Okta vs Twilio: Founders, CEOs and History
Okta was founded in 2009 by Todd McKinnon, Frederic Kerrest and is led by Todd McKinnon. Twilio was founded in 2008 by Jeff Lawson, John Wolthuis, Evan Cooke and is led by Khozema Shipchandler.
Company facts
Founders
Okta
Todd McKinnon
Todd McKinnon co-founded Okta in 2009 and has been its CEO since the start. At Salesforce he ran engineering during its early growth, which shaped his view that SaaS adoption would make identity, not the network perimeter, the core of enterprise security.
Frederic Kerrest
Frederic Kerrest co-founded Okta with Todd McKinnon in 2009 and led its early sales, partnerships and operations as chief operating officer, later serving as executive vice chairman.
Twilio
Jeff Lawson
Jeff Lawson co-founded Twilio in 2008 and was CEO until January 2024, leading it through its 2016 IPO and the SendGrid and Segment acquisitions. He wrote Ask Your Developer (2021) about developer-led software.
John Wolthuis
John Wolthuis co-founded Twilio in 2008 and worked on its early engineering.
Evan Cooke
Evan Cooke co-founded Twilio in 2008 and served as its early chief technology officer, building the systems that connected web APIs to the telephone network.
CEOs and their tenures
Okta
- Todd McKinnon2009–present
Co-Founder & Chief Executive Officer
Has led Okta since founding, through its 2017 IPO, the 2021 Auth0 deal and its turn to GAAP profitability in fiscal 2025.
Source - Frederic Kerrest2009–2023
Co-Founder; former COO and Executive Vice Chairman
Built Okta's early sales, partnerships and operations.
Source - Brett Tighe2022–present
Chief Financial Officer
Oversaw margin expansion to a 30% free cash flow margin in fiscal 2026, the cash settlement of the 2026 convertible notes and the share buyback.
Source
Twilio
- Jeff Lawson2008–2024
Co-founder and CEO
Built Twilio into the leading developer-first communications API company and led it through the 2016 IPO.
Source - Aidan Viggiano2023–present
Chief Financial Officer
Oversees Twilio's financial reporting, guidance, and share repurchase program.
Source - Khozema Shipchandler2024–present
Chief Executive Officer
Leads Twilio's profitability reset, product simplification, Segment and CustomerAI strategy, and enterprise customer engagement push.
Source
Timeline: Okta and Twilio side by side
2008Twilio
Company Founded
Jeff Lawson, Evan Cooke, and John Wolthuis founded Twilio and launched its first voice API for developers.
2009Okta
Founded as Saasure in San Francisco
Todd McKinnon and Frederic Kerrest start the company; it is soon renamed Okta.
2010Twilio
SMS API Launched
Twilio added programmable SMS, which became its largest product line.
2016Twilio
NYSE IPO
Twilio listed on the NYSE under the ticker TWLO in June 2016, pricing shares at $15.
2017Okta
Nasdaq IPO (OKTA)
Okta lists in April 2017 at $17 per share, raising about $187 million.
2019Twilio
SendGrid Acquisition
Twilio completed its all-stock acquisition of email platform SendGrid, announced at about $2 billion.
2020Twilio
Segment Acquisition
Twilio acquired customer data platform Segment for about $3.2 billion, its largest deal.
2021Okta
Auth0 acquisition closes
Okta completes its roughly $6.5 billion all-stock purchase of Auth0 in May 2021, adding customer identity.
2021Twilio
Revenue Passes $2.8 Billion
Twilio reported FY2021 revenue of $2.842 billion, up 61% year over year, with a net loss of $949.9 million.
2023Okta
Support system breach
An October 2023 compromise of Okta's customer support system exposed customer data and hurt trust.
2023Twilio
Restructuring
Twilio cut about 17% of its workforce in February 2023 and made further reductions later in the year as it shifted toward profitability.
2024Twilio
CEO Transition
Co-founder Jeff Lawson stepped down as CEO in January 2024 and Khozema Shipchandler succeeded him.
2025Okta
First full year of GAAP profit
Fiscal 2025 revenue reaches $2.610 billion with $28 million of GAAP net income.
2025Twilio
First Full-Year GAAP Profit and Stytch Deal
Twilio reported FY2025 revenue of $5.067 billion and net income of $33.8 million, and completed its acquisition of identity platform Stytch on November 14, 2025.
2026Okta
Fiscal 2026: $2.919B revenue, $235M net income
Revenue grows 12% and free cash flow reaches $863 million.
2026Okta
Permiso deal and Okta for AI Agents
Okta agrees to buy Permiso Security in July 2026 and launches AI agent identity products at Oktane in September 2026.
2026Twilio
Growth Re-accelerates
Twilio reported Q2 2026 revenue of $1.50 billion, up 22%, and raised its 2026 revenue growth outlook to 18%-18.5%.
Acquisitions
Okta
- Permiso Security2026Undisclosed
- Axiom Security2025Undisclosed
- Spera Security2023Undisclosed
- Auth02021$6.5B
Questions about Okta vs Twilio
Who is the CEO of Okta, Inc. and Twilio Inc.?
Okta, Inc. is led by Todd McKinnon and Twilio Inc. is led by Khozema Shipchandler. Both serve as the top executive responsible for the company's strategy, operations, and financial performance.
When was Okta, Inc. founded vs Twilio Inc.?
Twilio Inc. was founded in 2008 — 1 year before Okta, Inc., which was founded in 2009. Twilio Inc.'s longer operating history gives it a deeper track record but also potentially more institutional inertia compared to the younger Okta, Inc..
How many employees does Okta, Inc. have compared to Twilio Inc.?
Okta, Inc. employs approximately 6,366 people, while Twilio Inc. employs approximately 5,492. Okta, Inc. has the larger workforce at 6,366 employees, compared to Twilio Inc.'s 5,492. A higher headcount does not necessarily imply greater efficiency — it often reflects differences in business model (e.g., manufacturing vs. software).
Where are Okta, Inc. and Twilio Inc. headquartered?
Both Okta, Inc. and Twilio Inc. are headquartered in United States, meaning they operate under the same primary regulatory and tax environment.
Who founded Okta, Inc. and Twilio Inc.?
Okta, Inc. was founded by Todd McKinnon, Frederic Kerrest. Twilio Inc. was founded by Jeff Lawson, John Wolthuis, Evan Cooke.
Which company has a longer operating history — Okta, Inc. or Twilio Inc.?
Twilio Inc. has been operating for approximately 18 years, making it the more established of the two companies. Okta, Inc. has been in operation for around 17 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 Okta vs Twilio overview