{{Short description|Latin American internet entrepreneur (born 1996)}} {{Use mdy dates|date=June 2022}} {{Infobox person | name = Michael Sayman | image = File:RSM1_in_Pompeii.jpg | caption = Sayman in 2019 | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1996|8|24}} | birth_place = Miami, Florida, U.S. | occupation = mobile application entrepreneur, author | notable_works = {{Plainlist| * 4 Snaps * Instagram Stories * ''App Kid: How a Child of Immigrants Grabbed a Piece of the American Dream'' }} }} '''Michael Arthur Sayman''' (born August 24, 1996), is a Peruvian–Bolivian–American mobile application entrepreneur, software engineer, political activist,<ref name="commondreams.org">{{Cite web|title='Tax the Hell Out of Me,' Says Young Millionaire Google Exec at Prospect of a President Bernie Sanders|url=https://www.commondreams.org/news/2019/10/28/tax-hell-out-me-says-young-millionaire-google-exec-prospect-president-bernie-sanders|access-date=2021-01-30|website=Common Dreams|language=en}}</ref> and author.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Sayman|first=Michael|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=R4XwDwAAQBAJ|title=App Kid: How a Child of Immigrants Grabbed a Piece of the American Dream|publisher=Knopf|year=2021|isbn=9780525656197|location=|pages=}}</ref> He is best known for creating top-charting apps as a teenager<ref>{{Cite web|date=June 14, 2012|title=El niño que diseña aplicaciones|url=https://www.bbc.com/mundo/noticias/2012/06/120614_video_bolivia_nino_apps_cch|access-date=2021-01-30|website=BBC News Mundo|language=es}}</ref> to provide for his family during the Great Recession,<ref>{{Cite web|last=Palacios|first=Oswaldo|date=December 1, 2012|title=Genio peruano destaca creando aplicaciones para Apple|url=https://rpp.pe/tecnologia/mas-tecnologia/genio-peruano-destaca-creando-aplicaciones-para-apple-noticia-545544|access-date=2021-01-30|website=RPP|language=es}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Michael Sayman, el genio de Apple que es hijo de un boliviano: "Nunca dejen que se pierdan sus sueños"|url=http://www.oxigeno.bo/gadget/9575|access-date=2021-01-30|website=Oxígeno Digital|language=es}}</ref><ref name="people.com">{{Cite web|title=This 21-year-old Latino Millionaire Saved His Family From Financial Crisis as a Teen|url=https://people.com/chica/latino-internet-genius-is-millionaire-at-21/|access-date=2021-01-30|website=PEOPLE.com|language=EN}}</ref> as well as his subsequent work at Facebook.<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":0">{{Cite news|last=DeAmicis|first=Carmel|date=April 30, 2014|title=How a Florida kid's "stupid app" saved his family's home and landed him on the main stage at Facebook|work=Pando|url=https://pando.com/2014/04/30/how-a-florida-kids-stupid-app-saved-his-familys-home-and-landed-him-on-the-main-stage-of-facebooks-f8/|access-date=}}</ref> Described by Semana as "the most influential Latino in Silicon Valley",<ref name=":9">{{Cite web|last=Semana|date=December 15, 2020|title=Michael Sayman, el latino más influyente de Silicon Valley, desde los 13 años mantiene a su familia|url=https://www.semana.com/economia/articulo/michael-sayman-el-latino-mas-influyente-de-silicon-valley-que-desde-los-13-anos-mantiene-a-su-familia/202040/|access-date=2021-01-30|website=Semana.com Últimas Noticias de Colombia y el Mundo|language=spanish}}</ref> in 2019, Sayman was included on Forbes's 30 Under 30 list,<ref>{{Cite web|title=30 Under 30 2019: Consumer Technology|url=https://www.forbes.com/30-under-30/2019/consumer-technology//|access-date=2021-01-30|website=Forbes|language=en}}</ref> and has additionally been featured at TED.<ref>{{Cite web|title=TEDxMenloCollege {{!}} TED|url=https://www.ted.com/tedx/events/32519|access-date=2021-01-30|website=www.ted.com}}</ref>
Sayman published his first app to the App Store (iOS) when he was 13 years old.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Tapia|first=David Blay|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=d9aLBQAAQBAJ&q=%22Michael+Sayman%22+-wikipedia&pg=PA78|title=¿Por qué no nos dejan trabajar desde casa?|date=September 4, 2014|publisher=Bubok|isbn=9788468657028|location=|publication-date=September 4, 2014|pages=|language=Spanish}}</ref> He later gained recognition from Mark Zuckerberg with his launch of 4 Snaps, a turn-based photo game, in his junior year of high school.