In March 2004, Erik and Louise Wachtmeister founded ASmallWorld.[6] It was dubbed "MySpace for millionaires" by The Wall Street Journal.[6] To maintain its desired exclusivity, ASmallWorld, while initially free, was invitation-only, open only to those invited by an existing member. In October 2004, the platform had 30,000 users, mostly celebrities, models and bankers between 25 and 35 years old, living in Europe or North America.[7] By August 2005, the platform had 68,000 members.[8]
In October 2009, Patrick Liotard-Vogt, a Nestlé heir and Swiss investor, purchased a controlling stake in the company, now stylised ASMALLWORLD, and became its chairman.[12] Sabine Heller became chief executive officer. At that time, membership was in excess of 500,000 members.[13][14]
In February 2013, ASmallWorld announced that as of March 1, 2013, it would not be accepting new members, citing an initiative to ensure the integrity of the community.[17][18] The company changed its strategy to focus on a smaller network and more perks for its members. After temporarily shutting down, ASW relaunched in May 2013 with a membership model and an advertising-free experience for its members.[19]
In March 2013, it acquired World's Finest Club, which offers exclusive access to clubs worldwide.[20]
In April 2013, the company purged many members from its rolls, reducing its user base from 850,000 to 250,000 members.[21][22]
In September 2018, the company acquired First Class & More International.[26] In February 2019, the company acquired a UK-based travel agency LuxuryBared and integrated into the ASW app and website, after having invested heavily into technology and team.[27] In March 2019, ASW Hospitality became the property manager for the North Island, a Luxury Collection Resort, Seychelles, a Marriott International-branded hotel.[28] Dario Bertucci was named managing director of ASW Hospitality.[29]
