Smartsheet vs Wix: Founders, CEOs and History
Smartsheet was founded in 2005 by Brent Frei, Mark Mader, Eric Browne and is led by Rajeev Singh. Wix was founded in 2006 by Avishai Abrahami, Nadav Abrahami, Giora Kaplan and is led by Avishai Abrahami.
Company facts
Smartsheet
- Founded
- 2005
- Headquarters
- Bellevue, Washington, USA
- Current CEO
- Rajeev Singh
- Employees
- 3,300
Wix
- Founded
- 2006
- Headquarters
- Tel Aviv, Israel
- Current CEO
- Avishai Abrahami
- Employees
- 4,371
Founders
Smartsheet
Brent Frei
Brent Frei co-founded Smartsheet in 2005 in Bellevue, Washington, after founding Onyx Software, a CRM vendor he took public. He led Smartsheet in its first year before Mark Mader became CEO in 2006, and later served on the board. Brent Frei was born in 1966.
Mark Mader
Mark Mader joined Smartsheet as CEO in 2006, a year after its founding, and is counted among its founding team.
Eric Browne
Eric Browne co-founded Smartsheet in 2005. Providing absolutely critical early technical leadership, he helped design the platform's initial architecture, heavily focusing on ensuring the cloud-based application could instantly sync massive spreadsheets across…
John Creason
John Creason co-founded Smartsheet in 2005. Working closely with the technical founding team, he played a massive role in building the early prototype.
Wix
Avishai Abrahami
Avishai Abrahami co-founded Wix in 2006 and has been its CEO since. He led the company through its 2013 Nasdaq IPO and, more recently, its shift toward AI products, including the 2025 purchase of Base44 and the 2026 restructuring. Avishai Abrahami was born in…
Nadav Abrahami
Nadav Abrahami co-founded Wix in 2006. As the critical core technical architect, he built the incredibly complex early Flash-based drag-and-drop interface, absolutely revolutionizing how small business owners built websites without knowing a single line of cod…
Giora Kaplan
Giora Kaplan co-founded Wix in 2006. A brilliant visionary with a deep obsession for user interface design, he fiercely drove the absolutely critical requirement that Wix templates must look incredibly beautiful and professional out-of-the-box, ensuring users…
CEOs and their tenures
Smartsheet
- Brent Frei2005–2006
Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer
As the visionary Co-Founder (who previously founded Onyx Software), he provided the massive initial capital and strategic direction to launch the company.
Source - Mark Mader2006–2025
Chief Executive Officer & President
As Co-Founder and CEO, he navigated the company through its difficult early years, guided its highly successful IPO, and established it as a dominant player against aggressive rivals.
Source - Rajeev Singh2025–present
Chief Executive Officer
As a highly experienced tech executive and board member, he provides absolutely critical guidance on scaling enterprise SaaS operations.
Source - Sunny Gupta2025–2025
Executive Chair and Acting CEO
As an influential board member and enterprise CEO, he advises on highly complex enterprise sales strategies.
Source
Wix
- Avishai Abrahami2006–present
Co-Founder & Chief Executive Officer
Has led Wix since its founding, through the 2013 IPO, the Base44 acquisition and the 2026 AI-focused restructuring.
Source - Lior Shemesh2010–present
Chief Financial Officer
Runs Wix's finances, including its share buybacks and the 2026 margin outlook.
Source
Timeline: Smartsheet and Wix side by side
2005Smartsheet
Smartsheet founded in Bellevue, Washington: Brent Frei and a small founding team start Smartsheet to make spreadsheets collaborative.
2006Wix
Wix founded
Avishai Abrahami, Nadav Abrahami and Giora Kaplan start Wix to make website building possible without code.
2012Wix
HTML5 editor released
Wix moves its editor from Adobe Flash to HTML5.
2013Wix
Nasdaq IPO
Wix lists on Nasdaq under the ticker WIX in November 2013.
2014Smartsheet
Series E Funding
Smartsheet raised $35 million in a Series E round led by Sutter Hill Ventures in May 2014.