<ref>{{Cite news|last=|first=|date=|title=Conoce a Michael Sayman, el trabajador más joven de Facebook|language=Spanish|work=América Televisión|url=https://www.americatv.com.pe/tec/conoce-michael-sayman-trabajador-mas-joven-facebook-noticia-9303|access-date=2018-11-14}}</ref> Zuckerberg then hired Sayman, becoming Facebook's "teen-in-residence" at 18,<ref>{{Cite web|title='I certainly lacked the foresight to understand what would come of the next few years in my life'|url=https://www.9news.com.au/technology/facebook-michael-sayman-on-facebook-google-and-growing-up-a-tech-wunderkind/9c038ece-40f4-4d35-80fe-1855564e9c35|access-date=2021-01-30|website=www.9news.com.au}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Michael Sayman dice que probablemente tenga coronavirus {{!}} EL DEBER|url=https://eldeber.com.bo/mundo/michael-sayman-dice-que-probablemente-tenga-coronavirus_169613|access-date=2021-01-30|website=eldeber.com.bo|date=March 16, 2020 |language=es}}</ref> taking part in the creation of Instagram Stories.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web|last=Kantrowitz|first=Alex|title=Snapchat was 'an existential threat' to Facebook — until an 18-year-old developer convinced Mark Zuckerberg to invest in Instagram Stories|url=https://www.businessinsider.com/how-developer-mark-zuckerberg-invented-instagram-stories-copied-snapchat-2020-4|access-date=2021-01-30|website=Business Insider}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=December 15, 2020|title=Michael Sayman, el fichaje estrella de Roblox antes de su próxima salida a Bolsa|url=https://www.elespanol.com/invertia/disruptores-innovadores/america-tech/estados-unidos/20201215/michael-sayman-fichaje-estrella-roblox-proxima-bolsa/543695975_0.html|access-date=2021-01-30|website=El Español|language=es}}</ref> His success with mobile application development grew in his teenage years, generating millions in revenue as a high school student.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=|title=Almost a year after coming out, Michael Sayman reflects on his decision|url=https://peopleenespanol.com/chica/michael-sayman-talks-about-coming-out/|access-date=2021-01-30|website=People en Español|language=}}</ref> At age 18, he was described by CNET as one of the 20 Latinos with the biggest influence in the tech industry.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Español|first=Redacción de CNET en|title=Los 20 latinos y latinas más importantes en el mundo de la tecnología de CNET en Español|url=https://www.cnet.com/es/imagenes/20-latinos-mas-influyentes-industria-tecnologia-2014-fotos/|access-date=2021-01-30|website=CNET en Español|language=es}}</ref>
== Personal life == Michael was born in Miami, Florida in 1996 to Bolivian father Miguel Sayman and Peruvian mother Maria Cristina Gálvez Sayman.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Bolivia|first=Opinión|title=Programador de Facebook cuenta sus secretos|url=https://www.opinion.com.bo/articulo/ciencia-tecnolog-iacute/programador-facebook-cuenta-secretos/20150628002000524768.html|access-date=2021-01-30|website=Opinión Bolivia|date=June 27, 2015 |language=es}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Michael Sayman Is 16 and About to Release His 9th App|url=https://abcnews.go.com/ABC_Univision/News/michael-sayman-16-release-9th-app/story?id=19328187|access-date=2021-01-30|website=ABC News|language=en}}</ref> A large part of his life is defined by effects the Great Recession had on his childhood.<ref>{{Cite news|last=|first=|date=March 11, 2018|title=Conoce al inmigrante hispano de 21 años que es considerado un genio de 'Google' y ya es millonario|work=Univision Noticias|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8gHSVxWhnzk|access-date=}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|last=|first=|date=March 29, 2017|title=Michael Sayman, el prodigio de Facebook, revela el difícil camino del éxito|work=Noticias Caracol|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BViGEXOwTK4|access-date=}}</ref>
In 2010, when Sayman was 13 years old, his parents lost their jobs and were forced to foreclose their home.<ref name=":3">{{Cite web|last=Warren|first=Katie|title=This 21-year-old millionaire was hired by Facebook at 17 and now works at Google — and his career advice is wise beyond his years|url=https://www.insider.com/21-year-old-millionaire-facebook-google-2018-4|access-date=2021-01-30|website=Insider}}</ref> His mother considered having them move back to Peru. Sayman insisted they remain in the United States, and that he would pay for everything.<ref name=":0" /><ref name="people.com"/> Throughout his adolescence, he provided for his family via the money he earned publishing apps on the App Store.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Teen's App Helps Pay Family's Bills|url=https://www.npr.org/2014/05/05/309743657/teens-app-helps-pay-familys-bills|access-date=2021-01-30|website=NPR.org|language=en}}</ref> In an interview with ''People'' magazine regarding his teenage years, Sayman said there were moments in which he did not know how his family would be able to afford to buy food or pay the electricity bill.<ref>{{cite magazine|last=Hansen|first=Lena|date=November 2018|title=Una vida sin secretos|trans-title=|url=|magazine=People en Español|language=Spanish|location=|publisher=|issue=|page=78|pages=|doi=|pmid=|access-date=}}</ref><ref name=":2" />
