When Venture Capitalists Become IT Consultants
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When Equinix Chief Information Officer Brian Lillie wants new business tools, he seeks advice from a venture capitalist, bypassing sources like IT consultants or the biggest names in enterprise software.
He takes that unusual route because many of the latest innovations in cloud computing and software-as-a-service are coming from startups, not enterprise mainstays like Oracle or International Business Machines. Venture backers who get early looks at emerging companies as they consider cash infusions can be the best guides to the most promising new technology.