Meet Rousseau Kazi, the Bangladeshi-born CEO and Co-Founder of the other 'Threads'

Shortly after the launch of Threads, it became apparent that Mark Zuckerberg's new Twitter competitor had opted for a .net domain instead of the customary .com. The reason behind this choice lies in the fact that the .com domain had already been claimed by another platform, also called Threads, led by one Rousseau Kazi, serving as its Co-Founder and CEO.

Kazi, a former Facebook employee, has been making waves in the tech industry with his innovative platform, designed to facilitate thoughtful discussions and streamline decision-making processes. Unlike its Meta counterpart, Threads focuses on connecting individuals and companies through online 'threads,' providing a modern and efficient alternative to existing collaboration tools.

Since its launch, Threads has garnered attention for its unconventional choice of a .net domain instead of the expected .com. This decision was prompted by the existence of another Threads, helmed by Kazi's namesake and former Facebook colleague, who had already claimed the .com domain. Kazi's response to this situation was met with humour and grace, as reflected in the company's Twitter profile, which now reads, "Threads is a Slack replacement designed for makers. Also, we have no affiliation with Meta. But you're welcome to stick around! ????"

Acknowledging the irony of the situation, Threads posted the popular multiple Spider-Man memes on Wednesday, signalling a lighthearted recognition of their shared name with Meta's offering. Kazi, in a statement to Fast Company, explained, "Threads is a powerful word and an internet native term. Using threads—on various platforms—is the best way to stay connected with your [.net]work or [.com]pany. Given this, it comes as no surprise that Meta chose a powerful label to represent their take on building the town square."

Kazi's journey to becoming a tech entrepreneur started at an early age. With a background rooted in his Bangladeshi immigrant parents, he demonstrated exceptional talent and ambition throughout his education and professional career. After graduating early from UC Berkeley, Kazi joined Facebook as an intern, rapidly ascending to become a consultant and eventually a full-time employee at the young age of 21.

During his tenure at Facebook, Kazi played a crucial role in various teams, contributing to core mobile infrastructure, search, and Pages. It was while working on Workplace, Facebook's internal social network, that Kazi began envisioning his own features and tools. This desire to innovate led him to establish Threads, a direct competitor to Slack and, inadvertently, to Meta's Threads.

Threads has already attracted significant investor interest, raising a total of nearly $11.5 million in funding. The A round was led by Sequoia Capital, with an impressive $10.5 million contribution.