Last Updated on 2024-10-11
In this modern age, technology platforms are playing a crucial role in business operations. Learn how to use this technology to scale your startup.
Technology has undeniably changed the whole landscape of business. In 2021, IT spending is already at $599 billion globally. It’s become a catalyst for boosting productivity and is now an integral part of most operations.
Startups must invest in the digitalization of their processes to keep up with competitors. We discussed more the importance of startup technology in Startup Hustle TV.
But just like any other aspect of running a business, you have to strategize the use of technology. You have to be wise on what tools and systems you’ll build or buy for your business.
Wrong decisions would make tech a liability than an asset. A digital strategy can guide you in employing the right technology for your business. And to create that said strategy, you have to familiarize yourself with the available tech out there.
So, let’s begin by studying the tech platforms available in today’s market.
What is a Technology Platform?
A technology platform is a central hub for building and managing all systems, applications, and operational processes of a company. It integrates and unites all the technical capabilities and turns them into one coherent system.
Think of it as an environment where you can pick up all the tools to develop and operate all your services. Tech enterprises like Google, Amazon, and Microsoft have built tech platforms specifically designed to meet business needs. Let’s get to know these products further.
Top Technology Platforms for Startups
Today, businesses are primarily anchoring their operations in the cloud. Hence, technology platforms are commonly cloud-based. Most companies would tap into third-party cloud computing services to build their internal infrastructure.
In fact, there are many tech giants competing to build the best product and service offerings for all industries. And as a startup founder, you may get overwhelmed with the large array of choices.
Fret not, we’ve listed down the top technology platforms to consider for your business. Here are the most used tech platforms for startups:
1. Digital Ocean
We start our lineup with a rising star in the field. Challenging tech giants like Google and Amazon, DigitalOcean is a growing cloud infrastructure provider that offers developers tools to deploy and scale their applications efficiently.
It’s gaining traction because of its product’s high usability. Instead of building and operating their own data infrastructures, a business can utilize DigitalOcean’s computing and storage resources.
For its cost, DigitalOcean offers a customizable package. Being a fairly new entry in the market, It’s significantly cheaper than its rivals.
2. Google Cloud Platform
As one of the biggest tech giants, it doesn’t really come as a surprise that Google also built a secure and highly affordable platform. Google Cloud is perhaps the more popular choice because of its Google-hosted services.
It offers a wide range of modular web services from Infrastructure as a service (IaaS) and Platform as a service (PaaS). With this multi-layered infrastructure, you can build, code, and store relevant data. One of its most notable features is its capability to facilitate smooth migrations with minimal cost.
3. Amazon Web Services
Amazon Web Services (AWS) offers another cloud-based platform that integrates an extensive range of web services. It provides a wide range of basic abstract technical infrastructure and distributed computing building blocks and tools.
Some of their notable services are Elastic Cloud Compute (EC2), Elastic Beanstalk, Simple Storage Service (S3), and Relational Database Service (RDS). With a large range of admin control, users can access several features from encryption key creation to auditing.
AWS has three subscription models that give you the flexibility to customize based on the project scale.
4. Microsoft Azure
Microsoft Azure is the more flexible technology platform. Its package suits all types of industries. Its platform can run any service and combine it with existing applications, infrastructure, or data centers.
Azure facilitates a smoother and faster cloud transfer and is compatible with Linux. Using Azure also means you won’t need a physical server on the site, which would cut down costs of hiring a server support team.
On top of that, Azure also offers access to over 25 “always free” services with their package. You can choose the best plan that suits your budget with their ‘Pay as you go’ payment method.
5. Oracle Cloud Infrastructure
Another cloud computing behemoth is the Oracle Cloud Infrastructure. It’s a powerful platform packed with several features. Oracle’s features stand out for supporting large workloads of IoT, OLTP, microservices, as well as a wide selection of AI and machine learning applications.
Their main services are storage data and cloud architecture. It primarily drives data management and analytics. The platform is generally designed to accommodate the needs of big enterprises rather than startups. In terms of pricing, Oracle Cloud offers a 30-day free trial and a free service tier with unlimited access to databases.
6. CloudLinux
Lastly, we have CloudLinux. This particular platform differs from others in terms of hosting your cloud network. CloudLinux allows you to take full control of your network rather than connecting with third parties to do it. This is suitable for companies that have invested a lot in their own IT infrastructure.
It is designed particularly for virtualized cloud operations, such as shared hosting, that allocates and limits server resources to each tenant. For a more secure hosting environment, each tenant is separated from the others.
To maximize the full benefit of this platform, you’ll need a team that has good technical knowledge in navigating and configuring. For pricing, CloudLinux offers three tiers with different amounts of servers and features.
Choosing your Technology Platform
It’s important to keep in mind that these technology platforms have their unique set of pros and cons. In choosing the right tech platform, you have to consider factors such as your budget, your operational needs, and the skills of your IT team.
Hire Tech Experts
Need some technical advice? If you’re a non-technical founder, it can be challenging to make decisions on what technologies to use for your startup. It’s better and safer to leave it to the pros. Technology experts can help you choose, manage, and maximize the tools you’ll be using for your operations.
Full Scale is an outsourcing software company that can assist you in scaling your business. We provide top-tier talent for software development and other business solutions.
From recruitment to long-term management, we can help you streamline the process. Talk to us today!
Matt Watson is a serial tech entrepreneur who has started four companies and had a nine-figure exit. He was the founder and CTO of VinSolutions, the #1 CRM software used in today’s automotive industry. He has over twenty years of experience working as a tech CTO and building cutting-edge SaaS solutions.
As the CEO of Full Scale, he has helped over 100 tech companies build their software services and development teams. Full Scale specializes in helping tech companies grow by augmenting their in-house teams with software development talent from the Philippines.
Matt hosts Startup Hustle, a top podcast about entrepreneurship with over 6 million downloads. He has a wealth of knowledge about startups and business from his personal experience and from interviewing hundreds of other entrepreneurs.