In 2014, as tech companies were flying Sayman out to tour their campuses and speak at conferences, he still owed tuition to Belen Jesuit Preparatory School, the private high school he attended.<ref name=":4">{{Cite web|last=DeAmicis|first=Carmel|date=September 1, 2014|title=How Facebook's newest teen engineer supported his family with apps until cashing in|url=https://gigaom.com/2014/09/01/how-facebooks-newest-teen-engineer-supported-his-family-with-apps-until-cashing-in/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140902015622/http://gigaom.com/2014/09/01/how-facebooks-newest-teen-engineer-supported-his-family-with-apps-until-cashing-in/|url-status=dead|archive-date=September 2, 2014|access-date=2021-01-30|website=gigaom.com|language=en-US}}</ref> The school refused to give him his graduation certificate due to his inability to pay the outstanding balance he owed.<ref name=":4" />
In August 2018, Sayman publicly came out as gay in an interview with People en Español.<ref>{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=|title=Ingeniero de Google cuenta su verdad: "Soy gay"|url=https://peopleenespanol.com/noticias/mexico/ingeniero-de-google-sale-del-closet/|access-date=2021-01-30|website=People en Español|language=es}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Michael Sayman, exitoso ingeniero hispano de Google, se declara gay|url=https://www.eldia.com.bo/index.php?cat=154&pla=3&id_articulo=258425&id_articulo=258425|access-date=2021-01-30|website=eldia.com.bo| date=November 30, 2001 }}</ref> He said in the interview that he chose to come out because he believed that "this will be able to help other Latinos who go through the same situation."<ref name=":2" /><ref>{{Cite web|title=Sayman: "Tengo miedo de que me vean como el ingeniero que es gay" {{!}} EL DEBER|url=https://eldeber.com.bo/extra/sayman-tengo-miedo-de-que-me-vean-como-el-ingeniero-que-es-gay_36524|access-date=2021-01-30|website=eldeber.com.bo|date=August 25, 2018 |language=es}}</ref>
==Programming career==
=== Early career === Sayman taught himself programming through tutorials he found via Google.{{citation needed|date=April 2025}}
In 2013, Sayman developed an app named "4 Snaps", a turn-based game that gave the user a choice of words, allowed them to take four pictures based on the word they picked, and then sent over to the opponent player to guess what the word was, based on the pictures taken.<ref name=":5">{{Cite web|last=Beasley|first=Mike|date=August 8, 2013|title=Review: 4Snaps is a fun new word game for iOS|url=https://9to5mac.com/2013/08/08/review-4snaps-is-a-fun-new-word-game-for-ios/|access-date=2021-01-30|website=9to5Mac|language=en-US}}</ref> He released the app on August 8, 2013<ref name=":5" /> and by the following year, the app had over one million downloads.<ref name=":0" />
4 Snaps was received with mostly positive reviews.<ref name=":5" /> It peaked at No. 1 on the word games chart with a few million users.<ref name=":6">{{Cite web|title=Facebook's new teens-only app Lifestage turns bios into video profiles|url=https://techcrunch.com/2016/08/19/facebook-lifestage/|access-date=2021-01-30|website=TechCrunch|date=August 19, 2016 }}</ref>
=== Facebook (2014–17) === Sayman joined Facebook when he was 18.<ref name=":7">{{Cite web|title=Facebook teen-in-residence defects to Google and launches Lies|url=https://techcrunch.com/2017/11/15/lies-app/|access-date=2021-01-30|website=TechCrunch|date=November 15, 2017 |language=en-US}}</ref> Mentored by Mark Zuckerberg,<ref name=":3" /> Sayman played a role within the company as the social network's "go-to teen" and as its "teen-in-residence" according to TED. Over the course of 3 years at the company, he worked on developing products for the teenage demographic.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Michael Sayman deja Facebook y se va a Google {{!}} EL DEBER|url=https://eldeber.com.bo/economia/michael-sayman-deja-facebook-y-se-va-a-google_37587|access-date=2021-01-30|website=eldeber.com.bo|date=August 28, 2017 |language=es}}</ref> He helped the social-media company understand how his generation uses technology, advising on experimental products for teens and helping executives understand trends.<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":8">{{Cite news|date=May 2, 2018|title=Google Wunderkind Is Building a Secret Social-Gaming Startup|language=en|work=Bloomberg.com|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-05-02/google-wunderkind-is-building-a-secret-social-gaming-startup|access-date=2021-01-30}}</ref>
