G
GoPro
Selling beads out of a van — ten years later a $3B camera company.
▶ Founder shortScalingBusiness & growthHardwareCreatorConsumerUSA
Nick Woodman had just lost $4M on a failed startup when he went surfing to clear his head and realised no camera could survive the water. He funded the first GoPro by selling bead-and-shell necklaces out of a van in California, with a $35,000 loan from his mother. The camera launched in 2004; by its 2014 IPO the company was worth around $3B and Woodman was a billionaire. GoPro put a camera on every creator before creator was a job.
Why it's indexed
- From a van and a bead business to a ~$3B IPO.
- Built the wearable-camera category creators grew up on.
- Funded the first product with a $35K loan from the founder's mother.
Coverage
Founder short: Nick Woodman & GoProFounder short
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