Simon Tian
Simon Tian | |
|---|---|
| File:Simon Tian - WT Show.png Tian speaking at the Wearable Technology Show in London, 2014 | |
| Born | February 24, 1994 Montreal, Quebec, Canada |
| Alma mater | Marianopolis College (attended) |
| Occupation | CEO of Fonus |
| Awards |
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Simon Tian (born February 24, 1994) is a Canadian innovator, entrepreneur, and investor. He founded and currently leads Fonus and Neptune as CEO. Originating from Montreal, Tian left pre-university college at age 17 to launch Neptune. By late 2017, he had secured approximately $7 million from private backers and raised over $2 million via crowdfunding.
In 2015, Tian was awarded the prestigious Thiel Fellowship by Peter Thiel through the Thiel Foundation, receiving $100,000. Additionally, he was recognized in 2014 as one of Quebec’s top 30 entrepreneurs under 30 by Les Affaires.
Early life
Born in Montreal, Quebec, in 1994 to Chinese Canadian parents, Tian grew up in Brossard, Quebec. He attended Jean de la Mennais College, a French-language institution located in La Prairie. Fluent in English, French, and Mandarin, Tian is also an accomplished classical pianist who won first place twice at the Canadian Music Competition in 2004 and again in 2008.
Career
At just 17 years old and while enrolled at Marianopolis College, Tian established Neptune, a company specializing in wearable technology, in January 2013. Prior to developing a prototype or formally incorporating the business, he shared conceptual illustrations of the Neptune Pine smartwatch online and announced its upcoming release. This announcement garnered over 20,000 pre-orders within a few weeks. Choosing to leave school, Tian traveled to China to oversee manufacturing efforts and launched a crowdfunding campaign in November 2013 that raised more than $800,000 within one month.
The Neptune Pine was featured in the 2017 film The Fate of the Furious, the CBS series Extant produced by Steven Spielberg, and Trey Songz’s music video "Smartphones." Despite its innovative concept, the device received mixed feedback due to its bulky design and limited capabilities.
In 2015, Tian participated as a representative for Montreal on a trade mission to China. That same year, he secured $1.15 million in funding for the Neptune Suite project with plans to begin production by April 2016. Neptune was ultimately acquired in late 2017 for an undisclosed amount.
In November 2019, Tian introduced Fonus, a US-based mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) utilizing AT&T’s network infrastructure. Fonus initially launched with a single prepaid plan offering unlimited data at speeds up to 5G alongside unlimited calling and texting to more than 50 countries plus complimentary roaming throughout the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Voice calls and messages are handled via Fonus’ proprietary VoIP application.
By late 2023, Fonus had broadened its international wireless offerings to include coverage across over 50 countries. In May 2024, Tian announced a strategic alliance with Tata Communications aimed at enhancing Fonus’ global reach by leveraging Tata’s platform.
In March 2025, Fonus extended its wireless service plans to cover over 100 countries with availability of 5G connectivity in more than 90% of these markets—strengthening its role as a global MVNO dedicated to delivering seamless international mobile connectivity.