Dutch entrepreneur Nalden, a co-founder of the file-sharing service WeTransfer, is developing a new file transfer platform called Boomerang, citing dissatisfaction with the direction WeTransfer has taken since its acquisition by Bending Spoons last year. Nalden, who co-founded WeTransfer in 2009 and departed in 2019, voiced concerns about changes implemented after the acquisition by the Milan-based tech firm, which is known for acquiring and restructuring popular apps.
Nalden told TechCrunch that Bending Spoons' approach was not people-centric, stating, "Even though I get that it is their private equity strategy, I notice that since I left WeTransfer in 2019, there were a lot of updates that were basically killing the product, in my point of view." These changes included alterations to transfer link functionality and a reduction of 75 staff members.
WeTransfer faced controversy earlier this year when it considered using user content to train AI models, leading to a reversal of planned changes to its terms of service. According to Nalden, this sparked frustration among creatives, prompting him to create an alternative that embodies the original simplicity of WeTransfer.
Boomerang allows users to transfer files without logging in, aiming to recapture the user experience that defined WeTransfer in its early years. The move highlights a growing trend of founders revisiting their original visions in response to corporate acquisitions and shifts in product strategy. The file-sharing market, valued at billions of dollars, has seen increased competition and evolving user expectations regarding privacy and ease of use.
The acquisition of WeTransfer by Bending Spoons signaled a shift towards a more data-driven and potentially profit-optimized approach, a common strategy in the private equity world. However, this approach has not been without its critics, particularly from those who valued WeTransfer's original focus on user experience and creative expression. The launch of Boomerang represents a direct challenge to WeTransfer's current trajectory and a bet that there is still a demand for a simpler, more user-friendly file-sharing service. The service is currently available, and it remains to be seen how it will compete in the crowded file-sharing landscape.
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