When we started the Intuit Partner Platform (IPP) last year, we envisioned a
destination where Small Businesses could pick from a variety of quality applications to solve their critical business pain points – and we wanted those
apps to work together! A big ecosystem of Apps – from a variety of developers and pre-integrated – solving for the needs of Small Businesses.
Today, we’re thrilled to announce an alliance between Intuit and Microsoft, that
brings IPP a giant step closer to our ecosystem vision. Starting today, SaaS developers can access the beta
of the Windows Azure SDK for IPP – a set of tools, code samples, and
services, designed to make it easy for developers of SaaS applications developed
on Windows Azure to federate those SaaS apps on to IPP and sell them to millions
of Small Businesses in the Intuit
Workplace App Center.
Today’s news about Intuit and Microsoft’s relationship has two converging
themes:
1) More developers + great tools = more great apps for small businesses
- The Windows Azure SDK for IPP (when fully delivered) will enable developers
to build a great application on the Windows Azure platform while leveraging the
go-to-market services (i.e. single sign-on, billing and data web API’s, user
management, etc.) of IPP and publish their app to an existing marketplace in the
Intuit App Center. - In addition to the third-party developer apps, Microsoft will also be
working closely with us to offer their Business
Productivity Online Suite (BPOS) via the Intuit Workplace App Center. While it
will take a little while to get the integration just right, we think the
addition of BPOS, to the Intuit Apps, and third party apps, creates a strong
suite of apps for Small Businesses to choose from.
2) Broader channels = more customers for developers
- By reaching out to our respective Channel partners (VAR’s, Solution
Providers, etc.) and introducing them to the Intuit App Center, we further
expand the ecosystem of Small Businesses that developers can target. Through
our product channels (via QuickBooks) and our partner channels, we have an
opportunity to build a large customer base using connected applications.
The reason we’re so excited about this alliance is very simple: More Quality
Apps + More Targeted Customers = Vibrant Ecosystem (and a strong network
effect)! By joining the development and channel forces of two of the leaders in
the Small Business Market, I think we have a great opportunity to delight SMB’s,
Developers, and VAR’s. Win-Win-Win!
Alex Chriss
Director, Intuit Partner Platform
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