Michael Acton Smith
Encyclopedia
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.
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.
In 2011, Moshi Monsters
launched a range of physical products including books, toys, trading cards and a magazine.
In July 2011, Mind Candy was valued at $200m.
'Fast Track 100' as the 13th fastest growing, privately owned business in the UK.
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.
Smith’s ultimate vision is to ‘build the largest entertainment brand in the world for this new digital generation of kids'.
, 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 and Silicon Drinkabout. He was recently ranked among the Twitter
elite.
In November 2010, Smith was included in London's Evening Standard’s selection of ‘London's 1000 most influential people 2010: New Media'.
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.
In February 2011, Smith was ranked within the Twitter elite as part of The Independent’s Twitter
100.
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.
Mind Candy
Mind Candy is a British entertainment company, formed in 2003 by UK internet entrepreneur Michael Acton Smith, and based in Shoreditch, London, England...
.
Mind Candy
Mind Candy
Mind Candy is a British entertainment company, formed in 2003 by UK internet entrepreneur Michael Acton Smith, and based in Shoreditch, London, England...
created global kids entertainment brand, Moshi Monsters
Moshi Monsters
Moshi Monsters is a social networking online game and virtual pet site targeted at children aged 7 to 12. The player adopts and cares for a pet monster, solving puzzles which lead to rewards called rox; these can be used as currency to buy items for the adopted monster, such as clothing, food, and...
, which now has 50 million users worldwide.
Moshi Monsters
Moshi Monsters
Moshi Monsters is a social networking online game and virtual pet site targeted at children aged 7 to 12. The player adopts and cares for a pet monster, solving puzzles which lead to rewards called rox; these can be used as currency to buy items for the adopted monster, such as clothing, food, and...
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.
In 2011, Moshi Monsters
Moshi Monsters
Moshi Monsters is a social networking online game and virtual pet site targeted at children aged 7 to 12. The player adopts and cares for a pet monster, solving puzzles which lead to rewards called rox; these can be used as currency to buy items for the adopted monster, such as clothing, food, and...
launched a range of physical products including books, toys, trading cards and a magazine.
In July 2011, Mind Candy was valued at $200m.
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 TimesThe Sunday Times
The Sunday Times is a British Sunday newspaper.The Sunday Times may also refer to:*The Sunday Times *The Sunday Times *The Sunday Times *The Sunday Times...
'Fast Track 100' as the 13th fastest growing, privately owned business in the UK.
Following his success with Firebox, Michael secured financing and launched Mind Candy in 2004. The company launched alternate reality game Perplex City
Perplex City
Perplex City was a long-term alternate reality game presented by Mind Candy, a London-based development team. The first "season" of the game had players looking for "The Receda Cube" , a priceless scientific and spiritual artifact to the people of a fictional metropolis known as "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.
Smith’s ultimate vision is to ‘build the largest entertainment brand in the world for this new digital generation of kids'.
Early/Personal Life
Smith was born in Marlow, BuckinghamshireBuckinghamshire
Buckinghamshire is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan home county in South East England. The county town is Aylesbury, the largest town in the ceremonial county is Milton Keynes and largest town in the non-metropolitan county is High Wycombe....
, where he lived with his parents and sister. The family spent many summers in the USA, as Smith’s father is American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
Smith studied Geography
Geography
Geography is the science that studies the lands, features, inhabitants, and phenomena of Earth. A literal translation would be "to describe or write about the Earth". The first person to use the word "geography" was Eratosthenes...
at Birmingham University, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, and worked briefly in the City of London
City of London
The City of London is a small area within Greater London, England. It is the historic core of London around which the modern conurbation grew and has held city status since time immemorial. The City’s boundaries have remained almost unchanged since the Middle Ages, and it is now only a tiny part of...
before starting his own business.
Smith lives in central London. In his spare time he organizes boutique music festivals and networking events including Berwickstock and Silicon Drinkabout. He was recently ranked among the Twitter
Twitter
Twitter is an online social networking and microblogging service that enables its users to send and read text-based posts of up to 140 characters, informally known as "tweets".Twitter was created in March 2006 by Jack Dorsey and launched that July...
elite.
Honors and Philanthropy
In May 2011, Smith was voted 12th in Wired Magazine’s Top 100 of Britain’s Digital Power List.In November 2010, Smith was included in London's Evening Standard’s selection of ‘London's 1000 most influential people 2010: New Media'.
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.
In February 2011, Smith was ranked within the Twitter elite as part of The Independent’s Twitter
Twitter
Twitter is an online social networking and microblogging service that enables its users to send and read text-based posts of up to 140 characters, informally known as "tweets".Twitter was created in March 2006 by Jack Dorsey and launched that July...
100.
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
Shoreditch
Shoreditch is an area of London within the London Borough of Hackney in England. It is a built-up part of the inner city immediately to the north of the City of London, located east-northeast of Charing Cross.-Etymology:...
, London designed to bring together those working within the Tech community - supported by David Cameron
David Cameron
David William Donald Cameron is the current Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, First Lord of the Treasury, Minister for the Civil Service and Leader of the Conservative Party. Cameron represents Witney as its Member of Parliament ....
's Tech City initiative.