Etsy Founding History

Who FoundedEtsy?

Etsy was founded by Rob Kalin, Chris Maguire, and Haim Schoppik in June 2005. From a Brooklyn apartment to a $13 billion global marketplace, here's the complete story.

3 Co-FoundersFounded June 2005Brooklyn, NY OriginsIPO in 201590M+ Buyers Today$13B+ Marketplace
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📌Quick Answer: Who Founded Etsy?

Etsy was founded by three people in June 2005:

  1. Rob Kalin - Primary founder, artist & carpenter with the vision
  2. Chris Maguire - Technical co-founder, web developer
  3. Haim Schoppik - Technical co-founder, web developer

They built Etsy from a small Brooklyn apartment to serve artisans and makers who had no good online marketplace for handmade goods.

The Three Founders of Etsy

A visionary artist and two talented developers who changed online shopping forever

🎨

Rob Kalin

Primary Founder & CEO

Background

Carpenter, furniture maker, and NYU photography student

Vision

Conceived Etsy after struggling to sell handmade wooden furniture online. No marketplace existed for artisans.

Role at Etsy

Established the company vision, mission, and culture around handmade goods and artisan community.

Tenure

CEO: 2005-2008, returned 2009-2011, then departed

💻

Chris Maguire

Technical Co-Founder

Background

Web developer, met Rob Kalin through GetCrafty.com community

Vision

Saw the potential to build a platform that could serve the maker community at scale.

Role at Etsy

Designed and built the backend architecture, databases, and core platform infrastructure.

Tenure

Early founding years, departed before the 2015 IPO

🔧

Haim Schoppik

Technical Co-Founder

Background

Web developer, also connected through GetCrafty.com

Vision

Focused on creating an intuitive user experience for both sellers and buyers.

Role at Etsy

Developed the frontend, user interface, and worked on the seller experience.

Tenure

Early founding years, departed before the 2015 IPO

How Etsy Was Founded

🪵The Problem That Started It All

In 2004, Rob Kalin was a 25-year-old carpenter and photography student at NYU who made beautiful handmade wooden furniture. He had a problem: there was nowhere good to sell it online. eBay was filled with mass-produced products. Amazon wasn't focused on handmade goods. Craigslist was too local. No platform existed for artisans and makers who created unique, handcrafted items.

💡An Idea Takes Shape

Kalin imagined something revolutionary: an online marketplace built specifically for handmade goods. Think of a craft fair, but online and global. A place where independent artisans could connect directly with buyers who appreciated the value of unique, handcrafted products. Where makers could build sustainable businesses doing what they loved.

🤝Finding the Right Team

Kalin had the vision, but he wasn't a programmer. Through GetCrafty.com—a popular online crafting community—he connected with two talented web developers: Chris Maguire and Haim Schoppik. The three shared a passion for the maker movement and saw the potential to build something special. Maguire and Schoppik could turn Kalin's dream into functional code.

🏠Building in Brooklyn

Working from a small apartment in Brooklyn, the three founders built the initial Etsy platform in just a few months. Brooklyn's vibrant DIY culture, with its craft markets, artist studios, and maker spaces, provided the perfect testing ground. The local community became Etsy's first users, spreading the word to other artisans through craft circles and community events.

🚀June 2005: Etsy Launches

In June 2005, Etsy officially launched. The platform was simple but revolutionary: sellers could list handmade items, set their own prices, and manage their own shops. Buyers could discover unique products they couldn't find anywhere else. The early site had its quirks, but it filled a real need. Word spread quickly through craft communities, and Etsy began its journey from Brooklyn startup to global marketplace.

Etsy's Journey Since Founding

2004
💡

The Idea

Rob Kalin, frustrated by lack of online marketplace for handmade goods, conceives the idea for Etsy.

2005
🚀

Etsy Founded

Rob Kalin, Chris Maguire, and Haim Schoppik officially launch Etsy from Brooklyn, New York in June.

2007
💰

First Major Funding

Etsy raises $3.25M in Series A funding, enabling rapid growth and hiring.

2008
👔

First CEO Transition

Rob Kalin steps down as CEO; Maria Thomas takes over leadership.

2011
👋

Kalin Departs

After briefly returning as CEO, Rob Kalin leaves Etsy for good. Chad Dickerson becomes CEO.

2015
📈

IPO Success

Etsy goes public on NASDAQ at $16/share, valued at $1.8 billion on day one.

2026
🌍

Today

Etsy is a $13B+ marketplace with 90M+ buyers, 8M+ sellers in 230+ countries.

What the Founders Built: Etsy Today

90M+
Active Buyers
8M+
Active Sellers
$13B+
Annual Sales
230+
Countries

Why Did the Founders Name It "Etsy"?

