Early life and family
Mark Elliot Zuckerberg was born on May 14, 1984 in White Plains, New York. He is the second of four children and the only son of Edward Zuckerberg, a dentist, and Karen Kempner, a psychiatrist. He grew up in Dobbs Ferry, a quiet suburb of New York. Already in his childhood he showed exceptional interest and talent for computers and programming. His father encouraged his technical interest by giving him a computer at an early age. His mother described him as a curious and ambitious boy.
Education and first steps as a programmer
Zuckerberg attended Phillips Exeter Academy, a renowned private school. There he stood out not only for his academic performance, but also as a passionate fencer. While still at school he developed his first software projects, including the music program Synapse, which even attracted the interest of Microsoft and AOL. Zuckerberg rejected purchase offers and began studying at Harvard University in 2002.
Founding of Facebook
At Harvard, he founded the social network “Thefacebook” in 2004 together with fellow students, which originally started as a campus project. The idea arose from the desire to connect students with each other online. Within a few weeks, the network spread to other universities. The founders decided to drop out of their studies and move to Palo Alto, California, to devote themselves entirely to expanding Facebook.
Entrepreneurial success and public perception
Under Zuckerberg’s leadership, Facebook grew rapidly to become the largest social network in the world. In his early 20s he became a billionaire and is one of the best-known tech CEOs. Despite many business successes, Zuckerberg was frequently criticized for Facebook’s handling of user data and privacy. Nevertheless, he is considered a visionary who has decisively shaped digital communication. He describes himself as an idealist who wants to make the world more open and connected, but also sees himself as a pragmatic problem solver.
Personality and private engagement
Zuckerberg is considered introverted and analytical. He usually wears simple clothes, often gray T-shirts and jeans, to simplify decisions and focus on the essentials. Friends and colleagues describe him as detail-loving, hardworking and determined, but also as reserved and rather shy in social situations. In 2012 he married Priscilla Chan, whom he met at Harvard. Together they have two daughters. The couple is philanthropically engaged, especially with the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, which provides billions for education, medicine and social projects.
Other interests and values
Besides work, Zuckerberg is a passionate reader, likes to learn foreign languages (for example Mandarin) and is interested in artificial intelligence. He has spoken publicly about the importance of consistency, resilience and lifelong learning. His biography shows him as a person driven by curiosity, a desire to achieve, and a strong mission – with all the light and dark sides of an extraordinarily successful life in the digital era.
