Startups, collaborate and listen: Dropbox’s head of Australia says disruptors should work together for global change

Dropbox is moving towards a more collaborative ethos, and startups should follow suit, according to the file hosting giant’s country head for Australia and New Zealand, Tony Ward.

Speaking to StartupSmart, Ward says if startups work together, and with other businesses and governments, they have an opportunity to make a real impact on global issues.

Such collaboration and information sharing are one of the main values of Dropbox, he says, focusing on “surfacing” information when a user needs it.

Currently, he said, people can spend up to two-thirds of their time doing “work about work” – finding the information they need to do their jobs, rather than actually doing them.

To change this dynamic, businesses should focus on “moving from digital disaster to digital harmony”, he said.

“If we could do that, people would be excited to go to work on Monday morning.”

Founded in 2007 by Drew Houston and Arash Ferdowsi, Dropbox now has more than 500 million users across 180 countries, and offices in 12 countries. In March 2018, the company listed on the Nasdaq Stock Exchange. Read more

Stephanie Palmer-Derrien - Smart Company - 18 June 2018