We’re often asked about how SendGrid got its start and what the journey’s been like over the past four years. The story really begins at the UC Riverside Bourns College of Engineering where co-founders, Isaac Saldana, Tim Jenkins, and Jose Lopez studied Computer Science and Engineering. Recently, the alumni association visited the three founders in our Anaheim office to chat about what’s changed since their days working in the computer science lab…and to play a little ping pong too.
Their spotlight takes an inside look at the three at work and at play and shines a light on how three very humble and hungry engineers combined their strengths to make email easier for developers. It also shares some fun personal details—like how Tim and Jose were first introduced to technology…through, what else, video games (Might and Magic and Super Mario Brothers). And Isaac shares how he dipped his toes in a little later, during college—proving that it’s never too late to ignite a new passion.
They also explain how they raised funding on the heels of graduating from TechStars and how that mentorship has guided them through their growth from 3 employees to 150+. This growth can be attributed to many factors, not the least of which is the company’s (and founders’) emphasis on culture. (For Isaac and Jose’s opinions on SendGrid’s culture, read their SendGrid Spotlights.) In fact, Isaac suggests that, “The product can change and the service can change, but human capital is what’s going to make you reach those goals and make you enjoy coming to work everyday.”
SendGrid is truly made up of hungry entrepreneurs who are excited to solve problems to make developers’ lives easier. The company’s core values, along with strong leadership are driving SendGrid to hit milestones the three founders never thought were possible. Right now, SendGrid has over 100,000 customers and sends over 8 billion emails per month (representing 1% of the world’s non-spam email)…and it’s only the beginning.
But, despite this tremendous growth, SendGrid’s founders will always remember where it all started…in a computer science lab at UC Riverside almost a decade ago. To read the entire Alumni Spotlight, visit the UCR website.
And for an even closer look into what life is like at a growing startup, check out SendGrid’s video feature in TechStars’ short documentary series, Startup Stories.
We’re often asked about how SendGrid got its start and what the journey’s been like over the past four years. The story really begins at the UC Riverside Bourns College of Engineering where co-founders, Isaac Saldana, Tim Jenkins, and Jose Lopez studied Computer Science and Engineering. Recently, the alumni association visited the three founders in our Anaheim office to chat about what’s changed since their days working in the computer science lab…and to play a little ping pong too.
