Anthony Michael Fadell is born in Grosse Pointe, Michigan. Even from a young age, Fadell showed a keen interest in tinkering with electronics and understanding how things worked, foreshadowing his future career in engineering and design.

After graduating with a degree in computer engineering from the University of Michigan, Fadell worked at General Magic, an Apple spin-off company focused on developing personal digital assistants (PDAs). When General Magic folded, he joined Philips, where he conceptualized and led the development of the Velo, a groundbreaking handheld computer – demonstrating his early vision for mobile computing and a user-centric design approach.