# Angela Beesley Starling

> co-founder of Wikia

**Wikidata**: [Q219533](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q219533)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angela_Beesley)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/angela-beesley-starling

## Summary
Angela Beesley Starling is a British-Australian computer scientist and entrepreneur, best known as a co-founder of Wikia (now Fandom). She played a key role in developing the platform that became a major hub for fan wikis and user-generated content.

## Biography
- Born: 1977-08-03 (Norwich, United Kingdom)
- Nationality: United Kingdom (until 2005), Australia (since 2005)
- Education: Bachelor's degree in psychology from Aston University (2000)
- Known for: Co-founding Wikia, a platform for fan wikis and user-generated content
- Employer(s): Wikimedia Foundation (2004–2006), Wikia/Fandom (co-founder, 2004–2012)
- Field(s): Computer science, web development, entrepreneurship

## Contributions
- Co-founded Wikia (later rebranded as Fandom) in 2004, creating a platform for fan wikis and user-generated content.
- Served on the Wikimedia Foundation Board of Trustees from 2004 to 2006.
- Developed early versions of the Wikia platform, which grew into a major hub for fan communities and encyclopedic content.

## FAQs
### What was Angela Beesley Starling's role in Wikia?
Angela Beesley Starling was a co-founder of Wikia, which later became Fandom. She played a key role in developing the platform that allowed users to create and host fan wikis and user-generated content.

### Where did Angela Beesley Starling work before Wikia?
Before Wikia, Angela Beesley Starling worked for the Wikimedia Foundation, serving on its Board of Trustees from 2004 to 2006.

### What is Angela Beesley Starling's educational background?
Angela Beesley Starling holds a bachelor's degree in psychology from Aston University, which she completed in 2000.

### What is Angela Beesley Starling's nationality?
Angela Beesley Starling was born in the United Kingdom but later became an Australian citizen in 2005.

## Why They Matter
Angela Beesley Starling's work as a co-founder of Wikia (now Fandom) had a significant impact on the landscape of user-generated content and fan communities. Her contributions helped establish a platform that allowed millions of users to create and share wikis, encyclopedic content, and collaborative projects. The platform's success demonstrated the potential of community-driven knowledge sharing and laid the groundwork for modern wiki platforms. Her influence extends beyond Wikia, as the principles she helped develop continue to shape online collaboration and content creation.

## Notable For
- Co-founder of Wikia (now Fandom), a major platform for fan wikis and user-generated content.
- Served on the Wikimedia Foundation Board of Trustees from 2004 to 2006.
- Developed early versions of the Wikia platform, which grew into a widely used hub for fan communities.

## Body
### Early Life and Education
Angela Beesley Starling was born on August 3, 1977, in Norwich, United Kingdom. She attended Aston University, where she earned a bachelor's degree in psychology in 2000. Her educational background in psychology influenced her approach to user experience and community engagement in her later work.

### Career and Wikia
Angela Beesley Starling began her career in web development and entrepreneurship. In 2004, she co-founded Wikia alongside other early contributors, creating a platform for fan wikis and user-generated content. The platform quickly gained popularity, allowing users to create and host wikis on a wide range of topics, from entertainment and gaming to fandoms and niche interests. Wikia later rebranded as Fandom, continuing to serve as a major hub for fan communities and collaborative projects.

### Wikimedia Foundation
From 2004 to 2006, Angela Beesley Starling served on the Board of Trustees of the Wikimedia Foundation. Her role in this organization provided her with insights into the broader wiki movement and the principles of open collaboration that would later influence her work on Wikia.

### Nationality and Relocation
Angela Beesley Starling was born in the United Kingdom but later became an Australian citizen in 2005. This change in nationality reflects her relocation to Australia, where she continued to contribute to the development of Wikia and other web-based projects.

### Legacy and Influence
Angela Beesley Starling's contributions to Wikia and the broader wiki movement have had a lasting impact on online collaboration and content creation. Her work helped establish a platform that democratized knowledge sharing and allowed users to create and share wikis on a global scale. The principles she helped develop continue to shape modern wiki platforms and community-driven projects.

## References

1. [Source](http://a.nge.la/)
2. [Source](https://www.smh.com.au/technology/quest-for-the-universal-wiki-20051122-gdmhh5.html)
3. [Source](https://foundation.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Resolution:Communications_committee_creation&direction=next&oldid=15617)
4. [Source](http://wikimediafoundation.org/wiki/Press_releases/Angela_Beesley_resigns_from_Wikimedia_Foundation_board)
5. [Source](https://web.archive.org/web/20060719053446/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Angela)
6. [Source](http://en.wikizine.org/2006/07/wikizine-number-32.html)
7. [Source](http://mail.wikipedia.org/pipermail/foundation-l/2006-July/008146.html)
8. [Source](https://foundation.wikimedia.org/wiki/Press_releases/Angela_Beesley_resigns_from_Wikimedia_Foundation_board)
9. [Source](https://networkcultures.org/decadeofwebdesign/2014/06/05/angela-beesley/)
10. [Source](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/foundation/archive/e/ee/20051111022540!Presskit.pdf)
11. [Source](https://enacademic.com/dic.nsf/enwiki/8184185)
12. [Source](https://community.fandom.com/wiki/User_blog:Angela/Leaving_Wikia)
13. [Source](http://wikimediafoundation.org/wiki/User:Angela)
14. [Source](https://www.nytimes.com/2007/01/01/technology/01iht-wiki.4064799.html?searchResultPosition=3)
15. [Source](https://www.omidyar.com/investees/wikia)
16. [Source](https://www.britannica.com/biography/Jimmy-Wales#ref932809)
17. [Source](https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ourmedia)
18. [Source](https://wikimediafoundation.org/wiki/Former_Board_of_Trustees_members#Angela_Beesley)
19. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013
20. Virtual International Authority File
21. [Source](http://data.bibliotheken.nl/doc/thes/p297664476)