Federal market is good for Silicon Valley, just ask Nutanix
By
Nick Wakeman
Nutanix is opening a new office in the Washington, D.C., area to serve federal customers, and its success in the market should be an example for others trying to make the jump east from Silicon Valley.
The government’s love affair with Silicon Valley isn’t all marketing hype. In fact, if they want to point to a success story as they try to lure others to the market, they should look no further than Nutanix.
The San Jose, Calif., based company makes storage virtualization products storage and has been active in the federal market for several years.
Next week, the company will be hosting a ribbon cutting for a new office in Tysons Corner, Va.
The office will be the East Coast base for the company and will support sales and marketing operations, but what I found most interesting is that the new office also will house engineers who will configure customer solutions. The move puts engineers closer to the company’s government customers.
The office also will be used for training and education of customers, partners and Nutanix personnel.
Commercial customers also will be served out of the office.
“As Nutanix continues to reinvent IT infrastructure, our business on the east coast – driven by the success we are having in the federal government – required an increased presence and focus,” said Dheeraj Pandey, founder, CEO and chairman, Nutanix, in a release.
He called the Washington, D.C., area the “the real innovation hub on the east coast.”
I’m sure Boston and other areas might argue with that, but from a government market perspective, the words ring true.
Nutanix could be held up as an example of how a primarily commercial-focused enterprise can build a sustainable federal practice. It takes patience and a long-term commitment. Partnerships are critical as is hiring the right leaders, who know the market and can communicate the nuances of that market back to the corporate level. Nutanix has done that.
As various federal officials head west to lure other commercial companies to the federal space, I hope they carry that message with them. They need to know the federal market is no quick hit.