Staff in the Spotlight - Dan Winson, Zetifi
Dan Winson, Zefti
How long have you lived in Wagga and what brought you here and why have you stayed?
I've lived in Wagga since I was five, so it's home in every sense. It's the best place in the world to raise a family and we're very lucky to be here. Staying was never in question. When I founded Zetifi the goal wasn't just to build a successful business that was feasible in Wagga, it was to build one that's stronger because it's here. When Telstra led our Series A, I made sure the condition that our head office stays in Wagga was very clear, and they weren't just accepting of it, they were 100 per cent supportive.
What is your background?
Education:
Bachelor of Business/Bachelor of Information Technology, Charles Sturt University (2000 to 2005)
Master of Information Technology, Charles Sturt University (2008 to 2012)
Career:
IT/accounting trainee at Bush & Campbell Pty Ltd (2000 to 2002)
Senior technician at Computer DenCity (2002 to 2004)
Systems engineer at Computer Sciences Corporation (2004 to 2005)
Owner/manager of Leading Edge Electronics Wagga (2005 to 2010)
IT networking teacher, cyber security subject matter expert and project manager at TAFE NSW (2010 to 2011), while also working as an adjunct associate lecturer at Charles Sturt University teaching IT project management and database management systems.
Founded Zetifi in 2017. Family: Dan lives in Wagga with his wife Mel and their three children.
How long have you been involved with the business and how did that occur?
Since day one. I founded Zetifi in 2017 after reading about a Queensland farmer who'd installed a 53-metre tower just to get connectivity. At the time I was teaching networking at TAFE and CSU, and I started prototyping a cheaper, more scalable alternative in the evenings and weekends from the back room of Computer DenCity, where I'd worked years earlier as a technician. That side project became Zetifi.
What are your achievements?
Professionally, the achievement I'm proudest of is the team we've built at Zetifi. Milestones like our US patent, a $12.25 million Series A co-led by Telstra and GrainCorp, more than $15 million in State and Commonwealth funded projects and grants, and world-first products now heading to global markets only happened because of the people behind them, and we've built that team here in Wagga. Before Zetifi, building and running Leading Edge Electronics Wagga was another proud chapter. Personally, it's family. Mel and I are raising three great kids here, and that's the achievement that matters most.
Your hobbies and interests:
Weekends are mostly spent with my family watching a lot of junior soccer, netball and basketball, or riding bikes, scooters and skateboards with the kids or going out for coffee with Mel (and our dog Alfie).