This is not a huge accomplishment, they've become a totally free app and are VC backed, so basically instead of having real paying customers, they are getting farmers onboard by not charging anything.
Basically, I'm guessing they are hoping that Monsanto or John Deere or some other giant AG company buys them for however many millions of dollars.
This might be a valid strategy, but it sucks for the farmer because they don't have an incentive to build a truly valuable product that people will pay for. There is a huge difference when you build something people pay for vs something they use because it's free.
When you build a free product, the end user is not a customer, they are the product. I wonder how many farmers like being the product and not the customer.
Basically, I'm guessing they are hoping that Monsanto or John Deere or some other giant AG company buys them for however many millions of dollars.
This might be a valid strategy, but it sucks for the farmer because they don't have an incentive to build a truly valuable product that people will pay for. There is a huge difference when you build something people pay for vs something they use because it's free.
When you build a free product, the end user is not a customer, they are the product. I wonder how many farmers like being the product and not the customer.