2014Wix
OpenRest Acquired
Wix bought the restaurant-ordering company OpenRest in 2014.
2016Wix
Wix ADI Launched
Wix launched Wix ADI, an artificial-intelligence website builder, in 2016.
2017Smartsheet
Series F Funding
Smartsheet raised $52 million in a round led by Insight Venture Partners in 2017.
2017Wix
DeviantArt acquired
Wix buys the online artist community DeviantArt for about $36 million.
2018Smartsheet
NYSE IPO (SMAR): Smartsheet lists on the NYSE at $15 per share, raising about $150 million.
2018Smartsheet
Acquired Converse.AI
Smartsheet acquired Converse.AI. Smartsheet acquired chatbot and automation startup Converse.AI in 2018; terms were not disclosed.
2019Smartsheet
10,000ft and Slope Acquired
Smartsheet bought the resource-management company 10,000ft and the collaboration company Slope in 2019.
2020Smartsheet
Brandfolder acquired for about $155 million: Adds digital asset management to Smartsheet workflows.
2020Wix
Editor X Launched
Wix launched Editor X, a design tool for agencies and professionals, in 2020.
2023Wix
Wix Studio launched
Wix launches Wix Studio, a platform for agencies and freelance web professionals.
2024Smartsheet
Passes $1 billion in ARR: Smartsheet crosses $1 billion in annualized recurring revenue in fiscal 2024.
2025Smartsheet
Blackstone and Vista complete $8.4 billion buyout: The take-private closes on January 22, 2025, and SMAR is delisted.
2025Smartsheet
Rajeev Singh named CEO: Singh succeeds acting CEO Sunny Gupta after Mark Mader's retirement.
2025Wix
Base44 acquired
Wix buys the AI app builder Base44 for $80 million in cash, plus earn-outs through 2029.
2026Wix
Restructuring and guidance cut
Wix cuts about 20% of its workforce and lowers its 2026 revenue and bookings outlook.
Acquisitions
Smartsheet
- Brandfolder Inc.2020$155M
- 10,000ft (Resource Planning)2019Undisclosed
- Converse.AI2018Undisclosed
Wix
- Base442025$80M
- Modalyst2021Undisclosed
- DeviantArt2017$36M
- OpenRest2014Undisclosed
Questions about Smartsheet vs Wix
Who is the CEO of Smartsheet and Wix?
Smartsheet is led by Rajeev Singh and Wix is led by Avishai Abrahami. Both serve as the top executive responsible for the company's strategy, operations, and financial performance.
When was Smartsheet founded vs Wix?
Smartsheet was founded in 2005 — 1 year before Wix, which was founded in 2006. Smartsheet's longer operating history gives it a deeper track record but also potentially more institutional inertia compared to the younger Wix.
How many employees does Smartsheet have compared to Wix?
Smartsheet employs approximately 3,300 people, while Wix employs approximately 4,371. Wix has the larger workforce at 4,371 employees, compared to Smartsheet's 3,300. A higher headcount does not necessarily imply greater efficiency — it often reflects differences in business model (e.g., manufacturing vs. software).
Where are Smartsheet and Wix headquartered?
Smartsheet is headquartered in United States and Wix is headquartered in Israel. Their different home markets mean they may face different regulatory frameworks, tax regimes, and currency exposure.
Who founded Smartsheet and Wix?
Smartsheet was founded by Brent Frei, Mark Mader, Eric Browne, John Creason. Wix was founded by Avishai Abrahami, Nadav Abrahami, Giora Kaplan.
Which company has a longer operating history — Smartsheet or Wix?
Smartsheet has been operating for approximately 21 years, making it the more established of the two companies. Wix has been in operation for around 20 years. A longer operating history often signals greater institutional resilience and brand recognition, though it can also mean slower adaptation to new market conditions.
Figures come from each company's filings and the sources linked beside them. Amounts reported in another currency are shown in US dollars at an approximate rate and marked with ~. Back to the Smartsheet vs Wix overview