Drew Houston

Drew Houston is an American entrepreneur best known as the co-founder and CEO of Dropbox, a leading online storage and collaboration platform. He joined the board of directors at Meta (formerly Facebook) in February 2020, succeeding Reed Hastings, the former CEO of Netflix.125

Background and Education

Born on March 4, 1983, in Acton, Massachusetts, Houston graduated with a degree in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in 2006. His frustration with traditional file storage methods led him to develop the concept for Dropbox while still in college.25

Career at Dropbox

Houston co-founded Dropbox in 2007 with Arash Ferdowsi. Under his leadership, the company grew from a startup idea to a service utilized by over 600 million users globally, with 14 million paying subscribers. Houston is recognized as one of the most influential figures in the tech industry, and his work has earned Dropbox a reputation as one of the most successful startups to emerge from the Y Combinator accelerator.356

Role at Meta

As a board member at Meta, Houston brings valuable insights from his experience in technology and service delivery. Mark Zuckerberg, the CEO of Meta, has highlighted Houston's deep understanding of technology and his ability to foster a culture that prioritizes reliable service.23 Houston's appointment to the board is seen as an effort to strengthen the company's governance, especially in light of ongoing scrutiny regarding its impact on society and technology's role in modern life.12

Personal Life

Houston resides in Austin, Texas, and is known for his advocacy in technology and education reform, having co-founded the lobbying group FWD.us, which focuses on immigration reform and educational improvements.5 His net worth is estimated to be around $2.2 billion, making him one of the wealthiest individuals in the tech sector.46