Born on 26 August 1992 in Gaborone, Botswana, Steven Cliff Bartlett moved with his family to Plymouth, England, at age two. Despite early setbacks—including being expelled from school and briefly enrolling at Manchester Metropolitan University before dropping out—Steven’s audacity and vision became his guiding light.
From Rap Lyrics to Retail Revolution
His entrepreneurial journey began with Wallpark, a student-focused messaging board launched in 2013. This was a humble start that led to the creation of Social Chain in 2014—a global social media marketing powerhouse that later merged to become Social Chain AG, valued north of $200 million. Steven stepped down as co-CEO in 2020, retaining a significant stake and continuing as a strategic advisor.
Reinventing Media & Entrepreneurship
In 2017, Steven launched The Diary of a CEO, an unfiltered podcast journey exploring the lives of influential thinkers, entrepreneurs, and game-changers. It has since exploded in popularity—racking up over 50 million monthly downloads, more than 1 billion streams, and achieving global acclaim as the world’s second-most downloaded podcast.
The FlightStory Empire
By 2021, Steven had consolidated his ventures under FlightStory—a media, marketing, and investment conglomerate encompassing FlightStory Studio, FlightStory Fund, Flight Ventures, Flight Talent, Flight Tech, and Flight Books. With a rebrand in March 2025, FlightStory was positioned as a unified mission to “inspire a happier, healthier humanity” through media and strategic investment.
Fueling the Future with the FlightStory Fund
The FlightStory Fund, previously known as Flight Fund, is a bold $100 million venture capital vehicle that invests in high-growth startups across sectors like blockchain, biotech, health, wellness, commerce, technology, and space. It pairs capital with mentorship and media marketing support—aiming to accelerate the next wave of unicorns across Europe and beyond.
Yet, not all has been smooth flying—Flight Fund has faced criticism for its lack of transparency in its investment structures, particularly around whether investments were cash-based or equity-for-services, drawing scrutiny under regulatory rules.
Innovating at the Intersection of Media & Tech
Always at the forefront, Steven’s FlightStory Studio has embraced AI to reinvent podcast storytelling. Their latest experiment, “100 CEOs with Steven Bartlett,” uses AI-generated voice, animated narration, and scripts penned by Steven himself—a creative leap that’s earned both praise and debate.
Beyond Business: Books, Philanthropy & Public Influence
Steven is also an award-winning author: his debut Happy Sexy Millionaire became a Sunday Times bestseller, followed by The Diary of a CEO: The 33 Laws of Business and Life in 2023—an even bigger hit, translated into over 35 languages.
In 2021 he joined Dragons’ Den as the youngest-ever Dragon, using that platform to back ventures like PerfectTed and Omni. He also champions social causes—working with Prince William’s Homelessness Initiative, supporting homelessness reduction in the UK. Steven’s accolades include Forbes’ 30 Under 30, Manchester Hall of Fame, and inclusion in Time’s inaugural 100 Most Influential Creators list in 2025.
In Summary: A Life in Flight
Steven Bartlett’s journey—from dropout to digital media magnate and VC powerhouse—is defined by an unwavering belief in innovation, storytelling, and entrepreneurship. He’s a voice for a new generation, blending content, capital, and culture to lift extraordinary ideas off the runway.
So on this special day, here’s to Steven—a founding visionary, podcast pioneer, author, investor, and advocate—may FlightStory’s horizons grow ever brighter.
