I’ve long been a fan of low code platforms and services. Tools like this make it easier for non-engineers to create applications and automate processes which is hugely important for equitable tech development. This week brought an interesting confluence of two events that serve as a reminder that it’s not only the code that matters but also the platforms and data underneath:
- Google acquiring AppSheet was just the latest example of a major tech company betting harder on no/low code functionality. In its own way, it also highlights how hard it is for low code companies to reach escape velocity by themselves. They are highly dependent on being able to plug into a wide variety of underlying data systems to really create value.
- The second piece of news was Funnel’s new $47M Series B funding round and its shift away from visualization to focus exclusively on standardized marketing data aggregation. This is very likely a smart move and highlights how complex it is to get clean, reliable data sources ready for use even within a single organization.
Low/no-code ways of building applications and automation are key to empowering millions of professionals to be productive. This will be increasingly important as technology pervades almost every business and human process we have.
There is a long way to go, but this week’s news is a timely reminder that we need not only the interfaces but also the platforms, APIs, data sources and underlying integrations that enable those interfaces.
