How Instagram's Co-Founder Spent His Year After Facebook's $1 Billion Acquisition A look at Kevin Systrom's last 12 months -- by way of his Instagram photos.

By Alyson Shontell

This story originally appeared on Business Insider

instagram.com/kevin/
Kevin Systrom with singer/celebrity Carly Rae Jepson.

On April 9, 2012, Kevin Systrom and Mike Krieger sold their 13-person startup, Instagram, to Facebook.

Facebook purchased the photo filter app 18 months after its launch for $1 billion: $300 million in cash, the rest in Facebook stock.

What has the year been like for Systrom since selling his company?

Here's what he's been up to through (how else?) Instagram photos.

About one month after the Facebook sale, Systrom and Krieger took their team on an off-site spring trip to Napa.

About one month after the Facebook sale, Systrom and Krieger took their team on an off-site spring trip to Napa.

Systrom stopped by his old high school, Middlesex boarding school, a few days later.

There, he paid a visit to his old photography professor.

In New York, Instagram was recognized as the "Breakout of the Year" and received a Webby Award.

For Memorial Day weekend, Systrom spent time with friends at The Parker in Palm Springs.

Then it was off to NYC for the Veuve Clicquot Polo Classic which Systrom attended with one of his investors, Thrive Capital's Joshua Kushner.

Related: Female Founder Launches 'Fit Or Not,' A Hot-Or-Not For Women's Chests

The jetsetting continued. Systrom spent mid-June in London, where he ate this for brunch one morning.

Systrom returned state-side to finish out the month at a friend's wedding, then lounged on a boat in Lake Tahoe.

Meanwhile, the Instagram team was still hard at work. In mid-August, Instagram 3.0 was released.

Systrom and his girlfriend Nicole flew up to Oregon and spent some time at the shore.

And in early September, Systrom set off abroad again.

Related: Actually, Snapchat Doesn't Delete Your Private Pictures And Someone Found A Way To Resurface Them

This time, he headed to Tokyo.

He took this shot while jogging by the Imperial Palace there.

After a long summer of travel, on September 17, Systrom started work at Facebook's headquarters in Palo Alto.

Working at the Facebook headquarters came with some perks. Here's Systrom meeting singer/celebrity Carly Rae Jepson.

Down in LA, Systrom got to play DJ for the West Hollywood Halloween Carnival. He did the same one month earlier in Vegas with actor Adrian Grenier.

Related: It's Official: 4 Young Founders Just Bought A $40 Million Mountain To Party On

In early December, Systrom took off for Europe again, this time to Paris.

He spent his birthday and New Years in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. He took a few quick trips to Jackson Hole over the winter.

In late February, Instagram hit its 100 millionth user.

In late March/early April, about one year after the Facebook acquisition, Systrom and his girlfriend relaxed in Hawaii.

Alyson is a Senior Reporter at Business Insider.

Want to be an Entrepreneur Leadership Network contributor? Apply now to join.

Business Ideas

70 Small Business Ideas to Start in 2025

We put together a list of the best, most profitable small business ideas for entrepreneurs to pursue in 2025.

Science & Technology

Generative AI Is Completely Reshaping Education. Here's Why Leaders Can't Afford to Ignore It.

From dorm-room startups to faculty-built chatbots, the future of learning is being rewritten right now — and the institutions that can't keep up are getting left behind.

Business News

Baby Boomers Over 75 Are Getting Richer, Causing a 'Massive' Wealth Divide, According to a New Report

A new paper outlines the three factors driving the generational wealth divide. Here's how some baby boomers keep getting richer.

Buying / Investing in Business

From a $120M Acquisition to a $1.3T Market

Co-ownership is creating big opportunities for entrepreneurs.

Buying / Investing in Business

Big Investors Are Betting on This 'Unlisted' Stock

You can join them as an early-stage investor as this company disrupts a $1.3T market.

Business News

'A Necessary Decision': Nestlé CEO Ousted After Revelation of Romantic Relationship With Subordinate

CEO Laurent Freixe was dismissed after an internal investigation found a violation of Nestlé's code of business conduct.