Pavel Durov is a visionary entrepreneur who has revolutionized the world of messaging and social media. He is the founder and owner of Telegram, a pro-privacy app that claims to be faster and more secure than its competitors. With over 800 million monthly active users worldwide, Telegram is one of the most popular and influential instant messaging platforms.

Durov’s entrepreneurial journey began with launching VKontakte, or VK, a social networking site inspired by Facebook, in 2006. VK became Russia’s largest online social media platform, with over 100 million active users.

Durov founded Telegram with his brother Nikolai, a mathematician and programmer. Telegram is based on a decentralized infrastructure and uses end-to-end encryption to protect the privacy of its users. Durov has stated that he does not intend to sell Telegram or make it profitable through ads or subscriptions. Instead, he funds the project from his personal fortune, estimated at $11.5 billion as of August 2023.

Durov has been recognized as one of the world’s most influential and innovative entrepreneurs by various media outlets and organizations. He is also a vocal advocate for freedom of speech, human rights, and digital security.