http://lm.i2p/nojs/knowledge/monero-history?dismissNotice=true
But before we even start talking about Monero’s launch in 2014, we need to go even further back. Bytecoin In September 2013 a previously unheard of group, Cryptonote, released a whitepaper about a novel protocol under the same name. This protocol sought to make a Bitcoin-like cryptocurrency, although utilizing optional ring signatures and stealth addresses to bolster the privacy.