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college for two years and work on their ideas as startup companies. Field viewed it as "almost like an independent study, just you don't get course credit, it's a little bit longer and you get paid." An executive with the Thiel
Fellowship commented on their selection of Field: "He has a wonderful blend – he is obviously technically very talented – but he also has a sense of intuition for the art that he will use in his current project, which is blending art and engineering."
449:"listening to Figma's users": reading customer support tickets, responding to users on Twitter, and visiting clients in person in Ukraine and Nigeria. Field said of his habit of reading customer feedback: "Not all of them are happy, because here's this thing they want fixed, and that gives me a pulse on what's going on. And the people that are happy, that's when I get really stoked. And that motivates me so much."
280:. At his LinkedIn internship, Field helped devise a social-impact program. His second summer, he interned as a software engineering intern at Flipboard. Afterward, Field began to doubt his plan to major in computer science and math, so he took spring semester off during his junior year to pursue a six-month internship at Flipboard in
394:
At one point early on in Figma's existence, Field said he was faced with a potential exodus of disaffected employees. A 2021 article reported that the situation had grown dire enough that the senior members of his team eventually "staged a sort of managerial intervention." Field described it: "It was
344:
in 2012, earning him $ 100,000 in exchange for taking a leave of absence from college. The Thiel
Fellowship was begun in 2011. At the time, the Thiel Fellowship was designed to select 20 "creative and motivated young people" under the age of 20 each year. Recipients were given $ 100,000 each to leave
326:
Field had originally intended to pursue a degree in math and computer science and graduate after four years. Field said in a 2012 interview that Brown had been his "dream school" but that he "wasn't feeling like was getting as much out of it as before." Field said in that interview that he intended
310:
on the condition that they drop out of college for at least two years. Field's parents were initially not supportive. Field recalled in 2012, "They totally did not want me to apply." His father told the same interviewer, "Pretty much everything we earned went to education." In its second year, the
390:
Field's inexperience in leadership resulted in challenges both leading Figma's early team and challenges fundraising. A beta version of Figma's first product took years to launch, and many frustrated employees quit before it did. Field said in a 2021 interview, "I was just not a very good manager
291:
Around that time, Field met Evan
Wallace, another computer science undergraduate studying at Brown; the two decided they wanted to start a company together. One year ahead of Field at Brown, Wallace studied graphics, and was a teaching assistant in the computer science department.
434:
reporter that the long availability as a free product helped it acquire its first customers. Figma's initial product met with mixed reviews. In a 2021 interview, Field recalled one of the comments on
Designer News reading, "If this is the future of design, I’m changing careers."
149:—a $ 100,000 grant conditioned on his leaving school to begin working full-time on the company. Field moved to San Francisco with Wallace, where the two spent four years preparing the software for its first public release in 2016.
472:
million in revenue in 2020; that Joe Biden's presidential campaign managed all of its visual assets in Figma; and that "when toilet paper ran out across the U.S. in 2020, Kimberly-Clark drafted reorder forms using Figma's tools."
373:
more vaguely as "a technology startup that will allow users to creatively express themselves online." That article reported that the company's first ideas revolved around 3D content generation, and subsequent ideas focused on
404:
that, when meeting with investors in 2013–2014, the company wasn't clear about what product it was building and what problems that product would solve. Field recalled that he experienced a "wake up call" when investor
197:
area newspaper in 2012 that Dylan found middle school so boring that "he mostly hung out with a janitor, who was kind of a math savant." Field was interested in computer science from a young age and participated in
409:
turned down the chance to invest in Figma's seed round and said, "I don't think you know what you're doing yet." Field sought out further advice and improved the company's pitch; Lilly ultimately led Figma's US$
391:
when I started Figma. I was an intern before that, so I had a lot to learn. I was always very optimistic; I thought that shipping was right around the corner, so I wasn’t setting expectations correctly."
1004:
854:
939:"Here's how the CEO of Figma went from a computer science intern to the head of a $ 2 billion company that's challenging Adobe for the love of designers across Silicon Valley"
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2018. He later described himself thinking at the time, "this is probably the stupidest thing I've ever done." In 2021 it was reported that Field sold a
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software company. Field founded Figma in 2012 with Evan
Wallace, who he had met while the two were computer science students at
406:
186:
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Field's original objective was to "make it so that anyone can be creative by creating free, simple, creative tools in a
182:
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718:
1124:"He Sold A Digital 'CryptoPunk' For $ 7.5 Million. Now Figma CEO Dylan Field Is Ready To Move Into The 'Metaverse.'"
