Jonathan Abrams

Jonathan Abrams
Occupation(s)Engineer, Entrepreneur, and Investor
Known forfounder of Friendster

Jonathan Abrams [1] is a Canadian engineer, entrepreneur, and investor. He is best known as the founder of Friendster[2] where he worked from 2002 to 2005. He then founded Socializr, where he worked from 2005 to 2010, and Nuzzel, where he stayed from 2012 to 2018. He has invested in over 50 companies, including Docker and Instacart.[3] He was the owner of a patent for a "System, method, and apparatus for connecting users in an online computer system based on their relationships within social networks".[4] This, and Friendster's other patents, were bought by Facebook for $40 million in 2010.[5]

As of March 2021, Abrams is a board member of Girls in Tech, and a co-founder and managing partner of Founders Den, a workplace for startups.[6]

  1. ^ "Friendster's founder now wants you to Nuzzel". Fortune. 2015-04-08. Retrieved 2021-03-25.
  2. ^ "Friendster Founder Tells His Side of the Story, 10 Years After Facebook". Mashable. February 3, 2014. Retrieved August 12, 2019.
  3. ^ "Jonathan Abrams - Co-founder and General Partner - 8-Bit Capital | Linkedin". Retrieved March 25, 2021.
  4. ^ US 7069308, Abrams, Jonathan H., "System, method and apparatus for connecting users in an online computer system based on their relationships within social networks", published 2006-06-27, assigned to Friendster Inc. 
  5. ^ Gannes, Liz (2010-08-04). "Facebook Buys Friendster Patents for $40M". gigaom.com. Archived from the original on 2010-08-06. Retrieved 2021-03-25.
  6. ^ "In Founders Den, a private club that relies on the power of persuasion". TechCrunch. 12 December 2016. Retrieved 2021-03-25.