It all started with a theory about the Internet and a broken laser pointer. EBay launched Labor Day weekend 1995 under 28-year-old founder Pierre Omidyar’s belief in the power of an online community.

Pierre Omidyar, the Iranian-born founder of eBay, quietly revolutionized online commerce. Driven by a passion for technology from a young age, he launched AuctionWeb in 1995, which quickly grew into ...