Perspectives

Welcome to the New (and Fast-Growing) Ecosystem of Mobile Business Apps

August 6, 2013

article originally published GigaOM 5 11 13 last months several conversations mobile business applications remind early discussions debates around SaaS decade ago Emergence first invested Salesforce.com 2003 heard kinds reasons Software-as-a-Service work cloud-based computing enabled fundamental shift software design go-to-market strategies cost structure Today companies quickly coming dominate application market feel cusp similarly change rethinking time lens talking specific strategy keep hearing feature meet entrepreneurs building mobile-first apps see completely different thinking Leveraging unique capabilities devices core every decision make put together cut defining emerging app landscape based 100 stage look findings Vertical field-based go defined singular focus industries substantial cohort non-desk workers Real Estate great example industry notoriously slow adopt new technology years explosion solutions Cartavi's solution transactions gives agents buyers sellers related parties mortgage banks title etc ability store access update share transaction documents cloud construction side PlanGrid eliminating reams paper-based blueprints orders rich built specifically iPad Given nature traditional reliance makes sense crowded boxes Healthcare education verticals particularly well-suited sectors enabling entirely forms communication rather replacing Doximity offers professional networking physicians existed Disclosure author's firm Capital Partners investor 160 000 doctors joined network 75 percent engagement categories including restaurants transportation hospitality begun attract attention predict soon manufacturing retail agribusiness always feet Horizontal innovating existing services Looking start-ups emerge three sub-sectors productivity marketplaces sales marketing characteristic space native integration email desk calendar Tylr recently launched salespeople called Workinbox directly connects data Another young company Cloudmagic developed search capability allows users find names files stored e.g calendars Box Evernote marketspace sector heavy location-based promising car service Uber Flywheel Hailo Taxi Magic enable drivers passengers GPS interesting Quri platform uses cameras crowdsource in-store intelligence consumer brands Within ServiceMax helps manage entire field process scheduling parts contracts sells 20 bookings increased 150 relative year think stand-out found innovative ways use Expensify Flint alerts PagerDuty headset jack Square Unsolved challenges remain optimistic tremendous growth seen 12 However nascent Distribution issues come conversation want figure leverage stores effectively struggle addition founders working question whether native-build browser-based approach date tend provide better user experience often connectivity choice developing maintaining across multiple platforms challenging costly hopeful evolution HTML5 help achieve benefits ahead know continue evolve realize likely missed please let categorize ideas Kevin Spain General Partner Silicon Valley venture focused Enterprise sits board Viglink Welltok

Why SaaS is the Secret to Success in the Business Marketplace

February 14, 2013

piece originally appeared VentureBeat Consumer-to-consumer C2C marketplace startups enjoying Renaissance exemplified Airbnb others Sites facilitate transactions people disrupted older offline business-to-business marketplaces taking advantage ubiquitous mobile access delivering better experience recent success spurring new crop similar business-focused ventures believe tremendous potential leverage unique synergies combining model software service SaaS platform serving portal system record importantly paywall drives predictable revenue revolutionize offer modern advantages failed B2B early 2000s never include predictability favorable unit economics barrier disintermediation three key Larger market size late 1990s Zoho Corp emerged online hotel supplies raised 63 million Targeting massive industry 120 billion 2012 according IBIS operated transaction whereby company received small percentage severely limited made commissions unpredictable ultimately shut buyers including investors Harrah purchased fraction products heavily commoditized supply chain result earned low margin business little Today use platforms increase improve selling subscriptions manage example LiquidSpace enables individuals reserve meeting rooms conference office space commercial venues hotels alone Zoho's aimed apply commission large target win capturing volume However addition monetizing sells directly 50 000+ universities 100 enterprises potentially millions spaces internally internal networks greatly opportunity monthly subscription instead transactional adding customers captive guests students employees increases number public since Every successful startup faces competition eventually pressure particularly true oDesk Elance 99Designs sizable connect jobs freelance workers drove cost keywords used acquire traffic price therefore net provider hand using SaaS-based ways lower customer churn improves lifetime value breakage gross Constant acquisition costs combined increased sales marketing efficiency Scripted connects businesses journalists sign annual contracts lowers supplying minimum quantity written content utilize full occurs earns incur providing unused expands margins combination forces allowing spend scale growth aggressively threat top mind good middleman serve insurance demand provide necessary security complete uncertain environment network parties nothing prevents circumventing dealing MetalSite vertical specific connected commodities sellers via auctions taken loop first suppliers began bidding prices without paying OpenTable restaurant reservation become de facto locked ensures captures receives Additionally restaurants less likely replace competitor keeps opposed simply source reservations Final Thoughts initial wave crashed dotcom bust focused pricing competed incumbents build relationships participants innings succeed thanks generate

