Charlie Cheever
Charlie Cheever is an American software engineer and entrepreneur, best known as the co-founder of Quora, a leading question-and-answer knowledge-sharing platform, and co-founder of Expo, a widely used open-source framework for cross-platform mobile app development.[1]
| Charlie Cheever | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | August 2, 1981 Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Nationality | American |
| Education | Harvard University |
| Occupation | Entrepreneur, Software Engineer |
| Known for | Co-founder of Quora Co-founder of Expo |
Early Life and Education
Charlie Cheever was born on August 2, 1981, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. His fascination with technology began in third grade, when he started learning BASIC to create computer games.
He attended Harvard University, where he studied computer science and contributed to the student-run newspaper, The Harvard Crimson.[2]
Career Highlights
Amazon and Facebook
After graduating from Harvard, Cheever began his career as a software engineer at Amazon. He later joined Facebook, where he was instrumental in launching two major products:
- Facebook Platform – Enabled developers to build applications within Facebook.
- Facebook News Feed – One of the platform’s core engagement features.[3]
Founding Quora
In June 2009, Cheever co-founded Quora with fellow Facebook alumnus Adam D'Angelo. The platform was designed to collect, curate, and democratize knowledge by allowing users to ask and answer questions across various topics. Quora gained popularity for its high-quality content and expert contributions, positioning itself as a reliable source of user-generated knowledge.
Cheever played a vital role in building Quora’s initial product architecture and community development.
Launching Expo
In 2015, Cheever co-founded Expo (originally called Exposition) with James Ide. Expo is an open-source platform that enables developers to:
- Build apps for iOS, Android, and web using JavaScript and React Native.
- Utilize Expo Application Services (EAS) to streamline app building, deployment, and updates.
Expo has become a go-to tool for mobile developers, lowering the barrier to entry for app creation and maintenance.[4]
Personal Philosophy
Cheever has emphasized the importance of:
- Continuous learning – Staying updated in the fast-changing tech world.
- Community-centric products – Creating tools that empower users and developers alike.
- Open-sorce collaboration* – upporting developer freedom and innovation.[5]
Legacy
Charlie Cheever’s contributions have significantly influenced both the knowledge economy and mobile app development ecosystems. His ventures, Quora and Expo, continue to empower millions of users and developers around the world.
References
- ↑ https://dazeinfo.com/2023/08/02/happy-birthday-charlie-cheever-quora/
- ↑ https://www.fastcompany.com/1713096/qa-site-quora-builds-buzz-list-answerers/
- ↑ https://venturebeat.com/social/quora-charlie-cheever-smaller-role/
- ↑ https://www.forbes.com/sites/limyunghui/2012/09/12/co-founder-charlie-cheever-leaves-and-quora-is-curve-jumping/
- ↑ https://fortune.com/2016/08/23/charlie-cheever-y-combinator/