What is the history of Quora?

Quora is a popular question-and-answer website that was founded in June 2009 by two former Facebook employees, Adam D'Angelo and Charlie Cheever. The site has grown in popularity over the years and has become a go-to platform for people looking to get answers to a wide range of questions on various topics.

In this article, we will take a closer look at the history of Quora and how it has evolved since its launch over a decade ago.

The Founding of Quora

The story of Quora begins in 2009 when Adam D'Angelo and Charlie Cheever left their positions at Facebook to start their own company. D'Angelo had been the Chief Technology Officer at Facebook, while Cheever was a key engineer who worked on the site's news feed.

The duo had a shared vision of creating a platform that would allow people to ask and answer questions on a wide range of topics, and they set about building what would eventually become Quora.

The beta version of Quora was initially launched in December 2009, and it was only available to a select group of beta testers. This exclusive approach helped to build hype around the site, and by the time Quora officially launched in June 2010, it had already attracted a lot of attention.

The Early Days of Quora

When Quora first launched, it was a relatively simple platform. Users could ask and answer questions, but there were no categories or topics to organize the content. This meant that the site was a bit of a free-for-all, with users asking and answering questions on all sorts of topics.

Despite the lack of organization, Quora quickly gained a dedicated following of users who appreciated the site's straightforward approach to asking and answering questions. By the end of 2010, Quora had around 500,000 registered users, and the site was growing at a steady pace.

As Quora grew, the founders began to implement new features to improve the user experience. One of the most significant additions was the ability to follow specific topics. This allowed users to see questions and answers related to their areas of interest, making it easier to find the information they were looking for.

The Rise of Quora

As Quora continued to grow, it began to attract attention from the wider tech industry. In 2011, the site raised $11 million in funding from a group of investors that included Benchmark, Peter Thiel, and Marc Andreessen.

With the new funding, Quora was able to ramp up its development efforts and introduce new features to the site. One of the most significant additions was the upvoting and downvoting system, which allowed users to vote on the quality of answers to each question.

This system helped to surface the most helpful and informative responses to each question, making it easier for users to find the information they were looking for. It also encouraged users to contribute high-quality answers to questions, as these would be more likely to receive upvotes.

As Quora's popularity continued to grow, the site became a go-to resource for people looking to get answers to a wide range of questions. The site's user base also began to diversify, with experts and professionals in various fields using Quora to share their knowledge and insights with others.

Quora Sessions

In addition to its user-generated content, Quora has also started to offer content created by experts in various fields. This content is called "Quora Sessions," and it consists of live interviews and Q&A sessions with experts in various industries.

Quora Sessions have featured interviews with prominent figures such as Bill Gates, Mark Cuban, and President Barack Obama. These sessions have helped to elevate Quora's profile and establish the site as a legitimate source of information and insight on a wide range of topics.