From Apple to Amazon, Google to WeChat, digital platform-based ecosystems have become increasingly dominant in the last decade. However, while these businesses may all seem to follow similar models, there are in fact major differences between different types of platform companies.
How Xiaomi Redefined What It Means to Be a Platform
Three factors enabled the electronics giant’s unique business model.
September 09, 2021
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Summary.
Traditional platform businesses generally fall into one of two categories: Ecosystems, such as Apple’s App Store, which offer limited resources to a wide array of independently-run firms; and Corporate Venture Capital (CVC) companies, such as Intel Capital, which invest heavily into a small number of ventures that promise either financial or strategic returns. However, new research into Xiaomi’s growth strategy suggests that the Beijing-based electronics giant has developed a blended approach, borrowing elements of both traditional ecosystem and CVC firms to create a broad ecosystem of strongly-supported partner ventures. Based on a series of in-depth interviews with executives from both Xiaomi and its partner companies, the authors identify three factors that have enabled this novel business model: Xiaomi structures its investments to incentivize innovation and build trust while still ensuring alignment, proactively fosters an ecosystem mindset throughout its organization, and takes a deliberate, measured approach to expanding the scope of its ecosystem over time.