In 2012, Sam Altman sold Loopt to Green Dot for $43.4 million.
Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, recently shared a personal experience he had early in his career. He recalled how, while working tirelessly on his first startup, Loopt, with his then-boyfriend Nick Sivo, he unintentionally neglected his health to the point that he was diagnosed with scurvy, a condition caused by a serious vitamin C deficiency. General weakness, anemia, gum problems and skin bleeding are some of the symptoms of scurvy.
In an interview with New York Magazine, Mr. Altman said that he and Mr. Sivo at the time were committed to developing Loopt, a software designed to track friends’ locations, after securing a $6,000 investment through a founder program. The grant allowed him to stay in Cambridge, Massachusetts, for a few months, working with fellow technology enthusiasts.
However, Mr. Altman’s focus on creating Loopt caused him to overlook his nutritional needs to the point where he suffered from scurvy as a result of eating inadequate amounts of fruits and vegetables. As he admitted in his interview with New York Magazine, despite his efforts, Loopt did not become as well known as he had hoped. Nevertheless, he was reminded by this experience to place a higher priority on maintaining a healthy work-life balance.
As a result, he made the decision to sell Loopt, take a year off and spend his free time reading, traveling and playing video games, the outlet said. He even traveled to an ashram, which he said had a major impact on how mentally well he was. Altman sold the company to Green Dot for $43.4 million in 2012.
ChatGPT’s founder told New York Magazine: “It had a profound impact on me. While I recognize that I may still go through periods of stress and anxiety in various areas of my life, I generally feel very relaxed and happy. “
