Andrey Andreev facts for kids

Andrey Andreev (Russian: Андрей Андреев, romanized: Andrey Andreyev; born Andrey Vagnerovich Ogadzhanyants Russian: Андрей Вагнерович Огаджанянц, romanized: Andrey Vagnerovich Ogadzhanyants; 3 February 1974) is a tech entrepreneur. He is famous for creating popular dating and social networking apps. These include Bumble and Badoo. In 2019, he sold his company, MagicLab, for a lot of money. Later, in 2020, he started a new app called Stereo. He also created other companies like SpyLog, Begun, and Mamba.

Early Life and Interests

Andrey Andreev was born in 1974. Even when he was young, he loved technology. He once said he built a radio when he was just ten years old. This shows his early interest in how people communicate.

In 1992, he moved to Valencia, Spain. He went to university there to study management. But in 1995, he left school. He wanted to start his very first business, which he called Virus.

Later, in 2005, Andreev moved to London, England. He became a British citizen in 2008.

Andrey also loves to cook. It's one of his favorite hobbies. He even helps create dishes for some of his favorite restaurants. There's a special sweet onion soup named after him. It's called 'Andreï Style' and is served at a famous restaurant in London.

In 2018, people started to notice his wealth. By August 2022, his net worth was estimated at $2.0 billion.

Career Highlights

Starting Businesses

Andrey Andreev began his journey as an entrepreneur in 1995. He started a company called Virus. It was an online store that sold computers and accessories. He sold Virus in 1997.

In 1999, he created SpyLog. This business helped track how people used websites. He sold SpyLog in 2001.

Then, in 2002, Andreev founded Begun. This company focused on digital advertising. He sold most of Begun in 2003. He sold his last part of the company in 2004.

In 2004, he launched Mamba. It was a dating website that you could use for free. Mamba quickly became popular. In its first year, it had over 4 million users. He sold his share of Mamba in 2006.

Badoo App

In 2006, Andreev launched Badoo. It started as a social networking app. It also let users share photos. At first, it was meant to compete with Facebook. But after the iPhone came out, Badoo changed its focus to dating.

Badoo grew very fast. It became popular in Europe and Latin America. Within its first year, it had almost 12 million users. By 2019, Badoo had 425 million users around the world. It was used in 190 countries.

Andrey Andreev once said that Badoo invented the "swipe" feature. This is a very common way to use dating apps today. He also added other popular features. These included 'rise up' and 'lookalike'. The 'lookalike' feature helps users find people who look like their favorite celebrities.

In 2017, Andreev shared his business philosophy. He said his goal is "to make people happy." He also talked about Badoo's company culture. They offered perks like food and parties for employees.

In April 2019, Badoo helped a famous landmark. Andreev decided to use all of Badoo's revenue. This money went to help restore the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris. The cathedral had been damaged by a fire.

Bumble App

In 2014, Andreev connected with Whitney Wolfe. She was a former marketing executive from another dating app. Andreev suggested they work together. He offered her money and help from his Badoo team. In December 2014, they launched Bumble. This app was special because it focused on women.

Whitney Wolfe has said that Andreev was her biggest mentor. She said he "took the chance on her when no one else would." She also stated that "without him, the Bumble journey wouldn’t have been possible."

Andreev helped with Bumble's operations. He used Badoo's resources and engineers. He also provided $10 million in funding. Bumble quickly became very valuable. By November 2017, it was worth over $1 billion.

MagicLab Company

In 2019, Andreev created MagicLab. This was a company that owned several dating and social apps. These included Badoo, Bumble, Lumen, Chappy, and Hot or Not. In November 2019, he sold his shares in MagicLab. A large investment firm called Blackstone Group bought them. At that time, Bumble and its sister apps were valued at $3 billion. In 2020, MagicLab was renamed Bumble. It became the main company for both Bumble and Badoo.

Stereo App

After selling MagicLab, Andreev started a new project in 2020. He launched Stereo, a social audio app. This app lets people host and listen to live talks. Users can also interact with each other. Stereo has offices in London and Los Angeles. Many former employees from MagicLab joined him there.