LinkedIn’s headquarters are located in Sunnyvale, California, in the heart of Silicon Valley. LinkedIn is the world’s largest professional networking platform with over 810 million members in over 200 countries and territories worldwide as of October 2022. The company was founded in 2002 and has grown to become a leading platform for professionals to connect, share information, and find job opportunities. LinkedIn established its headquarters in Silicon Valley to be close to the talent and resources that have made the region world famous for technology and innovation.
History of LinkedIn’s Headquarters
LinkedIn was founded in December 2002 by Reid Hoffman, Allen Blue, Konstantin Guericke, Eric Ly, and Jean-Luc Vaillant. The company’s first headquarters was located in Mountain View, California. In February 2004, LinkedIn moved its headquarters to Palo Alto, California.
In May 2009, LinkedIn announced it would be moving its headquarters to a larger office complex in Palo Alto to accommodate the company’s rapid growth. At this new location at 2029 Stierlin Court, LinkedIn occupied approximately 33,000 square feet over two floors.
As LinkedIn continued expanding, in February 2011 the company announced plans to move its headquarters again to a much larger facility. LinkedIn leased two buildings in nearby Sunnyvale, California with approximately 158,000 square feet of office space. This new corporate headquarters on Mathilda Avenue became LinkedIn’s main hub starting in late 2011.
In 2016, LinkedIn leased an additional 91,000 square feet in the same office park in Sunnyvale to further expand its headquarters. Today LinkedIn’s Sunnyvale headquarters spans three buildings with nearly 250,000 square feet of office space occupied by over 2,500 employees.
Reasons for Selecting Sunnyvale
There were several key reasons why LinkedIn chose to establish its long-term corporate headquarters in Sunnyvale:
– Talent Pool – Sunnyvale and Silicon Valley have a dense concentration of skilled technology workers which makes recruitment easier.
– Tech Ecosystem – The innovative tech culture and infrastructure of Silicon Valley helps foster creativity.
– Strategic Location – Sunnyvale is centrally located in Silicon Valley close to San Francisco and San Jose airports.
– Room for Growth – The larger campus provided LinkedIn space to rapidly expand its workforce.
– Cost of Real Estate – Commercial real estate costs, although high, were less expensive than locations such as Palo Alto.
– Quality of Life – The area provides nice neighborhoods, good schools, and abundant amenities to help attract employees.
LinkedIn’s Sunnyvale Headquarters
LinkedIn’s global headquarters today consists of three main office buildings located at 1000, 1050, and 1100 West Maude Avenue in Sunnyvale, California:
1000 West Maude – LinkedIn’s first Sunnyvale building was completed in 2011. It provides 158,000 square feet over 5 floors.
1050 West Maude – Completed in 2014, this building offers 91,000 square feet over 4 floors.
1100 West Maude – The newest building was finished in 2019 and has 82,000 square feet of space across 3 floors.
Some key facts and features of LinkedIn’s headquarters:
– Approximately 250,000 total square feet
– Modern, eco-friendly office interiors designed to foster collaboration
– Recreation center with a gym, pool, tennis courts, sports fields
– Video game rooms, nap pods, cafes, and other on-site amenities
– “InDays” where the entire company comes together for strategy meetings
– Onsite professional development, including LinkedIn Learning course library
– Shuttle buses provided for employees from San Francisco and other areas
What is Found Inside LinkedIn’s Headquarters?
