WeTransfer

WeTransfer
Owner WeTransfer B.V.
Website wetransfer.com
Alexa rank Negative increase 230 (April 2018)[1]
Launched 2009

WeTransfer is a cloud-based computer file transfer service. The company was founded in Amsterdam (the Netherlands) by Bas Beerens and Nalden.[2] The core service is free, with more features available for premium accounts. Free users can send files up to 2GB; WeTransfer ‘Plus’ allows transferring without size limitations and offers features like password protection, channel customization and 500 GB storage.[3]

Bas Beerens

Bas Beerens is a Dutch entrepreneur who founded easy file-sharing platform WeTransfer[4] with Nalden (Ronald Hans) and Rinke Visser in 2009.[5]

Beerens also runs the design consultancy OY Communications, from which WeTransfer developed, initially as OY Transfer.[6][7] In 2012, he founded WeMarket, a global B2B marketplace for buyers and suppliers in any industry.[8]

History

Early development and launch

WeTransfer was founded in 2009[9] and evolved from Beerens’s frustration at not being able to share large files easily. WeTransfer had to be ‘simple enough for your parents to use’.[10] Nalden, widely known in the Netherlands for his blog Nalden.net, was approached by Beerens and added the idea of the full screen background imagery.[9] After the potential of the service became apparent, WeTransfer was turned into a stand-alone business.[9]

2010–2012

In 2012, WeTransfer implemented a re-design and introduced its premium ‘Plus’ offering, which included bigger file transfers as well as storage, an address book, and the ability to password protect files.[9]

2013–2015

Self-funded from its launch in 2009, WeTransfer reached profitability in 2013.[11] In 2014, WeTransfer launched creativeclass.tv, an ongoing video series. In that same year, WeTransfer also initiated its first bursaries through a collaborative partnership with Central Saint Martins.[12] These bursaries supported two students from around the globe in their full-time studies.

In 2015, WeTransfer raised a $25 million Series A funding round from Highland Capital Partners Europe.[13] WeTransfer indicated that the investment would be used to continue product innovation and further build its brand across the United States, Europe, and beyond.

In that same year, the company added to its board Troy Carter, venture capitalist and talent manager to artists like Lady Gaga and Meghan Trainor.[14]

2016–present

In 2016, WeTransfer announced the acquisition of digital design and innovation studio Present Plus, to further its commitment to design-driven products and technology.[15] Established in 2010 by Damian Bradfield and WeTransfer co-founder Nalden,[15] Present Plus focused on making technology simple and useful, and creating content worth sharing. Its award-winning work attracted clients like Adidas, MR PORTER, British Airways, Sonos and Christie’s.

In September 2016 WeTransfer opened their first office in the United States, in Venice Beach, Los Angeles.[16] In early 2017, Gordon Willoughby became the company’s Chief Executive Officer, taking over from Founder and Chief Executive Bas Beerens, who stepped back from day-to-day operations to become Executive Chairman.[17]

In August 2018, WeTransfer acquired app developer FiftyThree, whose portfolio included sketching app Paper and collaborative presentation app Paste.[18]

Revenue model

WeTransfer has a dual revenue model; split between advertising and premium subscriptions. With a free account, users can send files of up to 2GB. With a premium account, customers get access to bigger transfer sizes (up to 20GB), 100 GB storage and password and personalization options.[19]

WeTransfer also works with brands (e.g. Google, Samsung, Netflix and Squarespace) to develop and deliver full-screen advertisements on its billboard like ‘background wallpapers’, an advertising model Nalden pioneered on the blog he ran before launching WeTransfer (Nalden.net).[20] Instead of banner ads, Nalden used full screen ads as a background on his blog, bringing magazine-style imagery online.[21]

Creative community

75% of WeTransfer users come from the "creative community".[22] Since its launch, WeTransfer has given away 30% of the background wallpaper images (advertising space) to support and showcase artists, designers, musicians, illustrators, photographers and creative organizations.[23] In 2016, this meant giving away one billion page impressions to the creative community.[24]

WeTransfer's content platform ‘This Works’ tells the stories behind the creatives that are featured on WeTransfer.[25]

In early 2017 the company announced that it is offering free premium WeTransfer Plus accounts to all creative arts students in the United States. In the same year, WeTransfer announced that it is one of the Founding Partners of the University of the Underground, as part of WeTransfer’s long term commitment to supporting arts and education.[26] Led by designer and WeTransfer’s Chief of Experiences Nelly Ben Hayoun, the University of the Underground, run in collaboration with Amsterdam's Sandberg Instituut, offers a postgraduate curriculum that encourages students to ‘use multidisciplinary design thinking to make a difference in the world’.

