Contrary Research Rundown #1
Research Rundown
Hi everyone,
Welcome to Contrary Research.
Our vision is to be the central hub for thoughtful analysis of the world's most impactful technology companies. We do the hard work of bringing disparate insights together in a clear and concise way to help you better understand companies that are otherwise hard to dig into. To explore more about what we are trying to do at Contrary Research, check out our launch blog here.
Each week we'll share the highlights of the stories we've helped tell as part of Contrary Research. Whether that's light memos offering an introduction to private tech companies, or deep dives where we dig in on the compelling opportunities where many of these company stories start to converge. We'll also highlight some of the most interesting research we're seeing come from around the internet on relevant trends and technology.
Databricks vs. Snowflake: The Clash of the Data Titans
The future of every digital business will be defined by its ability to effectively capture the value from data. This past week, we explored the past, present, and future of the data infrastructure stack and published our Deep Dive on Databricks vs. Snowflake.
Our deep dive delved into: current metrics, competitive moats, leadership, and the different ecosystems being built around both companies. Read our the full report here.
This week we launched 25+ light memos across software, healthcare, crypto, climate, consumer social, and more. Check out all our available reports here. Below we've highlighted a few of this week's most popular memos:
Ramp: What makes Ramp unique? The first is its focus on improving its customer’s spending habits. Unlike traditional corporate card products with complex points programs incentivizing employees to spend more to receive rewards, Ramp’s model incentivizes companies to spend less. Read the full piece here.
Replit: In 2021, there were only 26.9 million software developers worldwide, less than half a percent of the global population. One significant challenge is increasing that capability worldwide, which is a key pillar in Replit’s company mission. Read the full piece here.
Reddit: Touted as the “front page of the Internet,” Reddit grew into a network of communities for people to discuss a wide range of interests. In a world dominated by user-centric platforms, Reddit may be able to stand out given their focus on bringing together niche communities. Read the full piece here.
Adobe's acquisition announcement of Figma certainly captured the attention of the tech world. While many have understandably raised their eyebrows on the price tag of the deal, this is a compelling case of how public and private companies intersect, and market share is as much about customer sentiment as it is about revenue.
This twitter thread from Amal Dorai made the case for why Adobe may have felt compelled to go for the acquisition.
The $20B price tag is less a function of spreadsheet math, and more a case of Adobe's future, as Hunter Walk explains
Contrary Research Fellowship
At Contrary Research our vision is to cover hundreds of companies. We can't do it alone, nor would we want to. We focus on bringing together a variety of different perspectives.
That's why we're opening applications for our Research Fellowship. In the past we've worked with software engineers, product managers, consultants, and more. If you're interested in researching and writing about tech companies, apply here!