285:
225:. While in high school, Field built robots and websites for friends. He also worked with social media researcher
1177:
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product in late 2015, its first public product in late 2016, and its first paid product in 2017. Field told the
230:
477:
estimated as a result of this valuation that Field and co-founder Evan
Wallace were both "near-billionaires."
269:
students participated, and starting in late 2011, he co-chaired Brown's CS Departmental
Undergraduate Group.
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like, 'You need to get some help.' Afterward I took a few days away from the office. It was just hard."
281:
170:
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USD, the highest ever sale price for a CryptoPunk. In the days afterward, Field discussed the sale on
1312:
301:
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billion. Figma had acquired customers including
Microsoft, Airbnb, GitHub, Square, Zoom, and Uber.
319:
finalists were named and 20 were ultimately selected. Field was awarded the Thiel
Fellowship in May
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to go back to Brown one day, noting the school allowed leaves of absence for up to five years.
261:. Field was an involved member of Brown's computer science department: In 2011, he organized a
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Field has received several accolades in connection with his co-founding of Figma.
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In April of 2020, Figma raised venture financing that valued the company at US$ 2
202:. He also participated in the arts as a child, acting with credits in TV ads for
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Raising funding was a challenge for similar reasons. Field told a reporter from
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1204:"Netlify just got $ 30 million to change the way developers build websites"
1028:"The Ivy League Dropout Who Just Sold His Firm to Adobe for $ 20 Billion"
273:
241:
1087:"Meet Dylan Field, one of Fast Company's 100 Most Creative People 2016"
506:
490:
190:
1128:
999:
572:
1230:"Brown CS Alum Evan Wallace Has Been Named An INC 2019 Rising Star"
1062:"Brown CS Alum Evan Wallace Has Been Named An INC 2019 Rising Star"
995:"How Figma Became Design's Hottest Startup, Valued At $ 10 Billion"
451:
235:
130:(born 1992) is an American technology executive and co-founder of
364:
174:
845:"Sonoma County man gets $ 100,000 grant — if he leaves college"
599:
2021, Field's wife Elena was pregnant with their first child.
513:
210:, and taking an interest in design starting in middle school.
356:
after completing his degree in computer science that Spring.
567:
2021, Field owned 11 other CryptoPunks as well as NFTs from
445:
A 2021 Forbes profile reported that Field spent most of the
1255:"100 People transforming business: Dylan Field, CEO, Figma"
367:
generator. The company was described in a 2012 article by
295:
During a semester away from Brown, Field applied to the
1152:"Atlassian to acquire former unicorn Loom for $ 975M"
662:"Figma Wants to Be the Google Docs of Digital Design"
629:'s "10 people transforming the technology industry."
579:
reported Field's profits from collecting to be $ 9.5
551:
This was Field's second reported sale, after a $ 1.5
272:
While attending Brown
University, Field interned at
787:
https://twitter.com/zoink/status/945172407995785216
185:and his mother as a resource specialist teacher at
156:list. He is estimated to own 10% of Figma's stock.
117:
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181:. His father worked as a respiratory therapist at
306:grant awarded to young entrepreneurs by investor
189:. As a child, Field was adept at math, learning
177:. Field was an only child, named after the poet
1178:"Warp raises $ 23M to build a better terminal"
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887:"How Figma's Dylan Field Won Over the Haters"
8:
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468:reported in 2021 that the company had US$ 75
464:billion in a subsequent round of financing.
323:2012 and dropped out of Brown to accept it.
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544:show, comparing the sold NFT to "a digital
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219:science, technology, engineering, and math
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460:In 2021, the company was valued at US$ 10
754:"2015 30 Under 30: Consumer Technology"
652:
456:Field speaks at TechCrunch Disrupt 2022
418:2015, its largest up until that point.
352:with Evan Wallace, who joined Field in
810:
799:
489:in venture-backed startups, including
229:, who ultimately wrote one of Field's
1176:Lardinois, Frederic (April 5, 2022).
899:from the original on December 9, 2021
516:collector. Field purchased his first
7:
1338:21st-century American businesspeople
1323:American technology company founders
1026:Copeland, Rob (September 16, 2022).
