Company Overview
Company: Calm
Website: [https://www.calm.com](https://www.calm.com)
Founded: May 4, 2012
Founders: Michael Acton Smith and Alex Tew
Headquarters: San Francisco, California, United States
Number of Employees (2022): 310
Valuation (2019): $1 billion
Total Funding: $219 million over 7 rounds
Revenue (2017): $22 million
Annual Revenue Run Rate (2017): $75 million
Products: Meditation app, Sleep Stories, nature documentary series, health and meditation videos
Awards: Apple's "App of the Year" (2017)
Additional Achievements: Ranked by Inc. as one of the fastest-growing private companies in America (2018)
Key Products and Services
Main App Features
- Meditation: Daily meditation, multi-day programs, guided and unguided sessions, breathing exercises.
- Sleep Stories: Narrated stories designed to aid sleep featuring narrators such as LeBron James, Stephen Fry, Lucy Liu, and Idris Elba.
- Calm Health: Launched in October 2022, focusing on mental health programs for anxiety, depression, and other physical conditions in collaboration with traditional healthcare providers.
Other Products
- Books: Published titles such as "Calm: Calm the Mind. Change the World."
- Soundscapes and Ambient Albums: Including Alanis Morissette’s album "The Storm Before the Calm."
- Nature Documentary: Produced for HBO Max.
- Daily Mindfulness Messages: Hosted by Jay Shetty.
Notable Collaborations and Content
- Partnerships with high-profile individuals including Harry Styles, Matthew McConaughey, and ASMR content creator Emma "WhispersRed" Smith.
- Featuring archival recordings and ambient music.
Acquisition and Expansion
- Ripple Health Group: Acquired in February 2022 to build out Calm Health.
- Expansion Plans: Offering clinical mental health services, integrating advanced technology for personalized user experiences.
Recent Events
- Layoffs (August 2022): Reduced workforce by 20%, affecting approximately 90 of 400 employees.
- Subscribers (2022): Reached four million paid subscribers.
Executive Team and Leadership
David Ko
- Role: CEO since July 21, 2022
- Background: Extensive leadership and experience, recognized as a Top 50 Digital Health Leader.
- Posts: Engages actively on LinkedIn discussing company milestones, partnerships, and personal reflections on leadership.
Michael Acton Smith
- Role: Co-Founder & Co-Executive Chairman
- Background: Formerly involved with Mind Candy, creator of Moshi Monsters.
- LinkedIn Presence: Shares updates on Calm’s expansions and creative direction.
Alex Tew
- Role: Co-Founder & Co-Executive Chairman
- Background: Known for creating the Million Dollar Homepage.
- LinkedIn Activity: Provides insights into company growth and product innovations.
Sarah Mann
- Role: Head of People Operations, joined in 2020
- Experience: Over 13 years in People Operations, actively contributes to Calm’s HR strategies and mental health trends.
Contact Information
- Company Site: [https://www.calm.com](https://www.calm.com)
- Calm Health: [https://health.calm.com/](https://health.calm.com/)
- Business Solutions: [Calm Business](https://business.calm.com/)
Competitor Profiling for Calm
Key Competitors
Headspace
- Platform: iOS, Android
- Price: USD $70 per year (individual), USD $100 per year (family)
- Features:
- Guided and unguided meditation sessions, courses on anxiety, patience, self-esteem, and grief.
- Music for focusing, bedtime stories, intention-driven workout videos.
- Extensive sleep and movement sections.
- Strengths:
- Well-organized and user-friendly interface.
- Comprehensive courses covering a broad range of meditation needs.
- Weaknesses:
- Juvenile animation style.
- Limited background music or soundscapes.
Spring Health
- Founded: 2016
- Valuation: USD $2 billion
- Notable Services: Personalized mental health solutions for employers and health plans, precision mental healthcare through data-driven treatment plans, pay-for-performance model, first Electronic Health Record system (Compass).
- Technological Integrations: Machine learning and advanced technologies.
- Mission: Eliminate every barrier to mental healthcare.
- Strengths:
- Evidence-based and data-driven solutions.
- Comprehensive global reach.
- Weaknesses:
- Focus on employers and health plans rather than individual consumers.
Meditopia
- Founded: 2017
- Platform: iOS, Android, Web
- Features: Meditation sessions, sleep meditations, soundscapes, relaxation music, personalized emotional health assessments, 1-on-1 support, offline mode for premium users.
- Strengths:
- Global focus, catering to non-English speaking markets.
- High user satisfaction (4.9/5 rating).
- Weaknesses:
- Limited content updates.
Journey
- Founded: 2015
- Platform: iOS, Android, Web
- Primary Focus: Proactive mental health solutions for employee wellbeing.
- Features: Live group learning sessions, peer support, custom mental health programs.
- Strengths:
- Community and proactive group learning.
- Tailored programs for companies.
- Weaknesses:
- Primarily B2B focused.
- Smaller library.
Insight Timer
- Platform: iOS, Android, Web
- Price: Freemium model with optional premium features.
- Features: Largest free library of guided meditations, music, talks, real-time community engagement, group meditations, customization with timers and specific sounds.
- Strengths:
- Free access to extensive content.
- Strong community sense.
- Over 100,000 meditations.
- Weaknesses:
- Interface can be overwhelming.
- Less structured content for beginners.