For Strategic Operators studying platform businesses, here’s the insight: Airtable didn’t compete with Excel or databases—they created an entirely new category worth $11B. The spreadsheet-database hybrid unlocked use cases neither could serve alone.
Using the VTDF Framework, let’s decode how Airtable built a platform powering 450K+ organizations.
The Category-Defining Insight: Most business processes need more than spreadsheets but less than databases.
Traditional tools force a choice:
Spreadsheets: Familiar but limited
Databases: Powerful but complex
Airtable: Best of both worlds
Mission: Enable Anyone to Build Custom Software
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For Strategic Operators: Replace 10+ point solutions with one platform For Builder-Executives: Ship internal tools without engineering For Enterprise Transformers: Citizen developers reduce IT backlog 70%
The Platform Lesson: Airtable proves that creating new categories beats competing in existing ones. The spreadsheet-database hybrid unlocked billions in value by serving unmet needs.
Strategic Framework:
☐ Identify processes using spreadsheets + other tools
Airtable’s $11B valuation isn’t about building a better spreadsheet or database—it’s about creating an entirely new category that serves the 90% of use cases that fall between. They found white space in a crowded market and built a platform to own it.
While Microsoft improves Excel and Oracle enhances databases, Airtable created something neither could: a tool that makes anyone a software developer. That’s an $11B insight.
Gennaro is the creator of FourWeekMBA, which reached about four million business people, comprising C-level executives, investors, analysts, product managers, and aspiring digital entrepreneurs in 2022 alone | He is also Director of Sales for a high-tech scaleup in the AI Industry | In 2012, Gennaro earned an International MBA with emphasis on Corporate Finance and Business Strategy.
