How Matterport Can Succeed Faster with a $25 Million Fund for SDK Partners

WGAN Forum Founder & WGAN-TV Podcast Host 30.1K Website Atlanta, Georgia Linked In Facebook Twitter YouTube TikTok Instragram Matterport Service Partner Google Street View Trusted Photographer Zillow Certified Photographer We Get Around Network Member	30.1K DanSmigrod private msg quote post Address this user	plus 1 plus 1 plus 1 3
	Video: How Matterport Can Succeed Faster with a $25 Million Fund for SDK Partners \| Video courtesy of WGAN-TV YouTube Channel \| 28 August 2023 WGAN Forum Podcast \| Episode #219 How Matterport Can Succeed Faster with a $25 Million Fund for SDK Partners Commentary and Analysis by Dan Smigrod Founder and Managing Editor We Get Around Network and WGAN-TV WGAN.info/DanSmigrod Some of the hidden gems about Matterport are Matterport SDK Partners that offer public solutions to anyone using Matterport. Matterport often becomes a solution – rather than a tool – when paired with a 3rd party platform. Unfortunately, my impression is that many of the Matterport SDK Partners lack sufficient funding either for further development and/or marketing of their Matterport-related solution. Matterport could dramatically help itself – and the entire Matterport ecosystem – succeed faster if it created a Matterport VC fund of $25 million. That’s about five percent of its cash-flush balance sheet of nearly $500 million. Matterport should offer existing Matterport SDK Partners: 1. Convertible notes of $1 million to $5 million 2. Cash grants of $250,000 to $500,000 3. Pre-paid service orders of $100,000 to $250,000 Startups are super-efficient using cash and can move faster than a large, public company. Additionally, this $25 million initiative would show that Matterport appreciates its Matterport SDK Partners. Since many use-cases for Matterport are only possible when mashing up a Matterport Partner Platform, Matterport should also use these Matterport marketing resources to help amplify its Matterport SDK Partners: 1. Matterport Blog 2. Matterport Webinar 3. Matterport Sales Teams 4. Trade Shows (Pay travel for Matterport Partner to demo in the Matterport booth) 5. Media Releases My impression is that Matterport is not using its marketing resources to promote its Matterport SDK Partners. I wonder if Matterport either no longer sees the value that these partners offer or if Matterport intends to build-out its platform to include features pioneered by its partners. Many Matterport SDK Partners are turning to the We Get Around Network - not affiliated with Matterport - for help via: 1. WGAN-TV Live at 5 2. WGAN-TV Podcast (search for WGAN-TV in your favorite podcast app) 3. WGAN Forum Podcast 4. We Get Around Network MarketPlace 5. We Get Around Network Forum 6. We Get Around Network Founder Dan Smigrod (for strategic introductions) 7. WGAN-TV Training U (in Matterport) 8. WGAN List: Matterport Partners My impression is that - at one time – Matterport viewed Matterport SDK Partners as a direct revenue source – licensing the Matterport SDK and charging for API usage – and when it likely became apparent that it was costing Matterport more money to sign-up Matterport SDK Partners than the revenue generated, it downgraded signing up new Matterport SDK Partners. Matterport let go marketing executives devoted to the Matterport SDK Partners initiative. Plus, Matterport recently announced plans to shrink its workforce by 30 percent by the end of 2023. Constant turnover makes it harder for Matterport SDK Partners to get marketing support. It's been a while since Matterport has announced a new Matterport SDK Partner that offers a publicly available Matterport solution. There was a time that Matterport leadership talked-up the potential for SDK licensing revenue in conference calls for analysts and investors. Matterport’s early focus on SDK licensing revenue – was and is – short-sighted. The much bigger revenue opportunities for Matterport are: subscriptions, capture and add ons. Matterport SDK Partners help drive this revenue. A $25 million VC fund by Matterport – specifically for Matterport SDK Partners – would go a long way to lift all boats and fill a venture capital gap that could have unintended consequences for cash-flush Matterport. “Venture capital funding globally almost halved in the first six months of 2023, data from research firm PitchBook showed, highlighting a lack of enthusiasm on the part of investors as well as less demand amid sharply higher interest rates,” according to a July 6, 2023 news story by Reuters. “The 48% decline in investment … and the 19% drop-off in deal numbers comes despite huge interest in artificial intelligence startups sparked by the success of OpenAI's ChatGPT.” Without an infusion of Matterport cash in its SDK Partners, I could imagine that we will see three things: 1. SDK Partners that abandon Matterport 2. SDK Partners that begin offering their solution to Matterport competitors 3. Matterport competitors offering funding to Matterport SDK Partners You can share your thoughts on this topic in the We Get Around Network Forum (below) or email me: DanSmigrod@WeGetAroundNetwork.com --- WGAN List: Matterport Partners and Additional Value-Added Solutions
	9 months ago	Post 1 • IP flag post

I think Matterport missed an huge opportunity here. Open development platforms have proven to be a catalyst for innovation across countless industries, and Matterport could benefit from adopting such an approach. If they released their Software Development Kit for free, they would essentially be inviting a global community of developers to experiment, innovate, and ultimately enhance the capabilities of their product. This democratization of technology not only speeds up the development cycle but would also bring in diverse perspectives that the company might not have considered.

