Hi crazykill182,
pretty simple: supply and demand determine the price.
When Bitcoin was created back in 2009 the price was something like $0.08. The rest is history: supply and demand, market capitalization. That's why newbies should not get too impressed by the price of today, because it does not mean anything without perspective.

An interesting fact about Bitcoin is that the supply is limited to 21 millions, therefore it is not subject to inflation, but the opposite, it is deflationary by nature.

You mentioned about the founder, of course he is very rich if still alive, there are rumors saying he could be dead today since he has not moved any of his Bitcoins for several years now.