The age of the billion dollar startups

There was a time not too long ago when the only way to get really, really rich was to build something amazing like Henry Ford with cars, find something valuable like oil, or get really lucky. Today, the fastest and “easiest” way for people to become filthy rich is to build an internet startup and make it into something special.

It may seem easier than finding a gold mine in your backyard, but the odds aren’t as good as some thing. Companies like Facebook, Twitter, Zynga, and Instagram each hit a niche at the exact right time. None of them were the first to do what they do and an argument could be made that they’re not the best technology to fulfill their calling, but something put them in the right place at the right time with the right drive to get their services to the top. The amazing thing to consider is that today, you don’t really need anything physical. They made their billions through the virtual world, even though sites like Groupon and AirBNB do require real-world interaction to make them work.

In the infographic below, Staff.com explores some of the billion dollar startups that have popped up in the last decade, received good rounds of funding, and moved on to completely dominate their niches.