Zoom Founded
Eric Yuan left Cisco to found Zoom Video Communications
April 21, 2011
Built by Someone Who Knew the Problem
Eric Yuan founded Zoom Video Communications in 2011 after leaving Cisco, where he had worked on a video conferencing product called WebEx. Yuan had become frustrated that the product was too complicated and unreliable. He wanted to build a video conferencing tool that was simple, fast, and worked well even on slow internet connections. Zoom officially launched its service in January 2013 and had one million participants within a few months.
Growth Before and During the Pandemic
Zoom grew steadily through the 2010s, popular mainly in corporate and education settings. But when COVID-19 forced the world indoors in March 2020, Zoom's growth became explosive. Daily meeting participants jumped from 10 million in December 2019 to 300 million by April 2020. Schools used it for classes, families used it for reunions, and doctors used it for patient appointments. "Zooming" became a verb almost overnight.
What Zoom Changed About Work
Zoom accelerated the remote work revolution in ways that may be permanent. Companies that had resisted flexible work arrangements were forced to adapt, and many found that employees could be just as productive — or more so — working from home. Even as the pandemic eased, hybrid work remained common. Zoom also raised awareness about video call fatigue, privacy settings, and the importance of reliable broadband. The company's rise showed how quickly a focused, well-designed tool can transform daily life. Use our countdown tool to track Zoom's next milestone.