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Every entrepreneur faces a fundamental choice: Build everything from scratch, or create something others want to build upon. Now, the smartest founders are discovering a third option that’s accelerating their growth faster than either traditional approach.
They’re building ecosystems — business models where multiple players contribute to and benefit from the same infrastructure. Instead of just selling to customers or licensing to partners, they’re creating systems where everyone involved has skin in the game.
Related: 3 Business Models That Will Shape the Future of Entrepreneurship in 2025 and Beyond
From platform to ecosystem
Most entrepreneurs understand platforms. Apple’s App Store is a platform