Jeremy and Russel

Yelp

Looking for a killer cheeseburger? Thanks to University of Illinois graduates and Yelp cofounders Jeremy Stoppelman and Russel Simmons, you’re just a couple of clicks away.

Make It Champaign-Urbana > Innovation > Jeremy and Russel, Yelp
JEREMY STOPPLEMAN AND RUSSEL SIMMONS

JEREMY STOPPLEMAN AND RUSSEL SIMMONS

JEREMY STOPPLEMAN AND RUSSEL SIMMONS
JEREMY STOPPLEMAN AND RUSSEL SIMMONS

FOUNDERS OF YELP

In the summer of 2004, Jeremy Stoppelman got the flu and had a hard time finding recommendations for a local doctor. You can probably guess what happened next. He and former PayPal colleague Russel Simmons brainstormed ideas on how to create an online community where users could share recommendations for local services.

As of 2015, Yelp has 142 million monthly visitors and more than 77 million reviews. Today, Yelp has a market cap of $2.6 billion. As it turns out, it was a pretty good thing that Stoppelman couldn’t find that doctor.

Thanks to Yelp, your quest for the best garlic naan is a lot easier. You’re welcome.