The professional networking website officially launched on May 5, 2003, was LinkedIn. It was designed around professional connections, employment, and business networking rather than personal social updates.
LinkedIn’s company was founded in December 2002 by Reid Hoffman and a founding team that included Eric Ly, Allen Blue, Jean-Luc Vaillant, Lee Hower, and others with backgrounds in PayPal and Socialnet.com. On May 5, 2003, the cofounders sent invitations, opening the service to users.
The platform grew gradually. It reached one million users in August 2004, achieved its first month of profitability in March 2006, and passed 10 million users in April 2007. Sequoia Capital led a major early investment, helping fund expansion and new features.
A common mix-up is confusing LinkedIn’s founding date with its public launch date: the company was established in 2002, but the website launched in 2003. Microsoft acquired LinkedIn in 2016, and the service remains focused on profiles, connections, job listings, recruiting, and professional publishing.