Hacker Noon October 1, 2021
Over the past decade, a string of businesses was founded and began to rapidly disrupt some of the most traditional stable markets such as entertainment, travel, and commerce. These new platforms added a thin layer of value to pre-existing business models by matching those seeking a product, service or offering, and those providing them.
The digital futurist Tom Goodwin wrote at the time, “Uber, the world’s largest taxi company, owns no vehicles. Facebook, the world’s most popular media owner, creates no content. Alibaba, the most valuable retailer, has no inventory. And Airbnb, the world’s largest accommodation provider, owns no real estate. Something interesting is happening.”
While these brands have grown to become global giants in their fields, there is...