February 21, 2013
By Kelly Liyakasa,

StackMob Boosts Enterprise Mobile Strategy

StackMob, a cloud-based mobile platform that helps developers build and deploy network-connected mobile apps, has launched a StackMob Enterprise Marketplace to make it easier for companies to build, deploy, and host applications.

According to Gartner's latest predictions, 25 percent of enterprises will host their own internal app stores by 2017. Similarly, this trend is playing out in the CRM vendor realm, with more companies looking to the application ecosystem as a way to support partner programs, add flexibility to deployments, and allow customers to fill in any support gaps.

With the launch of its own Enterprise Marketplace, StackMob's cofounder and CEO Ty Amell says the company was looking to meet the growing enterprise demand for scalable, private applications. "There are only a certain number of companies that can provide services at the level of complexity and security enterprise needs," he comments. "It's not only the apps enterprises use, but it's also the services [those apps] consume."

Some of the early charter collaborators within the Enterprise Marketplace range from software-as-a-service companies to application programming interface infrastructure providers like AT&T, GoodData, Salesforce.com, Workday, Yammer, SAP, SugarCRM, NetSuite, Mashery, and Braintree.

What's driving the demand for enterprise app marketplaces is, inherently, the nature of the bring-your-own-device movement, Gartner has found. "Apps downloaded from public app stores for mobile devices disrupt IT security, application, and procurement strategies," said Ian Finley, a research vice president at Gartner, in a statement.

The argument is that a comprehensive mobile strategy and device infrastructure can standardize the procurement and software licensing process so employees aren't just downloading consumer apps for personal use; enterprises can also monitor which applications are gaining the most ground in use, which can ultimately impact the pricing and software licensing deals, Gartner reports.

"When you start layering in all of these issues [around use and deployment], it starts to get complex, which is why I think the enterprise app marketplace will continue to be such a hot topic," Amell adds.