Software is Eating the World

Marc Andreessen - Andreessen Horowitz

Software is Eating the World

*This is a historic essay written in 2011 by one of the greatest names in Venture Capital. Over the last four years we can look back and see many of Marc's predictions coming true around us. The taxi industry is being undone, in spite of the regulatory environment protecting it, by wonderful services like Uber and Lyft. Airbnb is providing a new level of efficiency and variety in what used to be a restrictive hospitality business. In 2011 the table was being set, and today in 2015 software is on its second course, with more to follow.

(original post from the Wall Street Journal)

Key Points:

• The world is beginning to be run by software.
• The cost of starting a software company is drastically smaller than it was 10 years ago
• The internet has destroyed longstanding business and created many more. (Borders & Amazon)
• Google
• Literally every industry is being reinvented through software.
• Square, Paypal
• FedEx
• Cars
• Healthcare and education are next!
• Every industry must assume a software revolution is coming.
• New companies are going to engage in epic battles with the huge firms of today (2011)
• Education is lagging so far behind. Software engineers are in high demand with huge salaries and multiple job offers even during the recession.

Andreessen's Conclusion:

Software is fundamentally changing the way our world works, and no incumbent is safe.

Takeaway:

• Learn to program
• Be on the lookout for friction in any system. Friction represents opportunity that software can usually help.
• It's going to be an exciting decade. :)