SaaS-y Predictions for 2013

January 24, 2013

Looking back 2012 abundantly clear SaaS firing cylinders last year Based upon saw seeing already 2013 momentum around company creation shows sign slowing seasoned enterprise executives entrepreneurs consumer backgrounds everyone seems thinking days reasons increase activity numerous part come market fundamentals including Public companies killing performance publicly-traded far exceeded NASDAQ S&P 500 indices proving important industry technology sector today fact according William Blair stocks Q3 nearly double bested 3x exits rise big 1.3 billion raised IPOs per analysis M&A risen sky-high levels led deals Oracle's acquisition Taleo 1.9 IBM's Kenexa 1.4 Microsoft's Yammer 1.2 businesses exit landscape never better venture pendulum swinging robust environment VC interest waned bit found intensive among investors 3 capital invested first nine months versus 1.7 2011 time years B2B top mind community excitement all-time high comes logical question next gaze crystal ball reveals number noteworthy trends horizon mobile app hardly apps fair amount investment area device management mobile-focused business funded see perched cusp revolution applications built specifically devices take advantage unique features provide Built-in location awareness on-board cameras relatively low cost durability opening new doors use wider range industries dramatically streamline operations example Doximity pioneered HIPAA secure mobile-based professional networking platform physicians improves speed quality patient care DoubleDutch's mobile-first CRM makes managing sales process easy effective fun Roambi lets turn boring data insightful interactive graphics iOS promise era application starting approach concepts Verticals hot seen up-starts find tremendous success vertically-focused solutions Veeva life sciences Hat Monocle higher-education Xtime automotive service hand strategy enable build share efficient health education seem attention plenty opportunity outside spots partner Gordon wrote great post topic expect pursue vertical strategies Defensibility ever created segment result begin price-based competition certain markets order avoid becoming commoditized best moat solution Whether finding create network effect LinkedIn using customers usage product deliver value portfolio Lithium pressure increasingly defensible offerings extremely excited holds forward working existing help generation leaders

The CEOs of the Hottest SaaS Startups Gather Once Again

November 29, 2012

find hottest CEOs place year Emergence Capital Partners CEO Forum brings together successful B2B companies share experiences expertise learn another talk exactly successfully made SaaS enterprise sexy always must-attend event truly something special welcome new members family heard innovative leaders time revolutionizing digital services landscape rare opportunity inside minds visionaries hear perspective issues strategies opportunities face blockbuster speakers Jim Corbett Geoffrey Moore David Sacks agenda read technology start space though value generated behind closed door conversations take among wanted presented Perfect Storm Actually Tornado market forces business stellar teams often converge right moment create success ever considered look understanding effective exploitation disruptive technologies core life's work best-selling author books Crossing Chasm Gorilla Game Living Fault Line Dealing Darwin required reading leading schools captivated audience assertion entrepreneurs must harness effect reinvent Sharing thoughts waves disruption keys engagement masterfully wove every-day examples discussion macro theories trends making easy relate According watershed eras evolution today 1980s revolution Office personal 1990s Chains age Consumption 2000s back focus 2010s Needless say thrilled prediction pendulum swinging shine became best seller think challenge early innovators transform industry finally become pragmatists conservatives build big enough breed lean startups magic happens happening enables turn mild breeze unstoppable model described simple insightfully brilliant extremely applicable order generate created Yammer 4 key drivers present Acquisition probably critical area Bringing customers users generates initial mass makes everything else possible flowing system ensure fully engaged realizing solution strong sustainable Monetization substantial next step devise extract money interactions unable monetize quickly run steam Enlistment final driver advocacy synergistic willing advocates brand raving inviting friends peers ability enjoy viral benefits customer golden drive home shared four trouble aligning citing Kiva's high cost LinkedIn's Facebook's clear challenges Yahoo low levels Now formula applied slowest gear questions salient plan speed succeed far away differently see useful velocity seems suitable freemium following Geoffrey's presentation proved relevance almost company looking know takes question approach remains primed continue next-generation concept swept idea winds change chart course future

Date Consumers but Marry Businesses

July 30, 2012

buzz among Facebook investors announced lackluster results first quarter public company Shares sank 10 hours trading signaling getting less patient social network giant posted net losses 157 million Zynga plunged 40 announcing day earlier Facebook's quarterly gaming hit Consumers fickle Building business based consumer behavior risky main reason companies grow quickly experience unpredictable performance looked b2c b2b going data supports view analysis included tech IPO since 2004 year aftermarket 12 31 11 SaaS highest consistency models predictable distribution growth sector shown seen declines 67 Internet valued price key driver focused strategy founding Emergence Capital Partners exclusively Technology Enabled Services businesses focus deeper understanding metrics best practices unique executives within partnered strong entrepreneurs rewarded success great Salesforce Factors Echosign Yammer Despite attracting firmly believe generate consistent returns continuing category

