Early stages vendors have a problem when selling to large organizations. The latter naturally, and reasonably, have an aversion to working with small firms with unpredictable futures.
Working with large integrators, such as IBM Global Services or Logica/CMG, can be a good way to get around this. The integrator takes responsibility for delivering the customer solution. In the event that the young vendor has something nasty happen to it, the integrator is more likely to be able to find a workaround. And the very fact that the integrator signs up usually brings the vendor quite a bit of business, perhaps sufficient to make it viable.
Scalix is a good example. This well-funded firm has an excellent messaging system based on Linux. [Its genesis was HP OpenMail, for which our very own Richi Jennings was a senior developer/product manager]. Scalix has had a number of customer wins through its partnership with IBM Global Services.
... David Ferris