# Nick Woodman

> Nick Woodman is the founder and CEO of GoPro, the action camera company he built from a rubber band and a wrist-mounted 35mm film camera during a 2002 surf trip in Australia. After two failed dot-com startups, he turned a frustrated attempt to photograph himself surfing into one of the world's most recognized camera brands. GoPro went public in 2014 at a $2.25B valuation, making Woodman briefly the highest-paid CEO in America. Despite a severe post-2015 downturn, he remains at the helm, having waived his salary, personally invested $2M in company stock, and launched the Mission 1 camera line in 2026.

- **Role:** Founder and CEO at GoPro, Inc.
- **Organizations:** GoPro, Inc., Woodman Labs, Jill + Nicholas Woodman Foundation
- **From:** Menlo Park, California, USA
- **Nationality:** American
- **Education:** High School Diploma, Menlo School, B.A. in Visual Arts, Minor in Creative Writing, University of California, San Diego (UCSD), Muir College
- **Known for:** Founded GoPro (Woodman Labs) in 2002 and grew it to a $2.25B valuation by 2012, Led GoPro's IPO on NASDAQ in June 2014, Highest-paid U.S. CEO in 2014 with $235M in compensation

## Career timeline

- **1997** — Graduated UCSD; founded EmpowerAll.com (failed e-commerce startup selling electronics with a $2 max markup)
- **1999** — Founded Funbug, a gaming and marketing platform; raised ~$4M during dot-com boom
- **2001** — Funbug shut down; lost $4M; committed to finding a real product idea by age 30
- **2002** — Surfing trip to Australia and Indonesia sparks idea for a wrist-mounted camera; founded Woodman Labs, Inc. on January 1
- **2002-2003** — Raised $200K from father, $35K + sewing machine from mother; sold Balinese shell necklaces from a VW bus with then-girlfriend Jill to raise $10K in startup capital
- **2004** — First GoPro product launched: rebranded Hotax 35mm film camera with custom wrist strap ($3.05 wholesale, ~$30 retail); debuted at Action Sports Retailer convention; $150K in revenue
- **2005** — GoPro Hero appears on QVC; revenue doubles to $350K
- **2006-2011** — Sales double every year; company transitions from film to digital cameras
- **2012** — GoPro sells 2.3 million cameras annually; Foxconn purchases 8.88% stake for $200M, valuing company at $2.25B
- **2013** — Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year award (retail/consumer products category)
- **2014** — GoPro IPO on NASDAQ (June 26); shares opened at $24, closed at $31.34; Woodman earns $235M - highest-paid U.S. CEO; UCSD Outstanding Alumnus award; Emmy Award for Technology & Engineering
- **2015** — NHL partnership; appeared on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert; guest shark on Shark Tank Season 6; donated 5.8M shares (~$500M) to Jill + Nicholas Woodman Foundation
- **2016** — 7% workforce reduction (entertainment division struggles); 15% additional layoffs after entertainment division folds; class action lawsuit filed
- **2017** — Further layoffs; GoPro stock continues to decline
- **2018** — Karma drone line discontinued; workforce drops below 1,000
- **2021** — GoPro wins 2nd Emmy Award for HyperSmooth In-Camera Stabilization
- **2024** — GoPro announces 15% staff reduction; Woodman outlines restructuring strategy
- **2025-03** — Woodman voluntarily declines his own salary to support cost-cutting measures
- **2025-11** — Woodman personally invests $2M in GoPro Class A common stock via affiliated trust
- **2026-04** — GoPro unveils Mission 1 camera line at NAB Show: GP3 processor, 1-inch sensor, 50MP - wins 3 NAB Show industry awards

## Achievements

- Founded GoPro (Woodman Labs) in 2002 and grew it to a $2.25B valuation by 2012
- Led GoPro's IPO on NASDAQ in June 2014
- Highest-paid U.S. CEO in 2014 with $235M in compensation
- Emmy Award for Technology & Engineering (2014) - Inexpensive Small Rugged HD Camcorders
- GoPro Emmy Award for HyperSmooth In-Camera Stabilization (2021)
- GoPro 3rd Emmy Award for 360 technology innovations
- Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year 2013 (retail/consumer products)
- UCSD Outstanding Alumnus Award 2014
- GoPro Mission 1 cameras win 3 NAB Show industry awards (April 2026)
- Built one of the most recognizable consumer camera brands in history
- Donated ~$500M in GoPro shares to the Jill + Nicholas Woodman Foundation post-IPO
- Pioneer in wearable and action camera technology market

## Latest updates

- **2026-04** — GoPro unveils Mission 1 camera series at NAB Show - three cameras with GP3 processor, 1-inch sensor and 50MP capability, winning 3 NAB industry awards
- **2025-11** — Woodman personally invests $2M in GoPro Class A common stock via affiliated trust, citing excitement about 2026 product pipeline
- **2025-03** — Woodman voluntarily waives his CEO salary starting March 19 to support company cost-cutting measures
- **2024-01** — GoPro announces 15% staff reduction as part of broader restructuring; Woodman outlines path to profitability through hardware and software subscriptions

## Links

- Website: https://gopro.com
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicholas-woodman-73635121/
- Twitter/X: https://x.com/nick__woodman
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/n.woodman/

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Profile page: https://yespress.io/nick-woodman
Published by YesPress — https://yespress.io
Last updated: 2026-04-29