Founded in 2004 by Will Harvey and Eric Ries, IMVU was created as a 3D avatar-based social network and instant messaging service. While traditional tech companies of that era spent years perfecting a product before launch, IMVU’s founders took a radical approach:
The story of is a hallmark of Silicon Valley entrepreneurship, serving as the real-world foundation for the Lean Startup methodology. Origins and Unconventional Strategy IMVU.svb
: To manage adult content, IMVU introduced an "Access Pass" for users 18 and older, requiring third-party age verification to access restricted areas. Founded in 2004 by Will Harvey and Eric