Telegram is worth $30 billion with just 30 employees and no HR

Telegram, a cloud-based instant messaging and social media app, is writing new rules for scaling its technology business. The company is valued at $30 billion and has over 1 billion monthly active users; yet, it operates with a lean setup.

Telegram achieves a massive global reach with a remarkably small team of 30 employees led by founder Pavel Durov. The messaging company operates on an extreme efficiency model that spurns ‘traditional corporate structures.’

The lack of an HR department or multiple office locations is not an oversight; it is a deliberate design choice. In the traditional tech world, growth often means adding layers of bureaucracy that slow down decision-making.

This administrative strategy challenges Silicon Valley growth models by proving that massive scale does not require an equally enormous overhead.

Founder Pavel Durov, who is also known for his work with the Russian social network VKontakte, created Telegram with a focus on efficient operations and a high level of autonomy.

Durov’s philosophy is based on trusting a small team of highly skilled specialists while automating as much as possible. He emphasizes the importance of deep technical expertise over a rigid managerial hierarchy.

Automation primarily enables this lean approach, as the platform relies heavily on advanced coding and smart systems to manage scaling, maintenance, and basic user issues.

Extreme trust is established among the 30 highly skilled employees, each of whom is given considerable responsibility. This approach eliminates the need for layers of middle management and bureaucratic oversight. Additionally, the focus on remote operations means there is no central office, which significantly reduces costs and time associated with real estate, commuting, and internal meetings.

Telegram has deliberately avoided this corporate bloat to remain agile and fast-moving. This allows the company to focus resources almost entirely on technical development and server infrastructure.

Durov’s model suggests that unnecessary processes and personnel burden most large companies. For a high-tech platform, efficiency is arguably the most beneficial asset.

About Telegram

Telegram is a secure, cloud-based application primarily used for messaging and calling. It allows users to send messages, photos, videos, and various files to individuals and groups. Key features include support for large groups of up to 200,000 members and channels for broadcasting content to an unlimited audience. Its strong encryption options and cloud storage capability enable seamless multi-device access.