See also

References

  1. ↑ Site Overview wetransfer.com, Alexa Internet. Retrieved on 28 September 2016.
  2. ↑ Eva Oude Elferink (2013-10-21). "Nalden: 'Door het design van WeTransfer durven mensen het te gebruiken'" (in Dutch). Volkskrant.nl. Retrieved 2013-10-28.
  3. ↑ "WeTransfer Plus". 2018-08-23.
  4. ↑ Send large files to clients with these 11 free tools on creativebloq.com, accessed 16 July 2018
  5. ↑ Gratis en eenvoudig grote bestanden te delen met WeTransfer on eenmanierom.nl, accessed 16 July 2018
  6. ↑ Article on WeTransfer in issue_16 summer_2011-2 (see p82) at issuu.com, accessed 16 July 2018
  7. ↑ 2012 Article on european-startups wired.co.uk, accessed 16 July 2018
  8. ↑ B2B marketplace WeMarket launches for global companies on internetretailer.com.
  9. 1 2 3 4 WeTransfer. "WeTransfer". www.wetransfer.com. Retrieved 27 June 2017.
  10. ↑ "Summer 2011". Retrieved 27 June 2017.
  11. ↑ Lunden, Ingrid. "WeTransfer, Funky Dutch Cousin Of Dropbox And Box, Gets $25M To Go Large In The U.S." TechCrunch. Retrieved 27 June 2017.
  12. ↑ "MA Material Futures Announces New Bursaries – Central Saint Martins: News". blogs.arts.ac.uk. Retrieved 27 June 2017.
  13. ↑ "Dutch startup WeTransfer just raised $25 million to expand into the US". Retrieved 27 June 2017.
  14. ↑ "Troy Carter Joins The Board Of WeTransfer". fastcompany.com. 9 November 2015. Retrieved 27 June 2017.
  15. 1 2 Lunden, Ingrid. "Dropbox rival WeTransfer acquires Present Plus to boost product and design teams - TechCrunch". techcrunch.com. Retrieved 27 June 2017.
  16. ↑ Kissel, Chris (3 October 2016). "How to Make Your Tech Company Cool: Throw a Party With Kamasi Washington". laweekly.com. Retrieved 27 June 2017.
  17. ↑ Lunden, Ingrid. "WeTransfer's founder leaves CEO role, ex-Amazon exec steps in for commercial push - TechCrunch". techcrunch.com. Retrieved 27 June 2017.
  18. ↑ "WeTransfer buys creative apps Paper and Paste from FiftyThree". The Verge. Retrieved 2018-08-21.
  19. ↑ WeTransfer. "WeTransfer". www.wetransfer.com. Retrieved 27 June 2017.
  20. ↑ "Behance". www.behance.net. Retrieved 27 June 2017.
  21. ↑ "How The Cofounder Of WeTransfer Went From Blog To Startup". fastcompany.com. 13 February 2014. Retrieved 27 June 2017.
  22. ↑ Rijen, Sjoerd van (13 April 2017). "Delighting in the details: how we redesigned the WeTransfer emails". medium.com. Retrieved 27 June 2017.
  23. ↑ "This Worked 2016 – WeTransfer This Works". wetransfer.com. 20 December 2016. Retrieved 27 June 2017.
  24. ↑ "How WeTransfer is helping artists and giving away billions of page impressions". independent.co.uk. 14 March 2017. Retrieved 27 June 2017.
  25. ↑ "WeTransfer This Works". wetransfer.com. Retrieved 27 June 2017.
  26. ↑ "University of the Underground design course to train "a network of creative soldiers"". dezeen.com. 2 February 2017. Retrieved 27 June 2017.
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