Who founded eBay, originally launched as AuctionWeb in 1995?

Pierre Omidyar founded eBay, originally launched as AuctionWeb in 1995.

Omidyar created the auction website as a side project while working as a software developer. The first item listed was a broken laser pointer, which sold for $14.83. This early transaction helped demonstrate that people would use the internet to buy and sell unusual second-hand goods.

AuctionWeb initially operated as part of Omidyar’s personal website. In 1997, the service adopted the name eBay, a shortened form related to Omidyar’s intended company name, Echo Bay Technology Group. The company later expanded beyond auctions to include fixed-price listings and became one of the world’s best-known online marketplaces.

A common mix-up is confusing eBay’s founder with Jeff Bezos, who founded Amazon, or Jack Ma, who founded Alibaba. Omidyar remained associated with eBay’s origins, while Meg Whitman later became one of its most prominent chief executives.