While working at Facebook, he launched Lifestage, a standalone, video-centric social app for high school students.<ref name=":6" /> The app was largely focused on the teenage demographic; anyone 22 or older is locked into only being able to see their own profile.<ref>{{Cite web|last=King|first=Hope|date=August 22, 2016|title=Snapchat, is that you? Facebook's new Lifestage app for teens is another clone|url=https://money.cnn.com/2016/08/22/technology/facebook-lifestage/index.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160822165338/http://money.cnn.com/2016/08/22/technology/facebook-lifestage/index.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=August 22, 2016|access-date=2021-01-30|website=CNNMoney}}</ref> When users signed up, with no need for a Facebook account, they would select their high school, and then see the video profiles from people at their school or ones nearby. Sayman released the app on August 19, 2016, for iOS devices in the United States.<ref name=":6" /> The app was met with criticism regarding its privacy model and compared to Snapchat and Yik Yak.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Heath|first=Alex|title=What it's like to use Facebook's new Snapchat competitor that's only for high schoolers|url=https://www.businessinsider.com/lifestage-what-its-like-to-use-facebooks-new-app-for-teens-2016-8|access-date=2021-01-30|website=Business Insider}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Privacy concerns about Facebook LifeStage app|url=https://www.privacytrust.com/blog/privacy-concerns-about-facebook-lifestage-app.html|access-date=2021-01-30|website=www.privacytrust.com}}</ref> Facebook pulled Lifestage from the app store and shut it down on August 4, 2017.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Musil|first=Steven|title=Facebook pulls plug on teen-focused network Lifestage|url=https://www.cnet.com/news/facebook-pulls-plug-on-teen-focused-network-lifestage/|access-date=2021-01-30|website=CNET|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Gartenberg|first=Chaim|date=August 8, 2017|title=Facebook killed its standalone Snapchat app after realizing teens already have Snapchat|url=https://www.theverge.com/2017/8/8/16112384/facebook-lifestage-teen-schools-snapchat-shut-down|access-date=2021-01-30|website=The Verge|language=en}}</ref> Sayman left Facebook that same month.<ref>{{Cite news|date=August 28, 2017|title=Facebook's 21-Year-Old Wunderkind Leaves for Google |work=Bloomberg.com |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-08-28/facebook-s-21-year-old-wunderkind-sayman-leaves-for-google|access-date=2021-01-30}}</ref><ref name=":7" />
===Google=== Sayman joined Google to work on its 'Assistant' project.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Google: Google and Facebook are fighting over this 21 year old|url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/international/world-news/google-and-facebook-are-fighting-over-this-21-year-old/the-21-year-old-wunderkind/slideshow/60275215.cms|access-date=2021-01-30|website=The Economic Times}}</ref> Sayman worked on building a social-gaming startup within Google as part of the company's effort to create offspring companies from within the internet-search conglomerate.<ref name=":8" /><ref name="eldeber.com.bo">{{Cite web|title=El genio Michael Sayman explica los lanzamientos de Google |url=https://eldeber.com.bo/tendencias/el-genio-michael-sayman-explica-los-lanzamientos-de-google_26537 |access-date=2021-01-30 |newspaper=El Deber |date=October 6, 2017 |language=es}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Newton|first=Casey|date=December 15, 2018|title=22 predictions for social media in 2019|url=https://www.theverge.com/2018/12/15/18141595/social-media-predictions-2019-facebook-photo-leak-twitter-youtube|access-date=2021-01-30|website=The Verge}}</ref>
At age 22 in 2019, Sayman's work at Google led to him being chosen to be on Forbes's 30 Under 30 list, a prestigious list of successful professionals under the age of 30.<ref>{{Cite web|title=30 Under 30 2019: Consumer Technology|url=https://www.forbes.com/30-under-30/2019/consumer-technology//|access-date=2021-01-30|website=Forbes|language=en}}</ref> His entry on the list notes his experience as Facebook and his work on Google's "Assistant" function.