Apple is an perfect example of the advantages of an open development platform. By making their Augmented Reality tools openly accessible, they managed to establish themselves as a leader in AR technology, and by most measures, the industry standard. Their ARKit has empowered developers to create a wide range of applications, thereby enriching the Apple ecosystem and driving the adoption of their hardware products. ARKit is one of the most widely used AR SDKs, which speaks volumes about the benefits of an open platform.

Another great example is Android's open-source platform, which has led to its operating system being used in a variety of devices, from smartphones to smart TVs. This has not only expanded Android's market share but has also resulted in a plethora of applications and services that cater to diverse needs.

Matterport has the opportunity to leverage these benefits by opening up its SDK. This could lead to groundbreaking applications that spark further innovations in 3D modeling, virtual tours, and even areas yet to be explored. While it's understandable that companies like Matterport who are solely money driven may have reservations about “giving away” their technology, the long-term gains in terms of innovation, community engagement, and market leadership far outweigh the short-term losses. I really believe that moving in the direction of an open development platform could be a strategic masterstroke for Matterport. But sadly, one their ego may not allow.

WGAN Forum Founder & WGAN-TV Podcast Host 30.1K Website Atlanta, Georgia Linked In Facebook Twitter YouTube TikTok Instragram Matterport Service Partner Google Street View Trusted Photographer Zillow Certified Photographer We Get Around Network Member	30.1K DanSmigrod private msg quote post Address this user	plus 1 plus 1 plus 1 0
	Hi All, Looks like Matterport is moving away from even adding new Matterport Technology partners (please see below) from this WGAN Forum discussion: Matterport is not actively accepting new requests for partnership? I could imagine that Matterport thought that the revenue opportunity from Matterport Partners was licensing API usage. The bigger revenue opportunity is turning Matterport models (tool) into a solution made possible by Matterport technology partners. This seems so obvious to me. What don't I get? Dan --- Quote: Originally Posted by @3dscanindonesia Hello Dan, I appreciate your reply and the information about the layoff announcement. Here is the copy of the Matterport letter: Dear Partner, Thank you for your interest in becoming a Matterport Technology partner. We appreciate your enthusiasm and interest to collaborate with us. At this moment, we regret to inform you that we are not actively accepting new requests for partnership signups. However, we deeply appreciate your interest, and we will retain your details for future opportunities when we do open for new partnerships. In the meantime, if you are an existing Matterport technology partner and have technical inquiries or need assistance, please feel free to reach out to our developer support team. They are readily available to assist you and ensure a seamless experience with our technology. You can also visit our website at: https://matterport.com/platform/developers We sincerely look forward to potentially collaborating with you in the future, and we’ll be sure to keep you informed on any new developments regarding partnership opportunities. Thank you once again for considering a partnership with us. Best regards, Matterport Team
	7 months ago	Post 6 • IP flag post

1.23K	1.23K immersivespaces private msg quote post Address this user	plus 1 plus 1 plus 1 3
	I think Matterport missed an huge opportunity here. Open development platforms have proven to be a catalyst for innovation across countless industries, and Matterport could benefit from adopting such an approach. If they released their Software Development Kit for free, they would essentially be inviting a global community of developers to experiment, innovate, and ultimately enhance the capabilities of their product. This democratization of technology not only speeds up the development cycle but would also bring in diverse perspectives that the company might not have considered. Apple is an perfect example of the advantages of an open development platform. By making their Augmented Reality tools openly accessible, they managed to establish themselves as a leader in AR technology, and by most measures, the industry standard. Their ARKit has empowered developers to create a wide range of applications, thereby enriching the Apple ecosystem and driving the adoption of their hardware products. ARKit is one of the most widely used AR SDKs, which speaks volumes about the benefits of an open platform. Another great example is Android's open-source platform, which has led to its operating system being used in a variety of devices, from smartphones to smart TVs. This has not only expanded Android's market share but has also resulted in a plethora of applications and services that cater to diverse needs. Matterport has the opportunity to leverage these benefits by opening up its SDK. This could lead to groundbreaking applications that spark further innovations in 3D modeling, virtual tours, and even areas yet to be explored. While it's understandable that companies like Matterport who are solely money driven may have reservations about “giving away” their technology, the long-term gains in terms of innovation, community engagement, and market leadership far outweigh the short-term losses. I really believe that moving in the direction of an open development platform could be a strategic masterstroke for Matterport. But sadly, one their ego may not allow.
	9 months ago	Post 4 • IP flag post

How Matterport Can Succeed Faster with a $25 Million Fund for SDK Partners19030