ICQ

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Who

Developed by the Israeli company Mirabilis, founded by four young Israelis: Yair Goldfinger, Arik Vardi, Sefi Vigiser and Amnon Amir.

When

1996

Where

Tel Aviv, Israel

ICQ was one of the first internet instant-messaging services, letting strangers and friends chat in real time long before modern apps. It was created in 1996 by the Israeli start-up Mirabilis and later sold to AOL, helping establish Israel's reputation as a software hub.

Sources

Part of “The Gifts of the Jews” — verified Jewish contributions to the world, with sources.