Netflix was founded in 1997 by Reed Hastings and Marc Randolph.
The two entrepreneurs established the company in Scotts Valley, California. Netflix initially operated as a DVD-by-mail rental service, using a website and subscription model to offer an alternative to traditional video-rental stores.
The company introduced streaming in 2007, changing its business from primarily shipping physical discs to delivering video over the internet. Netflix later invested heavily in original programming, expanding from a distributor of other studios’ content into a major entertainment producer.
Reed Hastings is often treated as Netflix’s sole founder because he became its best-known early executive. Marc Randolph was also a co-founder and served as the company’s first chief executive. Ted Sarandos joined later and became co-chief executive in 2020.