1007:from the original on August 10, 2021
951:from the original on October 1, 2020
857:from the original on January 3, 2022
748:
746:
731:from the original on January 3, 2022
885:Lincoln, Kevin (December 8, 2021).
719:"CS undergrad wins tech fellowship"
497:, a friend of Field's from Brown),
1228:Singh, Rujul (November 11, 2019).
1060:Singh, Rujul (November 11, 2019).
764:from the original on July 22, 2019
717:Berg, Maddie (September 9, 2012).
660:Cheng, Michelle (April 18, 2019).
422:Post-product launch (2015–present)
311:Thiel Fellowship had attracted 500
193:at age six. Field's father told a
14:
1343:People from Penngrove, California
937:Chan, Rosalie (October 1, 2020).
414:million funding round in December
1282:"Dylan Field | 2022 40 Under 40"
1150:Miller, Ron (October 12, 2023).
993:Konrad, Alex (August 10, 2021).
625:In 2020, Field was named one of
611:In 2015, Field was named to the
348:In summer 2012 Field co-founded
152:In 2015, Field was named to the
1202:Miller, Ron (October 9, 2018).
1122:Konrad, Alex (March 18, 2021).
1348:Businesspeople from California
843:Moore, Derek (June 17, 2012).
213:Field attended high school at
1:
276:and the news-sharing startup
244:2008 as a high school student
187:Thomas Page Elementary School
632:In 2022, Field was named to
618:In 2019, Field was named an
386:Early challenges (2012–2015)
183:Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital
145:. In 2012, Field received a
253:In 2009, Field enrolled at
46:1992 (age 31–32)
1364:
595:Field is married. In April
426:Figma launched its first
286:technical product manager
231:letters of recommendation
30:
160:Early life and education
1318:Brown University alumni
223:Sonoma State University
139:vector graphics editing
724:The Brown Daily Herald
457:
370:The Brown Daily Herald
315:student applicants; 40
245:
217:, a magnet school for
215:Technology High School
455:
336:Starting Figma (2012)
239:
171:Penngrove, California
18:American entrepreneur
559:USD sale in February
78:Technology executive
1032:Wall Street Journal
380:object segmentation
257:, where he studied
850:The Press Democrat
613:Forbes 30 under 30
538:The Good Time Show
458:
340:Field was named a
246:
154:Forbes 30 under 30
809:Missing or empty
760:. June 18, 2015.
563:2021. As of March
512:Field is also an
447:COVID-19 pandemic
284:, this time as a
221:on the campus of
169:Field grew up in
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89:Years active
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575:. At that time,
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481:Other activities
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297:Thiel Fellowship
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259:computer science
255:Brown University
240:Field attending
147:Thiel Fellowship
143:Brown University
121:Elena Nadolinski
65:Brown University
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591:Personal life
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528:NFT for $ 7.5
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67:(dropped out)
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37:Field in 2022
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1291:November 14,
1289:. Retrieved
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1264:. Retrieved
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1237:. Retrieved
1234:cs.brown.edu
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1213:November 28,
1211:. Retrieved
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1187:November 28,
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1091:Fast Company
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669:. Retrieved
665:
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634:
622:Rising Star.
606:
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550:
540:, a popular
511:
495:Devin Finzer
493:(founded by
485:Field is an
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474:
465:
459:
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342:Thiel Fellow
339:
325:
294:
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265:in which 150
252:
212:
179:Dylan Thomas
168:
151:
127:
126:
109:Thiel Fellow
92:2012–present
81:entrepreneur
15:
1313:1992 births
640:40 Under 40
638:magazine's
603:Recognition
308:Peter Thiel
128:Dylan Field
72:Occupations
51:Nationality
25:Dylan Field
1307:Categories
1266:January 3,
1239:January 3,
1208:TechCrunch
1182:TechCrunch
1156:TechCrunch
1135:January 2,
1011:January 3,
955:January 3,
903:January 3,
861:January 3,
768:January 3,
735:January 3,
671:January 4,
647:References
569:Autoglyphs
526:CryptoPunk
518:CryptoPunk
407:John Lilly
354:California
227:Danah Boyd
208:Windows XP
195:Santa Rosa
1040:0099-9660
546:Mona Lisa
542:Clubhouse
282:Palo Alto
278:Flipboard
263:hackathon
204:eToys.com
165:Childhood
136:web-based
61:Education
1005:Archived
949:Archived
897:Archived
855:Archived
802:cite web
762:Archived
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