A startup is a lonely endeavor that never works alone. It works with a dominant player, whether in an app store like a marketplace or building on an existing platform like a wireless or a card payment network. Interoperability—the ability to plug into the dominant platform—is a core requirement for its existence. How the startup manages this interoperability determines its success.
If the platform is a party the dominant player is hosting, interoperability is how you get in. The quality of the invite depends on the type of interoperability you practice.
