Michael Acton Smith
British entrepreneur and co-founder and co-CEO of Calm. He previously founded Firebox.com and created Mind Candy, the children's entertainment company behind Moshi Monsters.
Michael Acton Smith's Bio
Michael Acton Smith is a British entrepreneur and the co-founder and co-CEO of Calm, the meditation and wellness app that has helped mainstream mindfulness worldwide. Born on September 3, 1974, he has spent decades building consumer technology and entertainment brands. He attended Sir William Borlase's Grammar School and graduated from Birmingham University in 1996 with a degree in geography.
After a brief stint in human resources at Goldman Sachs, Acton Smith co-founded Firebox.com in 1998. By 2004, Firebox was listed on The Sunday Times' Fast Track 100. That same year, he launched Mind Candy with $10 million in backing, creating the BAFTA-nominated alternate reality game Perplex City and later Moshi Monsters, which grew to over 90 million users worldwide.
Acton Smith co-founded Calm with Alex Tew in late 2012 and launched the world's first "slow TV Ad" in 2015. He was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 2014 for services to the creative industries.
Career Timeline
1974 — Born 3 September 1974
Born on September 3, 1974. Has been described by The Daily Telegraph as "a rock star version of Willy Wonka" and by The Independent as "a polite version of Bob Geldof."
1996 — Graduated Birmingham University
Graduated from Birmingham University with a degree in geography, then joined the human resources department at Goldman Sachs.
1998 — Co-founded Firebox.com
Co-founded online gadget and gift retailer Firebox.com with Tom Boardman. By 2004, Firebox was listed on The Sunday Times' Fast Track 100.
2004 — Launched Mind Candy
Secured $10 million in backing and launched Mind Candy, a children's entertainment company that created the BAFTA-nominated alternate reality game Perplex City.
2007 — Launched Moshi Monsters at Mind Candy
Launched Moshi Monsters, which grew to over 90 million users worldwide and expanded into toys, magazines, video games, and a feature film.
2012 — Co-founded Calm
Co-founded Calm with Alex Tew, serving as co-CEO of the meditation app company.
2014 — Appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE)
Appointed OBE in the 2014 New Year Honours for services to the creative industries.