LinkedIn has optimized its Sunnyvale campus to support employee needs and align with its mission to connect professionals worldwide. Some highlights of what can be found inside LinkedIn’s headquarters:
– Open concept office spaces with sit-stand desks
– Phone booths for private calls and video conferencing
– Fully stocked kitchens on every floor with free snacks and beverages
– Large cafeterias providing gourmet meals for breakfast, lunch, and dinner
– Wellness rooms for meditation, yoga, and mothers
– Gyms equipped with weights, treadmills, and fitness classes
– Game lounges with ping pong, pool, arcade cabinets, and gaming consoles
– Nap pods for power naps and private rooms for nursing mothers
– Coffee bars with baristas serving specialty espresso drinks
– Company store to purchase LinkedIn-branded apparel and swag
– Bike storage and repair shop for employees to fix or tune their bicycles
– Outdoor recreational facilities including basketball and volleyball courts
– Auditorium for all-hands meetings, guest speaker presentations, and events
– Training rooms for professional development workshops and coding classes
Notable Office Features
LinkedIn designed its headquarters to inspire employees and optimize collaboration. Here are some of the most notable features of their Sunnyvale offices:
Recreation Center – The HQ recreation facility includes a full-size gym, outdoor pool, tennis and basketball courts, soccer field, and walking trails. Employees can exercise and relax on breaks.
InDays – Every few weeks, LinkedIn hosts exclusive on-campus events called InDays for all employees. InDays involve keynote speeches from leadership, innovation workshops, and memorable experiences to bring the global workforce together.
The Garage – This on-campus incubator is a dedicated innovation lab where employees can work on passion projects and develop new product concepts outside their normal roles. The Garage embodies LinkedIn’s “test and learn” philosophy.
Team Huddles – These are circles on the floor that facilitate impromptu team meetings for rapid information sharing. The open huddle spaces promote greater communication.
Green Building Design – LinkedIn’s LEED Gold-certified buildings utilize sustainable construction like low-flow water fixtures, renewable energy, and energy-efficient systems to reduce environmental impact.
Fall Protection – Due to California seismic activity, LinkedIn installed special ceiling nets throughout its buildings to protect employees in case of an earthquake.
Office Building | Square Footage | Number of Floors |
---|---|---|
1000 West Maude | 158,000 | 5 |
1050 West Maude | 91,000 | 4 |
1100 West Maude | 82,000 | 3 |
Total | 331,000 |
Fun Facts About LinkedIn’s Headquarters
Here are some fun facts about LinkedIn’s Silicon Valley headquarters:
– LinkedIn’s first two Sunnyvale buildings were previously occupied by Yahoo.
– There are 22 conference rooms named after LinkedIn’s founding members.
– The campus recreation center cost $8 million to build.
– LinkedIn employees enjoy free gourmet ice cream on Fridays.
– The headquarters has its own bicycle repair shop with tools and parts for employees.
– There are over 3,500 live plants sprinkled throughout the interior office space.
– The buildings have private mother’s suites for new moms along with subsidized daycare.
– LinkedIn once set the Guinness World Record for the largest human plus sign using over 1,500 employees.
– A full-time team maintains the campus landscaping, keeping the grounds immaculate.
– LinkedIn University offers employees courses taught by veteran employees on topics like management.
– There is a dedicated prayer room on campus for employees of all religious beliefs to use.
Key Figures for LinkedIn’s Headquarters
Location: Sunnyvale, California
Year Established: 2011
Size: Approximately 250,000 square feet across 3 buildings
Number of Employees: Over 2,500
Office Buildings: 1000 West Maude, 1050 West Maude, 1100 West Maude
Transportation: Buses and shuttles for employees, bike storage, electric car charging
Notable Features: Recreation center, corporate training rooms, nap pods, “InDays”
Sustainability: LEED Gold-certified, renewable energy, low water usage
Amenities: Cafes, gyms, game rooms, wellness centers, sports facilities, auditorium
Architectural Firm: Studios Architecture
Development Cost: Over $300 million
Conclusion
In summary, LinkedIn selected Sunnyvale, California as the home for its corporate headquarters in order to be centrally situated in Silicon Valley and leverage the surrounding technology ecosystem. LinkedIn’s modern campus spans three LEED Gold-certified office buildings totaling approximately 250,000 square feet. The company has invested heavily in recreational amenities, collaborative workspaces, and perks to create an optimal environment that keeps employees happy, healthy, and productive. While LinkedIn has offices globally, its headquarters in Sunnyvale represents the core of the company’s identity and culture. The campus reflects LinkedIn’s mission to connect the world’s professionals and helps empower employees to provide value to the 810+ million members on the platform.