky began inside Twitter but spun out as an independent project exploring open social protocols. Dorsey served on its board until 2024.
Champion of Digital Currency
A vocal Bitcoin advocate, Dorsey invests heavily in decentralized protocols and routinely speaks at crypto conferences.
Bitcoin Vision
Calls Bitcoin “the internet’s native currency.”
Block & Crypto
Block mines BTC and builds Lightning infrastructure.
Nostr
Funds open‑source protocol for censorship‑resistant social networking.
Personal Life
Dorsey practices intermittent fasting and is known for ice baths and meditation retreats. He donates to COVID‑19 relief, universal basic income pilots, and environmental causes.
Philanthropy
In 2020 he moved $1 billion (roughly 28% of his wealth) into the Start Small LLC to fund global health, girls’ education, and racial‑equity programs.