Why We Are So Proud of Yammer

June 25, 2012

founded Emergence Capital 2003 envisioned new generation technology-enabled services TES companies fundamentally revolutionize globally Early investments Salesforce.com SuccessFactors became multi-billion public proved right tectonic shift cloud-based computing architectures recurring revenue business models predicted equally powerful end users away centralized ultimately change software bought sold now referred freemium model Finally theorized massive changes consumer online behaviors impact workplace identified investment thesis around enterprise social networking big potential opportunity reached space Yammer believed vision caliber team take full advantage enormous first investors spun Geni internet company visionary David Sacks joined board January 2010 began help modify DNA kick ass product-driven sales marketing powerhouse half years since involved grown 25 employees 1 rep 350 people world-class global organization penetrated 85 Fortune 1000 Today 5 million 200+ countries 250 000 corporate networks 1.2 billion transaction largest private acquisition SaaS history Certainly proud financial return homerun definition VC parlance accomplished millions globe joins pantheon Emergence-backed Cloud Titans Marc Benioff Lars Dalgaard SAP wish great success continuing make dream come alive look forward landscape future part Microsoft Congratulations Adam Mark DavidO Jim DeeAnna entire associated historic

Why I Joined the NVCA Board of Directors

April 27, 2012

past week inducted serve board directors National Venture Capital Association NVCA largest influential professional organization community whose membership comprises 90 VC firms honor privilege selected peers tremendous responsibility thought long hard taking four-year commitment requiring level attention caring private company wanted share thinking decision initial impressions ask feedback believe important issues facing entrepreneurial address tenure operates limelight mostly behind scenes Washington sort archangel entrepreneurs attended first meeting blown away professionalism insight understanding dynamics direct efforts service innovation job growth tenants industry built incredible trusted brand practicing conscientious informed pragmatic approach decades rather throwing money high-paid lobbyists result actually make difference liken ecosystem fragile diverse beautiful coral reef acts protect inhabitants inevitable unintended consequences broader legislation over-regulation small rarely given center stage certainly feel effects collateral damage example Sarbanes-Oxley devastating impacts ability young companies go public last decade overburdened FDA drastically reduced rate health care system Immigration restrictions sapped access talented human required scale Together create significant deleterious thus stifle economy tackles challenges among others made progress number fronts Recently played reduce negative impact growing successful passage JOBS Act 2012 effort spearheaded members notably Kate Mitchell amazing staff Jennifer Dowling save spending hundreds millions dollars resources comply overly burdensome accounting regulatory compliance measures designed larger must admit pretty skeptical getting anything done bill gave great hope now optimistic guidance determined investment firm making investments course paramount success However supporting healthy protects supports entrepreneurship critical component longer term excited opportunity friction blazing trail love thoughts maximize

V2MOM: A Great Way to Focus Your Team on What Matters

March 19, 2012

Early-stage CEOs need good lots view important setting vision company translating tangible objectives rest team done CEO must able simplify everyone understand act hard work DaVinci said Simplicity ultimate sophistication tool seen use make easier communicate Mark Benioff's V2MOM book Behind Cloud tells story used since Salesforce.com inception focus matters requires outline five refresh periodically business evolves want accomplish Values Methods deliver Obstacles stand Measurement know met goals Seems simple enough right always easy boiled agree upon process CEO's talents come play exceptionally several portfolio companies early growth stage better job getting aligned around equipping definitely worth integrating

Global Business Freemium

March 13, 2012

Matt Holleran small team developers serve businesses around world Business Freemium companies often global inception important part story Model disrupting SaaS Enterprise Software studying couple years share learned help entrepreneurs executives create Going Strategy Emergence Capital pleased investors leaders include Yammer Box YouSendIt echosign Adobe actively framing executing Capital's since 2009 See presentation overview recurring themes conversations whether service market high percentage free users using application outside United States reported strong absolute relative usage emerging countries traditionally served profitable made think Clayton Christensen's Innovator's Dilemma wrote new models generally start serving markets hard incumbents profitably Less ten employee sales organizations sell took root segment another dimension disruption founders CEOs pioneers courageous decisions accelerate growth paid ahead prior done terms revenue people SurveyMonkey's CEO Dave Goldberg VP International Minna King built exceptional company investing ago large translated languages starting 2010 Last week spoke entrepreneur millions majority multiple little LinkedIn first public reports 60 members December 2011 33 quarter ended September grew 183 year faster rest listened developed framework creating hosted forum portfolio friends firm SurveyMonkey keynoted event discourse agreement dissent presentations clear execution different recommendations following Choose leader Design product expose capabilities later Implement early carefully accept manage payments especially auto-convert Identify executive send lead need go geographies inside field venture experience craft plan detail exciting customers employees access products easy use otherwise opens size accelerates consuming time consider developing leveraging resources earlier lifecycle Let know