10 hot startups targeting today's key IT initiatives

Enterprise startups have always played a crucial role in IT portfolios. As much as CIOs would love to centralize technology purchasing decisions with a handful of strategic partners, incumbents can't always meet all of their needs, especially when it comes to emerging technologies. To become better acquainted with startups, many CIOs regularly travel to Silicon Valley to participate in "speed dating," in which venture capitalists invite them to meet the members of their portfolios. Some CIOs host hackathons or Shark Tank-like competitions for external developers to try coding their way into the company's graces. Still others learn of promising new companies from their peers.