The history of X, formerly known as Twitter, can be traced back to a brainstorming session at Odeo.
Major events Time period Key developments at X/Twitter March 2006March 2007 Twitter launches as a product of parent company Odeo. It grows slowly until March 2007, where usage grows dramatically after it is showcased at the South by Southwest (SXSW) conference. April 2007October 2008 Twitter grows rapidly under CEO Jack Dorsey, completing two funding rounds and launching official support for hashtags. October 2008October 2010 Jack Dorsey steps down, and Evan Williams takes over as CEO. Twitter raises money, gets celebrity endorsements and publicity, and continues to grow rapidly. The first tweet from space occurs during this period. Twitter also announces that it will start allowing for advertising in the form of promoted tweets – "ordinary tweets that businesses and individuals want to highlight to a wider group of users." October 2010October 2013 Evan Williams steps down as CEO, and Dick Costolo takes over. October 2013 Twitter announces plans and files relevant legal documents in October 2013 so as to go public. In November 2013, it has its initial public offering. Post-IPO, the company's pace of acquisitions increases dramatically. November 2014present With the launch of features such as Instant Timeline, While You Were Away, Quality Filter, Curator, and Moments, Twitter diversifies beyond just being a reverse chronological stream of tweets by people you already follow. July 2015present Dick Costolo departs Twitter and Jack Dorsey assumes the role of interim CEO. Commentators note that the "founder's instincts" are influencing the product's new direction. April 2022 Elon Musk and Twitter board reach a deal for Musk to acquire the company for $44billion and take it private. July 2023 Elon Musk rebrands Twitter to X.March 2025xAI acquires X Corp. for $33 billion.February 2026SpaceX acquires xAI for $250 billion.
Full timeline