- Michael Acton Smith
-
Internet Entrepreneur, Michael Acton Smith is CEO and founder of online games developer and entertainment company Mind Candy.
Mind Candy created global kids entertainment brand, Moshi Monsters, which now has 50 million users worldwide.[1]
Moshi Monsters is a children’s entertainment brand. Users can sign up, adopt and nurture pet monsters, play games, explore, share their artwork, write stories, complete educational puzzles and socialize within a safe, moderated environment.[2]
In 2011, Moshi Monsters launched a range of physical products including books, toys, trading cards and a magazine.[3]
In July 2011, Mind Candy was valued at $200m.[4]
Contents
Career
In 1998, whilst in his early twenties, Smith co-founded online gadget and gift retailer Firebox.com with university friend Tom Boardman. The pair started out with a rent-free attic and a £1,000 loan from Smith’s mother. Their breakthrough moment came in the form of the “Shot Glass Chess Set”. Within five years they were listed by The Sunday Times 'Fast Track 100' as the 13th fastest growing, privately owned business in the UK.[5]
Following his success with Firebox, Michael secured financing and launched Mind Candy in 2004. The company launched alternate reality game Perplex City, a global treasure hunt that played out across various media platforms. The game proved too complex for its time, attracting only a niche audience and after three years (and $9m spent), Perplex was placed on indefinite hold.[6]
Smith’s ultimate vision is to ‘build the largest entertainment brand in the world for this new digital generation of kids'.[7]
Early/Personal Life
Smith was born in Marlow, Buckinghamshire, where he lived with his parents and sister. The family spent many summers in the USA, as Smith’s father is American.
Smith studied Geography at Birmingham University, England, and worked briefly in the City of London before starting his own business.
Smith lives in central London. In his spare time he organizes boutique music festivals and networking events including Berwickstock[8] and Silicon Drinkabout.[9] He was recently ranked among the Twitter elite.[10]
Honors and Philanthropy
In May 2011, Smith was voted 12th in Wired Magazine’s Top 100 of Britain’s Digital Power List.[11]
In November 2010, Smith was included in London's Evening Standard’s selection of ‘London's 1000 most influential people 2010: New Media'.[12]
Smith is a member of the Courvoisier Future 500, an exclusive network of pioneers, entrepreneurs and revolutionary spirits from the arts, social enterprise, business, science, gastronomy, fashion and other sectors.[13]
In February 2011, Smith was ranked within the Twitter elite as part of The Independent’s Twitter 100.[14]
Smith is a regular speaker at events and conferences around the world. In 2011 Michael has spoken at Kidscreen (New York, U.S.), MIPTV (Cannes, France), The Children’s Media Conference (Sheffield, UK) and Develop (Brighton, UK).
Smith also founded Silicon Drinkabout a weekly Tech/Media meet up in Shoreditch, London designed to bring together those working within the Tech community - supported by David Cameron's Tech City initiative.[15]
References
External links
Categories:- Businesspeople
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.
