Klaviyo vs Shopify: Founders, CEOs and History
Klaviyo was founded in 2012 by Andrew Bialecki, Ed Hallen and is led by Andrew Bialecki & Chano Fernández (co-CEOs). Shopify was founded in 2006 by Tobias Lütke, Daniel Weinand, Scott Lake and is led by Tobi Lütke.
Company facts
Founders
Klaviyo
Andrew Bialecki
Andrew Bialecki co-founded Klaviyo in 2012 and has led it since, taking it through its 2023 NYSE IPO and past $1 billion in annual revenue in 2025.
Ed Hallen
Ed Hallen co-founded Klaviyo in 2012 and led product for much of its early history, shaping the flow builder and segmentation tools merchants use. He remains on Klaviyo's board of directors.
Shopify
Tobias Lütke
Tobias Lütke co-founded Shopify after building the Snowdevil snowboard store in Ruby on Rails in 2004. He has led Shopify as CEO since 2008 and holds a founder share that gives him about 40% of total voting power.
Daniel Weinand
Daniel Weinand co-founded Shopify and served as Chief Design Officer and later Chief Culture Officer, shaping the early storefront themes and user interface.
Scott Lake
Scott Lake co-founded Snowdevil and Shopify and served as Shopify's first CEO until 2008, when Lütke took over. He later founded other ventures.
CEOs and their tenures
Klaviyo
- Andrew Bialecki2012–present
Co-Founder & Co-Chief Executive Officer
Co-founded Klaviyo, led it to its 2023 NYSE IPO and $1.234 billion in 2025 revenue; now oversees product, engineering and vision.
Source - Ed Hallen2012–present
Co-Founder & Director
Co-founded Klaviyo and led early product development.
Source - Amanda Whalen2022–present
Chief Financial Officer
Led finance through the 2023 IPO and reports quarterly results and guidance.
Source - Chano Fernández2026–present
Co-Chief Executive Officer
Former Workday co-CEO and Klaviyo board member since 2023; appointed co-CEO effective January 1, 2026 to lead go-to-market, operations and G&A.
Source
Shopify
- Daniel Weinand2006–2019
Co-Founder
Designed Shopify's initial core user interface and design system, establishing the clean and intuitive visual framework that empowered millions of merchants to build online stores.
Source - Tobias Lütke2008–present
Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer
Co-founder, original engineer and CEO since 2008, Lütke has guided Shopify from a snowboard-store codebase to a platform with $11.56 billion of 2025 revenue.
Source - Harley Finkelstein2020–present
President
Joined in 2010 and became President in 2020; leads commercial operations, partnerships and public communication.
Source - Jeff Hoffmeister2022–present
Chief Financial Officer
Former Morgan Stanley banker who joined as CFO in 2022 and oversaw the return to double-digit free cash flow margins.
Source
Timeline: Klaviyo and Shopify side by side
2004Shopify
Snowdevil Snowboard Store Engineered
Tobias Lütke builds a custom Ruby on Rails shopping platform to sell snowboards online after rejecting clunky legacy e-commerce tools.
2006Shopify
Commercial Launch of Shopify
Lütke, Lake, and Weinand officially launch Shopify in Ottawa, offering subscription-based storefronts to small business entrepreneurs.
2009Shopify
Shopify API & App Store Ecosystem
Shopify introduces its developer API and App Store, sparking a large global developer ecosystem that builds thousands of custom merchant extensions.
2012Klaviyo
Klaviyo founded in Boston
Andrew Bialecki and Ed Hallen started Klaviyo.
2013Shopify
Launch of Shopify Payments
Shopify launches integrated payment processing, capturing a lucrative percentage fee on global Gross Merchandise Volume (GMV).
2015Shopify
Dual TSX and NYSE Initial Public Offering
Shopify completes its dual IPO in Toronto and New York under ticker SHOP, raising $131 million to fuel international merchant expansion.