🎬

Rob Kalin came up with the name "Etsy," and the story behind it is a bit mysterious:

  • Italian movie inspiration: Kalin was watching Federico Fellini's film "8½" and heard the Italian phrase "eh, sì" (pronounced "eh-tsee"), meaning "oh, yes." He liked the sound.
  • Latin interpretation: Some connect it to "et si," Latin for "what if"—fitting for a marketplace of creative possibilities.
  • Strategic choice: Kalin wanted a word with no existing meaning, making it easy to trademark and brand. A blank slate they could define.

The result? A short, memorable name that's now synonymous with handmade and unique goods worldwide.

The Founders' Lasting Legacy

✅What They Got Right

  • • Identified a massive unserved market (makers/artisans)
  • • Built community, not just a marketplace
  • • Created authentic brand differentiation
  • • Perfect timing with e-commerce growth
  • • Empowered millions to start businesses

📊Their Impact Today

  • • 8+ million people run businesses on their platform
  • • 90+ million buyers shop for unique items
  • • Inspired countless maker marketplaces
  • • Pioneered B Corp business model at scale
  • • Changed how the world shops for handmade

Frequently Asked Questions

Everything you want to know about who founded Etsy and its history.

Etsy was founded by three co-founders: Rob Kalin, Chris Maguire, and Haim Schoppik. They launched the platform in June 2005 from Brooklyn, New York. Rob Kalin was the primary founder with the vision, while Maguire and Schoppik were the technical co-founders who built the platform.
Rob Kalin, a carpenter and artist, founded Etsy because he couldn't find a good online marketplace to sell his handmade wooden furniture. Existing platforms like eBay catered to mass-produced goods. Kalin wanted to create a marketplace specifically for artisans, craftspeople, and makers of unique handmade items.
Etsy was founded and officially launched in June 2005. The three co-founders developed the initial platform in just a few months. The company was incorporated in Brooklyn, New York, where it maintained its headquarters for many years.
Rob Kalin was a carpenter, furniture maker, and photography student at NYU. He started Etsy because he was frustrated that no online marketplace existed for selling handmade goods. He wanted to create the online equivalent of a craft fair where artisans could connect directly with buyers who appreciated unique, handcrafted products.
Rob Kalin met Chris Maguire and Haim Schoppik through GetCrafty.com, a popular crafting community website. Kalin had the vision for a handmade marketplace but needed technical expertise to build it. Maguire and Schoppik were web developers who could turn his idea into reality.
Rob Kalin was the visionary and CEO who established Etsy's focus on handmade goods and artisan culture. Chris Maguire and Haim Schoppik were the technical co-founders who designed and built the platform's architecture, database, and user interface. Together they created both the vision and the technology.
Etsy was founded in Brooklyn, New York. The founders built the initial platform from a small apartment. Brooklyn's thriving arts, crafts, and DIY community was instrumental in Etsy's early success, and the location became part of the company's identity as a maker-focused platform.
No, none of the original founders are currently involved with Etsy. Rob Kalin served as CEO twice (2005-2008 and 2009-2011) before leaving for good in 2011. Chris Maguire and Haim Schoppik also departed within the first few years. Josh Silverman has been CEO since 2017.
Etsy grew rapidly after its 2005 founding. Key milestones include: 2007 ($3.25M Series A funding), 2008 (first CEO change), 2012 (B Corp certification), 2015 (IPO on NASDAQ at $1.8B valuation), 2017 (Josh Silverman becomes CEO), 2020 (COVID boom to $10B+ sales). Today it's a $13B+ marketplace.
The founders envisioned Etsy as an online craft fair where independent artisans could sell directly to buyers who valued handmade, unique items. They wanted to create a community-focused marketplace that supported small creative businesses, unlike the mass-market approach of eBay and Amazon.
Rob Kalin chose the name "Etsy." He reportedly got inspiration from the Italian film "8½" by Fellini, where he heard "eh, sì" (meaning "oh, yes"). He wanted a nonsense word with no pre-existing meaning that would be easy to brand. Some also connect it to Latin "et si" meaning "what if."
In its early days, Etsy was bootstrapped by the founders. The company raised its first significant funding in 2006-2007, with a $1 million seed round followed by $3.25 million in Series A funding in 2007. This allowed them to hire employees and scale the platform beyond the founding team.

Related Etsy Guides

When Did Etsy Come Out?

Complete launch date and history timeline.

Why Is Etsy Called Etsy?

The story behind the unique name.

Who Can Sell on Etsy?

Complete seller eligibility guide.

This guide provides historical information about Etsy's founding based on publicly available sources. Company statistics and details may have changed. Check official Etsy sources for current information.

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