Building a $20B+ Open Source Business with MongoDB's Eliot Horowitz

a16z Live

a16z Partner Seema Amble talks with MongoDB and Viam co-founder Eliot Horowitz about building sustainable open source software tools. From challenging Oracle to building the de facto cloud-based database management tool, Horowitz outlines MongoDB’s early go-to-market strategies, approach to community building, and enterprise sales motion. This episode provides detailed tips on creating solutions for the developer community, building trust amongst enterprises, and successfully scaling a business supported by the open source community.

01:18-03:42 Why open source is a strategic business decision

3:42:6:03 Product development strategy + making developers’ lives easier

6:03-08:24 MongoDB strategy of building community through meetups

08:24-10:49 The five-second rule for developer products

10:49-13:09 How MongoDB used meetups to fuel growth

13:09-15:35 The importance of getting people excited about your product

15:35-19:29 MongoDB’s enterprise sales strategy

19:28-20:26 MongoDB’s recruiting strategy

20:26-25:12 Open source customers vs. users, adoption patterns

25:12-27:35 The evolution of enterprise deals and building trust through demos

27:35-32:23 Product communication strategies and tactics

32:23-39:37 Managing customers and building long-term relationships

39:37-40:16 Outro