What Smiley Movement does

Smiley Movement is a London-based nonprofit media platform founded in 2019 and sponsored by the parent Smiley brand, publishing positive news stories aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals. The organization operates a web content platform (smileymovement.org, also doing business as Smiley News) with a library of more than 4,500 articles distributed across seven branded content series: Champions of Change (philanthropy and CSR), The Good Guide (monthly curated guide), Street Talk (video street interviews), Everyday Hero (individual impact profiles), Smiley Movement Meets (interviews with change-makers), Speak Up (podcast), and Charity Spotlight (charity profiles). It also runs the annual Smiley Charity Film Awards as a separate sub-brand and event platform at smileycharityfilmawards.com.

The technology stack is a conventional web-based content management platform. A notable editorial feature is the UN Sustainable Development Goals Article Alignment System, under which every article is mapped to one or more of the 17 UN SDGs for thematic organization. Content is distributed to a free, opt-in audience through a weekly email newsletter powered by Campaign Monitor, with no mobile app, no public API, and no disclosed AI/ML capabilities. Partnerships include The Walt Disney Company UK & Ireland, Together for Short Lives, The Green Genie Brothers, Choose Love, and the LIVE Trust, and editorial coverage extends to high-profile charitable activity (e.g., Harry Styles' concert tour, Lewis Hamilton's Mission 44).

The business model is non-commercial: all content is provided free of charge to readers, and the organization operates as a philanthropic venture sponsored by the Smiley brand rather than as a revenue-generating enterprise. There are no disclosed pricing tiers, no advertising or sponsorship revenue figures, no funding rounds, no venture or private equity investment, and no public listing. The team is small (1-10 employees), and the audience spans three primary segments: general readers seeking positive news, charities and nonprofits seeking media exposure, and philanthropists/CSR leaders.

Name

Smiley Movement

Legal name

Smiley Movement

Website

https://smileymovement.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2019

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Smiley Movement is a London-based nonprofit media platform publishing positive news stories aligned with UN Sustainable Development Goals, distributed via its website and weekly newsletter to readers interested in philanthropy and social good, while running the annual Smiley Charity Film Awards.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Positive News Media

NAICS

Social Advocacy Organizations (8133), Advertising, Public Relations, and Related Services (5418)

SIC

Miscellaneous Publishing (2741)

akta.pro primary industry

Nonprofit & Cause Communications (BPAFADAK)

Keywords

• Positive news media
• Philanthropy content
• Social impact news
• Charity storytelling
• Nonprofit media platform

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Digital Commerce or Content

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Newsletter Subscription: Weekly newsletter delivering positive news stories to subscribers, featuring curated content about philanthropy and social impact.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Smiley Movement is a positive news media platform that aggregates and publishes uplifting stories about philanthropy, charitable initiatives, and social impact across multiple branded content series. Its core deliverables include a free weekly email newsletter (Smiley News), themed editorial series covering philanthropists, charities, and changemakers, and the annual Smiley Charity Film Awards event. All editorial content is aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals to organize and theme stories around recognized global impact areas.

Product overview

Smiley Movement is a positive news media platform that aggregates and publishes uplifting stories about philanthropy, charitable initiatives, and social impact. The organization operates primarily as a content platform with multiple branded content series including Smiley News (a weekly newsletter), Champions of Change (philanthropy profiles), The Good Guide (monthly curated content), Street Talk (video street interviews), Everyday Hero (individual impact stories), Smiley Movement Meets (interviews with change-makers), Speak Up (podcast series), and Charity Spotlight (charity profiles). The company also operates the Smiley Charity Film Awards as a separate initiative. Content is organized around UN Sustainable Development Goals and distributed through the website and weekly email newsletter.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Smiley News (Weekly Newsletter) A weekly email newsletter delivering positive news stories, philanthropy coverage, and uplifting content directly to subscribers' inboxes. Distributed through Campaign Monitor and offered free of charge to general readers.
• Champions of Change A content series celebrating philanthropists and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives from companies and individuals making a positive difference.
• The Good Guide A monthly curated guide featuring positive stories and recommendations for readers.
• Street Talk A video series featuring street interviews exploring topics related to charity, kindness, and community.
• Everyday Hero A series profiling individuals who are making a difference in their communities through charitable acts.
• Smiley Movement Meets An interview series featuring conversations with change-makers, celebrities, and charity leaders.
• Speak Up A podcast series discussing social issues, mental health, equality, and activism topics.
• Charity Spotlight A series profiling charitable organizations and the work they do in communities.
• Smiley Charity Film Awards A separate annual awards initiative celebrating charitable and socially impactful filmmaking, bringing together charities, filmmakers, and supporters to recognize impactful documentary and film content.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 4,500 positive news articles published across multiple themed series

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• The Walt Disney Company UK & IrelandminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on charitable content and campaigns, including projects like the Moana-inspired garden at Little Havens children's hospice where Disney contributed to creating magical experiences for children facing serious illness.
• Choose LoveminorGTM or Marketing PartnerHumanitarian charity featured in Smiley Movement coverage; Harry Styles' concert tour pledged £1 per ticket to Choose Love which provides emergency food, medical care and critical assistance to displaced communities.
• Together for Short LivesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational charity supporting children living with serious illnesses; part of Disney's long-standing collaboration since 2017 to deliver magical moments for children across the UK.
• The Green Genie BrothersminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerViral landscaping duo (Jake and Ethan Thorne) who designed the Moana-inspired accessible garden at Little Havens hospice, partnering with Disney and the charity.
• LIVE TrustminorGTM or Marketing PartnerUK music venue support trust; Harry Styles' UK shows included a £1 per ticket levy expected to generate approximately £780,000 for the LIVE Trust to support small independent music venues.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• CharityComms: UK membership body supporting charity-sector communicators with resources, training, and events. Comparable in being a UK nonprofit-comms hub serving charities, and an adjacent incumbent in the same ecosystem.
• Giving Tuesday: Global generosity movement and nonprofit media platform running annual campaigns and storytelling around charitable giving. Comparable in mission and recurring campaign/event IP, but operates at much larger global scale.
• JustGiving: Major UK online fundraising and charity-giving platform. Adjacent incumbent serving the same charities and CSR audiences Smiley Movement covers, and a potential distribution partner or competitor for charity-marketing attention.

Direct peers

• Good News Network: Long-running US digital positive-news outlet with a large archive of curated uplifting stories. Direct peer competing for the same reader attention and a comparable ad/newsletter-supported model.
• The Optimist Daily: Online positive-news publisher offering daily curated good-news stories and a newsletter. Direct peer in the curated positive-news subscription category and similar in editorial format.
• Reasons to be Cheerful: Solutions-focused online magazine publishing stories about what is working to address social problems. Direct peer in the constructive/solutions journalism category and similar in scope to Smiley Movement's content series.
• Upworthy: Digital media brand historically known for uplifting, viral-positive storytelling. Comparable in audience intent and tone, though broader in topic mix and much larger in scale.
• Positive News: UK-based positive news publisher operating a magazine, website, and newsletter focused on constructive journalism. Direct competitor in the curated 'good news' subscription niche and closest mission-aligned peer.

Emerging players

• SoulPancake: Media and content brand producing uplifting video and editorial content around kindness, community, and social good. Comparable in content mission and video-led storytelling approach.
• Poptimism: Newsletter-led outlet focused on positive and solutions-oriented news. Comparable in format (newsletter-first) and audience intent, and a smaller-scale emerging peer.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/SmileyNews
• Facebookfacebook.com/SmileyMovement
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/smiley-movement

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Smiley Movement