2017Shopify
Shop Pay Accelerated Checkout Introduced
Shopify releases Shop Pay, providing accelerated one-click checkout conversion across millions of storefronts and merchant apps.
2021Klaviyo
$320 million Series D at a $9.15 billion valuation
Klaviyo raised $320 million in May 2021 in a round led by Sands Capital, with Accel and Summit Partners participating, valuing the company at $9.15 billion.
2022Klaviyo
Shopify partnership
Shopify became a strategic partner and investor.
2023Klaviyo
NYSE IPO
Klaviyo began trading on the NYSE as KVYO in September 2023.
2023Shopify
Divestiture of Logistics Arm Deliverr
Shopify divests its capital-intensive fulfillment network to Flexport, shedding heavy logistics overhead and refocusing on high-margin software and enterprise retail.
2025Klaviyo
$1.234 billion revenue; co-CEO named
Revenue grew 32%; in December Klaviyo named Chano Fernández co-CEO effective January 1, 2026.
2025Shopify
Surpassing $11.55 Billion in Annual Revenue
Shopify reports $11.556 billion in revenues, $1.231 billion in net income, and transfers its primary US stock listing to Nasdaq under ticker SHOP.
2026Klaviyo
Q2 revenue $370.6 million; guidance raised
Revenue grew 26%, customers passed 205,000 and FY26 guidance rose to $1.526-$1.534 billion.
2026Shopify
Q2 2026 Growth Accelerates
Shopify reports 34% revenue growth and $115.6 billion of GMV for Q2 2026, after authorizing a $2 billion share buyback in February.
Acquisitions
Shopify
- Deliverr2022$2.1B
- Handshake2019Undisclosed
- 6 River Systems2019$450M
- Boltmade2016Undisclosed
- Kit CRM2016Undisclosed
- Tiny Hearts2016Undisclosed
Questions about Klaviyo vs Shopify
Who is the CEO of Klaviyo, Inc. and Shopify Inc.?
Klaviyo, Inc. is led by Andrew Bialecki & Chano Fernández (co-CEOs) and Shopify Inc. is led by Tobi Lütke. Both serve as the top executive responsible for the company's strategy, operations, and financial performance.
When was Klaviyo, Inc. founded vs Shopify Inc.?
Shopify Inc. was founded in 2006 — 6 years before Klaviyo, Inc., which was founded in 2012. Shopify Inc.'s longer operating history gives it a deeper track record but also potentially more institutional inertia compared to the younger Klaviyo, Inc..
How many employees does Klaviyo, Inc. have compared to Shopify Inc.?
Klaviyo, Inc. employs approximately 2,368 people, while Shopify Inc. employs approximately 7,600. Shopify Inc. has the larger workforce at 7,600 employees, compared to Klaviyo, Inc.'s 2,368. A higher headcount does not necessarily imply greater efficiency — it often reflects differences in business model (e.g., manufacturing vs. software).
Where are Klaviyo, Inc. and Shopify Inc. headquartered?
Klaviyo, Inc. is headquartered in United States and Shopify Inc. is headquartered in Canada. Their different home markets mean they may face different regulatory frameworks, tax regimes, and currency exposure.
Who founded Klaviyo, Inc. and Shopify Inc.?
Klaviyo, Inc. was founded by Andrew Bialecki, Ed Hallen. Shopify Inc. was founded by Tobias Lütke, Daniel Weinand, Scott Lake.
Which company has a longer operating history — Klaviyo, Inc. or Shopify Inc.?
Shopify Inc. has been operating for approximately 20 years, making it the more established of the two companies. Klaviyo, Inc. has been in operation for around 14 years. A longer operating history often signals greater institutional resilience and brand recognition, though it can also mean slower adaptation to new market conditions.
Figures come from each company's filings and the sources linked beside them. Amounts reported in another currency are shown in US dollars at an approximate rate and marked with ~. Back to the Klaviyo vs Shopify overview