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Nathan Sharp

Co-founding something new (Former Director of Product Management at Meta)

Nathan Sharp is the Co-founder and CEO of Lone Palm Labs, Inc., a consumer technology company focused on social applications for friends and family.1 He co-founded the company in 2022 with Ryan Olson after they both left Meta (formerly Facebook).6

Career Background

Nathan has an extensive background in product management and entrepreneurship:

  • Prior to founding Lone Palm Labs, Nathan worked at Meta (Facebook) for over 6 years, rising to the position of Director of Product Management.2
  • At Meta, he led critical initiatives including Instagram Stories, Facebook Dating, and flagship metaverse experiences for Horizon Worlds.2
  • He was a Product Manager at Instagram from January 2016 to August 2017, where he launched and grew Instagram Stories.2
  • Before joining Meta, Nathan co-founded Nifti, a shopping service, which he ran from 2012 to 2015.2

Education

Nathan holds impressive educational credentials:

  • MBA from the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth College (2010-2012)2
  • BA in Social Studies from Harvard University (2004-2008)2

Current Role

As CEO of Lone Palm Labs, Nathan is currently focused on building Retro, a friends-only photo journal app available on iOS and Android.1 Retro aims to create a more intimate and private social media experience, focusing on sharing with close friends and family rather than building a large public following.4

Philosophy and Approach

Nathan's approach to product development emphasizes:

  • Simplicity and focus on human connections4
  • Privacy and data protection (no selling or renting user data, no AI training on user photos)5
  • Building sustainable businesses, whether venture-backed or not4

Nathan Sharp, along with his co-founder Ryan Olson, is leveraging his experience from Instagram and Meta to create social applications that prioritize close relationships and private sharing in an era where many social media platforms are pivoting towards creator-focused and entertainment-driven models.34

Highlights

Jun 6 · TechCrunch
Beyond Instagram: Introducing the next generation of social apps
Beyond Instagram: Introducing the next generation of social apps
Mar 18 · twitter

New favorite @retrodotapp feature: Sticker Recaps https://t.co/pnSNt7w8dh

New favorite @retrodotapp feature: Sticker Recaps https://t.co/pnSNt7w8dh
Feb 13 · twitter

So stoked to welcome @rafahari to the team

Dec 12 · TechCrunch
Retro, a photo sharing app for friends, lets you ‘time-travel’ through your Camera Roll
Retro, a photo sharing app for friends, lets you ‘time-travel’ through your Camera Roll
Jul 11 · techcrunch.com
Photo-sharing startup Retro spots Google Photos copying its idea ...
Retro Is an Anti-Instagram App Focused on Small-Scale, Cozy ...
Retro Is an Anti-Instagram App Focused on Small-Scale, Cozy ...
Meet the founders of 18 startups disrupting the social-media scene ...
Meet the founders of 18 startups disrupting the social-media scene ...
A New VC-Beloved Startup Rips a Page From Meta's Playbook

Related Questions

What inspired Nathan Sharp to transition from Meta to founding Lone Palm Labs?
How did Nathan Sharp's experience at Instagram influence his approach to building Retro?
What are Nathan Sharp's future plans for Lone Palm Labs and Retro?
How did Nathan Sharp's background in architecture and policy shape his career in tech?
What challenges did Nathan Sharp face when launching Instagram Stories?
Nathan Sharp
Nathan Sharp, photo 1
Nathan Sharp, photo 2
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Location

San Francisco Bay Area