=== Post-Google (2020–) === In 2020, Sayman left his role at Google to join Roblox, a video game platform.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Ghosh|first=Shona|title=The 24-year-old whiz kid who was hired by Mark Zuckerberg then Google is leaving to work at Roblox|url=https://www.businessinsider.com/ex-facebook-google-michael-sayman-joins-roblox-2020-12|access-date=2021-01-30|website=Business Insider}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Lee|first=Allen|date=December 21, 2020|title=10 Things You Didn't Know about Michael Sayman|url=https://moneyinc.com/michael-sayman/|access-date=2021-01-30|website=Money Inc|language=en-US}}</ref> Sayman has been described by Semana as "the most influential Latino in Silicon Valley".<ref name=":9" /> A memoir by Sayman, ''App Kid'', that details his upbringing and family life was released in September 2021.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Galuppo|first=Mia|date=August 27, 2021|title=Rights Available: New Books With Hollywood Appeal|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/business-news/rights-available-august-books-with-hollywood-appeal-1235002673/|access-date=2021-08-28|website=The Hollywood Reporter|language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Sayman |first=Michael |title=App kid : how a child of immigrants grabbed a piece of the American dream |publisher=Alfred A. Knopf |date=September 21, 2021 |isbn=978-0-525-65619-7 |location=New York |language=en |oclc=1175678571}}</ref>
In 2022, microblogging platform Twitter hired Sayman to work in a product group called "0–1", focused on new features geared toward younger users.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Lorenz |first=Taylor |date=March 8, 2022 |title=Twitter is looking for younger users. It's turning to the tech world's teen savant to help find them. |newspaper=The Washington Post |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2022/03/08/twitter-teenagers-michael-sayman/ |access-date=2022-03-08}}</ref> Also during this year, Sayman launched a new startup, Friendly Apps, which raised over $3 million from seed investors.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Perez |first=Sarah |date=May 26, 2022 |title=Friendly Apps raises $3 million, pre-product, for apps that improve people's well-being |url=https://techcrunch.com/2022/05/26/michael-sayman-friendly-apps-raises-3-million-for-apps-that-improve-peoples-mental-health-and-physical-well-being/?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS8&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAANmMwjvZZILYw7zXQHRVO6c99O7lk5MRkD5ezRDrQNNFHS4FhlIY_qqe3FxVCOx9Vm7dgxDqB3UcqcIcVWAjsV21Kx1QihIhqyyW9Bl_ifUxhieNNwcX9q_8PiicX32q8kkR6J9EcWdhacZH3COX_aJwlYYEt3vIdOY4Z1PqsLnB |access-date=May 8, 2023 |website=TechCrunch}}</ref>
In 2024, Sayman developed and released a new app, News Ticker, for the Apple Vision Pro. The app went on to become number one in the "News" category among apps sold on the App Store.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Perez |first=Sarah |date=2024-02-12 |title=Over half of Vision Pro-only apps are paid downloads, far more than wider iOS App Store |url=https://techcrunch.com/2024/02/12/over-half-of-vision-pro-only-apps-are-paid-downloads-far-more-than-wider-app-store/ |access-date=2024-02-13 |website=TechCrunch |language=en-US}}</ref> That same year, Meta brought Sayman's SocialAI team on board, where he became a part of Meta's Super Intelligence Labs.
In 2026, Sayman left Meta to join Whop.com as President of Product Ecosystems.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Dixit |first=Pranav |title=I was Facebook's youngest engineer. I left Meta at a moment when AI's lead can change every few months. |url=https://www.businessinsider.com/facebooks-youngest-engineer-at-17-leaving-meta-2026-3 |access-date=2026-05-06 |website=Business Insider |language=en-US}}</ref>
== References == {{reflist}} {{authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Sayman, Michael}} Category:1996 births Category:American people of Bolivian descent Category:Businesspeople from Miami Category:American software engineers Category:21st-century American writers Category:American LGBTQ businesspeople Category:Living people