Tradeshift and Taulia: A (Very) High Stakes Tale of Two Very Different Vendors Chasing a Converging Market

Setting aside competitive or substitute e-invoicing, supplier network, and platform business models (e.g., OB10/Tungsten, Ariba, Nipendo, IBX, Hubwoo), the divergent yet converging cases and value propositions of Tradeshift and Taulia are useful when it comes to understanding the broader e-invoicing, trade financing, supplier network, and platform marketplace today. On the surface, there are actually quite a number of similarities between the two providers (but the details show that they’re completely different in philosophy and approach). Both providers either primarily (or indirectly) support or enable the following areas: e-invoicing, supplier enablement, ERP/financials integration, and various aspects of trade financing. Moreover, both have stratospheric valuations and expectations built into these top-line and growth multiples in the venture markets – as frothy as it has ever been. Yet the similarities really end there (up until now, at least). Read on for our evaluation of each company's strengths and philosophies, as well as a list of criteria organizations can use to evaluate providers in this space.