Claim: Jimmy Wales is an Internet entrepreneur who helped create Wikipedia.
Evidence: Jimmy Donal `` Jimbo '' Wales -LRB- -LSB- 'd ʒɪmi_ˈdoʊnəl_ˈweɪlz -RSB- born August 7 , 1966 in Huntsville , Alabama -RRB- is an American Internet entrepreneur.
He is the co-founder of Wikipedia , the online non-profit encyclopedia , and the for-profit web hosting company Wikia.
The company would provide the initial funding for the peer-reviewed free encyclopedia , Nupedia -LRB- 2000 -- 03 -RRB- , and its successor , Wikipedia.
On January 15 , 2001 , with Larry Sanger and others , Wales launched Wikipedia -- a free , open content encyclopedia that enjoyed rapid growth and popularity ; as Wikipedia 's public profile grew , he became the project 's promoter and spokesman.
He is historically cited as a co-founder of Wikipedia , though he has disputed the `` co - '' designation , declaring himself the sole founder.