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How many startups do you really believe are more technically sophisticated than, say, Chevron, Hapag-Lloyd, Cargill, ADP or Goldman Sachs? It's easy for a coup

How many startups do you really believe are more technically sophisticated than, say, Chevron, Hapag-Lloyd, Cargill, ADP or Goldman Sachs? It's easy for a couple of 20-somethings sipping lattes at The Creamery to imagine that industries like agriculture and trucking are filled with bumpkins who don't "have software in their DNA", but that doesn't mean this is reality. If you remove yourself from the Bay Area bubble, it's quite difficult to find industries that are not already using data and technology in very sophisticated ways. > ...software excellence is something in the DNA of SV startup culture... What is "software excellence"? Look at the page source for the websites of the companies the author has invested in: most of them exhibit more than one easily-avoided front-end worst practice. Obviously, this doesn't mean that these services are of no value, but it's kind of silly to throw around phrases like "software excellence" and "engineering-first" when the type of companies that are supposed to be exhibiting these things apparently can't find the time to push clean, efficient front-end code to production.

atwebb 13y ago
I like the specific mention of Agri-business. I'll admit to being pretty blind to it until a close friend went to one that is doing amazing things and producing very sophisticated devices. They're currently switching out the old for the new similar to what you were replying to. They have the "startup" mindset but it seems they are already entrenched with money to burn, looks like a good position to be in. And I drove by the place all the time, never realizing it was on the cutting edge of one of the world's biggest business sectors.
- rmason 13y ago
  I've done three agriculture software startups. I do not believe that the average city dweller has any idea. At the last InfoAg conference there was a number of UAV (drone) vendors for the first time. This nationally known futurist gushes about how technical ag has become: http://www.precisionag.com/video/c:0/1688/ http://www.precisionag.com/video/c:0/1688/ If you're expecting to find Mr. Haney from Green Acres fame you're in for a rude shock.
lifeisstillgood 13y ago
I am sure those companies are technically sophisticated. I don't think I said that all existing companies are lacking software excellence, or that all startups have it (!). I think that like artillery in warfare software will give an unfair advantage to whichever side uses it, and there are plenty of companies out there who do not have artillery. Yes there are a lot of fine well run world leading companies out there - I expect they will do well. There are also a lot of badly run companies who really really do not get even the basics. Schumpter will be calling is all I am saying.
sfall 13y ago
I agree there are many companies that utilize software and technology very well. But the names you mention are all large firms, my personal experience is that it is smaller firms that could get a boost from technology. I think one benefit if the SAAS model is that large issues (like brand mgmt/social media) can be handled in companies that couldnt dream of having a PR dept or even someone on retainer. This also works for stuff like salesforce, accounting/payrol, the list goes on. If I had an investment portfolio like they describe in the link, I would be looking for services on or offline that a pakage deals to help integrate business process and technology

atwebb 13y ago

I like the specific mention of Agri-business. I'll admit to being pretty blind to it until a close friend went to one that is doing amazing things and producing very sophisticated devices. They're currently switching out the old for the new similar to what you were replying to. They have the "startup" mindset but it seems they are already entrenched with money to burn, looks like a good position to be in. And I drove by the place all the time, never realizing it was on the cutting edge of one of the world's biggest business sectors.

rmason 13y ago
I've done three agriculture software startups. I do not believe that the average city dweller has any idea. At the last InfoAg conference there was a number of UAV (drone) vendors for the first time. This nationally known futurist gushes about how technical ag has become: http://www.precisionag.com/video/c:0/1688/ http://www.precisionag.com/video/c:0/1688/ If you're expecting to find Mr. Haney from Green Acres fame you're in for a rude shock.

lifeisstillgood 13y ago

I am sure those companies are technically sophisticated. I don't think I said that all existing companies are lacking software excellence, or that all startups have it (!). I think that like artillery in warfare software will give an unfair advantage to whichever side uses it, and there are plenty of companies out there who do not have artillery. Yes there are a lot of fine well run world leading companies out there - I expect they will do well. There are also a lot of badly run companies who really really do not get even the basics. Schumpter will be calling is all I am saying.

sfall 13y ago

I agree there are many companies that utilize software and technology very well. But the names you mention are all large firms, my personal experience is that it is smaller firms that could get a boost from technology. I think one benefit if the SAAS model is that large issues (like brand mgmt/social media) can be handled in companies that couldnt dream of having a PR dept or even someone on retainer. This also works for stuff like salesforce, accounting/payrol, the list goes on. If I had an investment portfolio like they describe in the link, I would be looking for services on or offline that a pakage deals to help integrate business process and technology