Minbox

Minbox operated as a SaaS firm focused on the file-sharing and storage sector, established in 2012 by founder Alexander Mimran. The San Francisco-based company positioned itself as a solution for businesses and creative professionals to send and manage digital files. The service was developed to address inefficiencies in the cloud storage market, particularly the 'send' component, which the founder felt was neglected by competitors focused on 'backup' and 'sync'.

The company's platform functioned as a file transfer and storage plug-in for Mac, allowing users to share files of any size via a drag-and-drop interface. A key feature was the ability to share a download link with a recipient before the file upload was complete, streamlining the sharing process. While the free service stored files for a 30-day period, a planned Minbox Pro subscription was set to offer permanent storage, encryption, and other premium features. Minbox targeted a broad client base, including creative professionals like photographers and designers, as well as larger enterprises, attracting users from companies such as Adidas, Nike, and Apple.

Financially, Minbox secured approximately $800,000 in a seed funding round on May 11, 2012, with lead investors including Correlation Ventures and Rho Capital Partners. In 2016, the company was quietly acqui-hired by Airbnb, marking the conclusion of its journey as an independent entity.

Keywords: file sharing, cloud storage, SaaS, file transfer, digital asset management, Alexander Mimran, acqui-hired, Airbnb acquisition, creative professionals, enterprise file sharing, Mac application, cloud file management, secure file transfer, large file sending, online collaboration, data storage, digital delivery, business productivity, project management tools