Miro (RealtimeBoard Inc.)
Company History
Miro History: Founding, Growth & Key Milestones
Founded 2011 in Perm, Russia
When was Miro founded?
Miro was founded in 2011 in Perm, Russia by Andrey Khusid and Oleg Shardin, making it 15 years old.
- Founded
- 2011
- Founding place
- Perm, Russia
- Founders
- Andrey Khusid and Oleg Shardin
- Headquarters today
- San Francisco, California, United States & Amsterdam, Netherlands
- Milestones documented
- 9 (2011–2026)
- Current CEO
- Andrey Khusid
- Acquisitions
- 5
| Year | Event |
|---|---|
| 2011 | RealtimeBoard Founded |
| 2018 | $25M Series A Led by Accel |
| 2019 | Rebrands to Miro |
| 2020 | $50M Series B Led by ICONIQ Growth |
| 2022 | $400M Series C at $17.5B Valuation |
| 2022 | Exit from Russia; Around Acquired |
| 2023 | Layoffs of 119 Roles |
| 2024 | Uizard Acquired; 275 Roles Cut |
| 2026 | Bending Spoons Agrees to Acquire Miro |
- Where was Miro founded?
- Miro was founded in Perm, Russia in 2011.
- Who founded Miro?
- Miro was founded by Andrey Khusid and Oleg Shardin.
- When did Miro start?
- Miro was founded in 2011.
- How old is Miro?
- Miro is 15 years old as of 2026.
Founding Story
In 2011 Andrey Khusid was running a small design agency in Perm, Russia, and found it hard to share and discuss work with clients in other cities. With Oleg Shardin he built an online whiteboard for the agency's own use. Clients and other teams wanted it too, so the founders turned it into a product called RealtimeBoard. The company later moved its headquarters to the United States and the Netherlands and, in 2019, renamed itself Miro after the Spanish artist Joan Miró.
Founders
Andrey Khusid
Andrey Khusid co-founded RealtimeBoard in 2011 and has led it as CEO ever since, taking it from an agency side project to a global company rebranded as Miro in 2019. He oversaw the company's venture rounds from Accel and ICONIQ Growth, the 2022 exit from Russia, the 2023 and 2024 restructurings, and the September 2026 agreement to sell Miro to Bending Spoons. Andrey Khusid was born in 1988.
Oleg Shardin
Oleg Shardin co-founded Miro (originally RealtimeBoard) in 2011 alongside Andrey Khusid. Based in Perm, Russia, the two realized that remote design agencies had absolutely no way to replicate the experience of standing around a physical whiteboard. Shardin architected the highly complex early software capable of smoothly rendering thousands of digital sticky notes in real-time across the globe without browser lag. (Exact birth year remains publicly undisclosed).
Key Milestones
RealtimeBoard Founded
Andrey Khusid and Oleg Shardin founded RealtimeBoard in Perm, Russia.
Source: en.wikipedia.org$25M Series A Led by Accel
Raised $25 million led by Accel to expand internationally.
Source: en.wikipedia.orgRebrands to Miro
Renamed from RealtimeBoard to Miro, after the artist Joan Miró.
Source: en.wikipedia.org$50M Series B Led by ICONIQ Growth
Raised $50 million as remote work drove rapid user growth.
Source: en.wikipedia.org$400M Series C at $17.5B Valuation
Raised $400 million in January 2022 led by ICONIQ Growth.
Source: forbes.comExit from Russia; Around Acquired
Stopped operating in Russia after the invasion of Ukraine and acquired video startup Around.
Source: en.wikipedia.orgUizard Acquired; 275 Roles Cut
Bought AI prototyping tool Uizard and later cut about 275 roles in a second restructuring.
Source: pitchbook.comBending Spoons Agrees to Acquire Miro
All-cash deal at a $1.355B enterprise value announced September 10, 2026; closing expected Q4 2026.
Source: investors.bendingspoons.comMajor Acquisitions
Around
2022Video-calling startup acquired to add lightweight video collaboration to the Miro canvas.
Uizard
2024AI-powered UI design and prototyping tool acquired to bring AI prototyping into Miro.
Reforge
2026AI platform for product teams.
Cardinal
2024Strategic acquisition.
Freehand by InVision
2023Visual collaboration platform.
Keep researching Miro
Miro Company History FAQ
What are the key milestones in Miro's history?
Founded as RealtimeBoard in 2011; $25M Series A from Accel in 2018; renamed Miro in 2019; $50M Series B in 2020; $400M Series C at a $17.5B valuation in January 2022; exit from Russia in 2022; acquisitions of Around (2022) and Uizard (2024); agreement to be acquired by Bending Spoons in September 2026.
Why did RealtimeBoard rename itself Miro?
In 2019 the company adopted the name Miro, a reference to the Spanish artist Joan Miró, to give the product a simpler, more creative brand as it expanded beyond basic whiteboarding.
How did the pandemic affect Miro?
The 2020 shift to remote work replaced physical whiteboards with online ones, driving rapid user and revenue growth and the 2020-2022 funding rounds.
When did Miro reach a $17.5 billion valuation?
In January 2022, when it raised $400 million in a Series C led by ICONIQ Growth.
Why did Miro leave Russia?
After Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, Miro stopped doing business in Russia and closed its operations there, relocating employees who chose to move.
When did Miro lay off staff?
Miro cut 119 roles (7%) in January 2023 and about 275 roles in late 2024 as growth slowed after the pandemic.
What happened to Miro in 2026?
On September 10, 2026 Miro agreed to be acquired by Bending Spoons for a $1.355 billion enterprise value, with closing expected in Q4 2026.
How was Miro originally founded as RealtimeBoard in 2011?
Miro was founded in 2011 in Perm, Russia, by Andrey Khusid and Oleg Shardin under the name RealtimeBoard. Khusid, who ran an interactive design agency, needed a visual way to collaborate remotely with clients who couldn't physically gather around an office whiteboard. In March 2019, the company rebranded to "Miro" (inspired by Spanish surrealist painter Joan Miró) and relocated corporate headquarters to Amsterdam and San Francisco.
How did Miro respond to the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine?
Immediately following the February 2022 invasion of Ukraine, Miro formally closed its original development office in Perm, Russia, ending all Russian business operations and offering relocation packages to all employees. Miro consolidated its global engineering hubs in Amsterdam, Austin, Berlin, Tokyo, and Sydney, reinforcing its identity as a global software enterprise.
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