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The Zoom Year
Great technology is invisible.” — Steve Jobs
Software became invisible in 2020. As Covid-19 forced work and social life online, software handled more conversations, more work and more transactions. The heavy lifting happened behind the scenes. That text from DoorDash about your dim sum delivery was powered by Twilio. That coffee you ordered online from a small roaster upstate was powered by Shopify.
Once the domain of enterprises, software is everywhere today. As the economy digitizes, it’s permeating industries like construction (Procore) and verticals like auto repair (Shopmonkey) and barbershops (Squire). Zapier, a no-code automation tool, is a prime example of software’s disappearing act. The app lets users automate rote tasks like sending form emails or updating spreadsheets with a few clicks, while software carries water and chops wood in the background.
Bessemer Venture Partners (BVP), a VC firm, has a track record of successful software investing, backing companies like Shopify, Twilio and Wix. Their annual State of the Cloud report provides an overview of software trends. It’s no overstatement when BVP says:
Cloud computing is increasingly consuming software, hardware, and services and is, therefore, the most exciting mega-trend in technology, making it one of the most compelling themes impacting global…
