David Baszucki facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
David Baszucki
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Baszucki in 2018
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| Born | January 20, 1963 |
| Other names | builderman, david.baszucki |
| Alma mater | Stanford University |
| Occupation | Entrepreneur, engineer |
| Years active | 1989–present |
| Known for | Co-founder of Roblox |
| Title | CEO of Roblox Corporation |
| Spouse(s) | Jan Ellison |
| Children | 4 |
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David Baszucki (/bəˈzuːki/; born January 20, 1963) is a Canadian-born American entrepreneur, engineer, and software developer. He is the co-founder and CEO of Roblox Corporation.
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Early life and education
Baszucki was born on January 20, 1963, in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada to Helen and Paul Baszucki. He grew up in Eden Prairie, Minnesota. David attended Eden Prairie High School in Eden Prairie, Minnesota. Baszucki studied engineering and computer science at Stanford University. He graduated in 1985 as a General Motors Scholar in electrical engineering.
Career
In the late 1980s, Baszucki, together with his brother Greg Baszucki, founded the company Knowledge Revolution. It became known for its simulation called "Interactive Physics", which was the first fully animated computer physics lab. Interactive Physics allowed its users to carry out 2D physics experiments as if they were in a physics lab.
In 1998, Knowledge Revolution was acquired by MSC Software for $20 million.
Roblox
In December 2003, Baszucki and Erik Cassel began working on an early prototype of Roblox. The website officially launched in 2004 whilst was officially released in September 1, 2006.
Baszucki owns 13% stake in the Roblox Corporation, the company that owns Roblox. He said he would donate any future compensation he earns from Roblox's listing on the New York Stock Exchange for philanthropic purposes.
Other activities
Baszucki supports many philantropic organizations. In March 2021, he and his wife founded the Baszucki Brain Research Fund. The fund provides grants to bipolar research programs. The Baszucki Lymphoma Therapeutics Initiative, launched in December 2021, aims to make therapy for lymphoma patients more accessible.
Personal life
Baszucki lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with his wife, novelist Jan Ellison, and their four children.
Interesting facts about David Baszucki
- Baszucki's parents were descended from Ukrainian immigrants.
- As a child, David was interested in dirt bikes, go-karts, and science fiction.
- Baszucki was the captain of his high school TV quiz team.
- He also hosted his own talk radio show for KSCO Radio Santa Cruz from February to July 2003.
- At university, David did a summer internship at General Motors where he worked in a lab focused on controlling car engines with software.
- Baszucki's former Roblox username is builderman.
- His stake in the Roblox Corporation was estimated to be worth around $470 million as of 2020.
- According to Business Insider, Baszucki was the seventh-highest-paid CEO in 2021, making $232.8 million.
See also
In Spanish: David Baszucki para niños
