Ashton Kutcher was born in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, in 1978 as Christopher Ashton Kutcher. He has a twin brother named Michael, and he was raised on a farm by factory workers.
He spent his childhood working and saving money, working odd jobs such as butchering.
Kutcher attended the University of Iowa, where he studied biochemical engineering. He dropped out to pursue modeling and acting.
He married actress Mila Kunis in 2015. They have two children together, and Kutcher is an active part of their lives.
Modeling and Acting Career
After a stint modeling in New York and Europe, Kutcher moved to Los Angeles to pursue his Hollywood ambitions. He debuted on television in 1998 with a role in the sitcom “That ’70s Show.”
Kutcher’s breakout film role came in 2000 with the teen comedy “Dude, Where’s My Car?” In 2003, Kutcher starred in the romantic comedy “Just Married” opposite Brittany Murphy.
He also successfully ran on the TV show “Two and a Half Men” from 2011 to 2015, where he was reportedly paid $700,000 an episode.
Ashton Kutcher’s Production and Media
Kutcher opened his first production company, Katalyst, in 2003. The company has produced several films and television shows, including The Butterfly Effect, Dude, Where’s My Car?, and Punk’d.
Kutcher owns a media company called A Plus. It’s been ranked as one of the top 50 websites and published “feel good” news.
Kutcher has produced several films and television shows. His production work includes The Butterfly Effect, Killers, Spread, and My Boss’s Daughter.
In 2016, Kutcher executive produced and starred in the television series The Ranch along with former 70’s show co-star Danny Masterson. The show aired on Netflix for four seasons before it was canceled in 2020.
Ashton Kutcher’s Net Worth
Ashton Kutcher has a net worth of more than $200 million. His career as a model and actor has made him one of the highest-paid celebrities in Hollywood.
He and Kunis own several real estate properties. Their home in Hidden Valley recently sold for $10.35 million.
They also own a six-acre sustainable farm called KuKu Farms.
Ashton Kutcher’s Work as an Investor
Two of Kutcher’s first investments were Geisha and Dolce Enoteca e Ristorante, two up-and-coming restaurants. While both shuttered, he has a diversified portfolio that’s helped him grow his net worth.
Kutcher invested in the tech company Ripple. As a result, the company donated $4 million to the Ellen Degeneres Wild Life Fund.
He invested $500,000 in Uber in 2011, when the company only had about 7,000 drivers. Back then, it was valued at $1.3 million. Now, it’s worth more than $3.8 billion.
He invested $1.5 million in Airbnb in 2011. He tried the company and saw its potential. The company grew from $2.5 million in revenue in 2011 to more than $1 billion.
Kutcher was also an early investor in Skype. He tripled his initial investment of $1 million after Microsoft eventually purchased Skype.
Kutcher is an active investor in other tech startups. He has always been a forerunner in the tech world and was the first Twitter user to amass 1 million followers.
He co-founded the venture capital firm A-Grade Investments with fellow investors Guy Oseary and Ronald Burkle. Guy Oseary is the former money manager of Madonna. The firm has invested in companies like Skype, Foursquare, and Airbnb.
The company found great success. It was valued at more than $100 million three years after its founding.
Rob Conway was one of Kutcher’s first partners. Conway taught Kutcher the ins and outs of investing. Conway eventually persuaded Kutcher to guest star on Shark Tank.
Kutcher is also a partner at the investment firm Sound Ventures. Kutcher and Guy Oseary founded the firm in 2015. It has made investments in companies like Uber, Casper, and Lemonade.
Ashton Kutcher on Shark Tank
Kutcher appeared on one episode of Shark Tank in 2015. In the episode, he invests in the company The Beebo.
The Beebo is a hands-free feeding device for parents. As a parent, Kutcher saw the product’s value, and it grew in popularity. He split a $200,000 investment with Lori Greiner for 15% each of Beebo.
Kutcher, a parent himself, saw the value in the company and made the leap.
The Beebo was a big hit on Shark Tank. It received multiple offers from the sharks and ultimately landed a deal. The company has since gone on to be a huge success, selling over one million units.
Kutcher also invested in a sports product called Slyde Handboards. It is a handheld bodyboard that is popular with a niche group of athletes.
Since the publicity on Shark Tank, its popularity has grown. As more people learn about the sport, sales are expected to increase further.
More than 8 million viewers saw the product’s spot on Shark Tank. Even before airing, the product’s performance grew by 100%. After the show played, sales of the product soared by 300%.
Ashton Kutcher’s Work in Philanthropy
Kutcher is an active philanthropist. His work in philanthropy goes back more than 15 years. In 2006 on Myspace, he announced he’d donate $1 for every person that added him, up to a million, to Habitat of Humanity.
He also spent a week helping build homes in Central America.
In 2010, Times Magazine named Kutcher one of the 100 Most Influential People.
He co-founded the nonprofit organization Thorn: Digital Defenders of Children with his ex-wife Demi Moore.
It uses technology to help prevent human trafficking and has saved thousands of lives. In addition, the organization works to combat child trafficking and sexual exploitation.
In 2017, he gave a speech in front of the US Congress to protect children and vulnerable women. His nonprofit has helped save more than 6,000 people.
In 2022, Kutcher and his wife Mila Kunis crowdfunded more than $34 million for Ukrainian refugees.
