[scirocco]

Interesting, so we might have moved from:

Big, incumbent non-SW company (Kodak example) being challenged by start-up to Big, software incumbent (Salesforce) with massive developer resources being challenged by start-up.

Maybe the strategies need to change - perhaps increasingly partnering with the software incumbents (if you can't beat 'em, join 'em).. Maybe someone can add some insight..?

[hef19898]

One lesson I learned since I started my business a couple of months ago, is how important interfaces are. In practical terms, you can provide any kind of service together with partners as long as the interfaces between these partners are working. Doesn't matter if it is an API or just the way collaborate with, e.g., a photographer.

This gives cloud based software companies are huge advantage, and opens all kinds of opportunities for companies developing or working with the interfaces between these cloud solutions and involved parties.

My impression is that all the platform start-ups, unless they have competencies in integration of different tools and managing the corresponding processes, are basically dead in the water once VC money is drying up. When we talk about B2B solutions, I don't see any FB-like monopoly. So if start-ups are pushing for that, they gona loose against the big incumbents on the software side and against more operations oriented companies on the integration and process side.

I might be completely wrong with that, so.