Jamming with Habu’s Matt Kilmartin on Business Development and Partnership Strategy

The new “Innovation Double-Click” series highlights the best of the super{set} Hive and partner companies, featuring insider tips and strategies from startup executives who are driving innovation and propelling their companies to new heights.?

Our first co-founder in the hot seat is Matt Kilmartin – the CEO of Habu. Habu is how the world’s smartest companies share, make sense of, and act on insights hidden deep inside decentralized data—all while preserving privacy. In addition to receiving an investment from Snowflake Ventures and partnering with Snowflake in 2021, Habu recently executed partnerships with Databricks, Microsoft Azure, Google Cloud, and AWS.

We wasted no time in getting to the heart of the matter: partnerships. We first asked Matt why Habu pursues partnerships and how it aligns with their go-to-market and product strategies. Matt revealed that from the outset, Habu made a fundamental decision to meet data where it lives.?

"This is the direction software is going," he emphasized, "and because of that, we have established deep partnerships and work closely with all of the cloud environments to bring our intelligence directly to customers' data."?

Through its unique clean room software (the only interoperable open solution in the market, by the way), Habu enables companies to purchase its product through various cloud marketplaces, raising market awareness and expanding distribution to a broader audience. By aligning? products and partnerships, Habu streamlines the customer experience, making their lives easier and attracting a growing base of satisfied users. This customer-centric approach not only drives adoption but also catches the attention of potential partners seeking to align themselves with Habu's innovative solution.

Partnerships come with their fair share of challenges, and we delved into how Habu overcomes them. Matt stressed that "alignment around goals is absolutely critical for successful partnerships." As cloud providers develop their own clean room capabilities, it can lead to confusion among customers, who question whether to work with a cloud's clean room, Habu, or another solution. Additionally, the presence of multiple partners offering similar solutions adds complexity to the landscape. Habu tackles these challenges head-on by prioritizing open communication and transparency. By maintaining strong lines of communication with partners, even in cases of occasional misalignment on strategy or competition, Habu fosters robust and enduring partnerships.

Learning from partners has been instrumental in Habu's growth. Matt highlighted the importance of understanding how different partners operate and how to leverage each other's strengths. This approach accelerates opportunities and delivers greater value to customers. According to Matt, the clouds themselves are like angel investors, placing multiple bets on the clean room and collaboration category and encouraging everyone to build on their platforms. By embracing this understanding, Habu has focused on innovation and where they can add unique value which has resulted in valuable relationships with partners. Notably, their joint solution with Microsoft Azure’s Confidential Computing stands as a testament to the power of collaboration, resulting in a truly differentiated, cutting-edge offering in the market.

In our final question to Matt we asked what he wanted entrepreneurs and company builders to take away from this conversation, “you have to sing for your own supper. No one is going to do it for you." While partnering with larger companies may seem enticing, it is crucial to focus on building great technology that solves customers problems rather than relying solely on the support of others. “If you’re considering taking money from a corporate venture arm, inspect what the benefit is to you beyond just money, but from a partnership and technology perspective.”

In conclusion, our conversation with Matt underscored the importance of business development partnerships as a growth strategy for startups and founders. Here are the key takeaways to take home with you:

• Don't go at it alone! Forge strategic partnerships that align with your goals and expand your market reach. It's a powerful way to drive growth and take your business to new heights.
• Collaboration is the secret sauce that brings innovation to life.
• Navigating the partnership landscape can be tricky. But with open communication and a transparent approach, you can overcome obstacles and build strong relationships with your partners.
• Be self-reliant. While partnerships are valuable, don't forget to focus on building a solid foundation of great technology. Be proactive, seek partnerships that go beyond financial benefits, and prioritize finding the right fit for your product and technology.

Stay tuned as I unlock more secrets from successful startup execs. Exciting things are on the horizon, and I can't wait to share them with you!