Pavel Durov, the founder and CEO of the popular messaging app Telegram, has recently revealed an extraordinary personal story: he has over 100 biological children spread across multiple countries. This news is surprising given that Durov has chosen to remain unmarried and live a life of solitude.
In a candid post on his well-known channel, Durov recounted how his journey into becoming a prolific sperm donor began around fifteen years ago. At that time, a close friend approached him with an unusual request. The friend and his wife were struggling with infertility and sought Durov’s help to conceive a child. Although Durov initially found the request peculiar, he agreed to donate sperm at a fertility clinic after learning that there was a significant shortage of quality sperm donations.
The clinic, impressed with Durov’s sperm, described it as “high-quality donor material” and encouraged him to donate more to aid other couples facing similar fertility issues. This moment marked the start of what would become a significant contribution to families worldwide. Over the years, Durov’s sperm donations helped more than 100 families across 12 countries, a fact he only recently learned.
Durov’s involvement in sperm donation continued for a substantial period. Even years after he stopped donating, some of his sperm remains stored in IVF clinics, available for use by families seeking to conceive. This ongoing availability has sparked Durov’s interest in potentially open-sourcing his DNA. By doing so, he hopes to make it easier for his biological children to find him if they choose to.
In his post, Durov expressed a sense of pride in his contribution to alleviating the global shortage of healthy sperm, despite the personal risks involved. He acknowledged that the decision to donate sperm was driven by a combination of civic duty and a desire to assist those in need. Durov also took the opportunity to encourage other healthy men to consider sperm donation as a way to help families struggling with infertility.
Durov, originally from Russia but now based in the United Arab Emirates, has achieved significant success in his career. In 2022, Forbes recognized him as the richest expatriate in the UAE, and in February 2023, Arabian Business named him the most powerful entrepreneur in Dubai. Despite his high profile, Durov’s story of sperm donation reveals a deeply personal and altruistic side that goes beyond his public persona.
Through this revelation, Durov not only shares an intriguing aspect of his life but also highlights the important role of sperm donors in addressing fertility challenges faced by many couples around the world.
