P>A U.S. company that says it has a revolutionary application development tool will open a Canadian office next year as it tries to get small developers to adopt its product.
“”We intend to counsel the small developer that using our technology is a way of competing with larger system integrators,””
says Jeff Walker, founder and CTO of TenFold Corp.
The strategy marks a shift for the Salt Lake City, Utah company, which has been trying to get the leading international integrators, who build corporate applications, to buy its tools. Walker claims its Enterprise Tenfold tool builds applications faster than other tools at significantly less cost.
A number of ISVs and large corporations are using it, he said.
But he acknowledges that “”we haven’t been successful in pitching our technology to large system integrators.”” While the company’s tools cuts the time it takes to build an application, and large developers believe it will end up cutting into their revenues.
So TenFold is switching its target to small ISVs and application developers. Later this month the company will reveal details of its program, he said. But he said it will include opening a Toronto area office next year to go after developers here.
As part of that strategy he was in Toronto last week to speak to potential buyers.
“”I wouldn’t say it’s a failure”” of the earlier strategy, he said. “”This is a broadening of the market.””
“”We’re going to be counselling the larger system integrators they’re going to get their lunch handed to them by these smaller guys, and if they want to wait and watch that happen they can. Or if they want to start using our technology they can, too.””
TenFold’s tool has two parts: the tool that builds software, and run-tool for running the software. It charges end-users a per seat licencing fee for the software and gives a per centage back to the developer.
Walker has many years of IT experience, including time served as executive vice -president and general manager of Oracle Corp.’s applications division.