If the tagline for AngelList has become “The LinkedIn for Startups”, will the tagline for Product Hunt become “The Launch Pad for AcquiHires”?
To me, the acquisition of Product Hunt is another signal of the narrowing of business models for standalone apps. Product Hunt was never in the running to scale enough to attract advertisers. The referral fees from Amazon for purchases of makers’ products launched on Product Hunt never really took off.
I suggested that the Product Hunt team morph to become paid, virtual, consultants to Fortune 500 companies looking for world class UX. http://glomoinvesting.com/an-alternative-business-model-for-product-hunt/
I said that they should become the McKinsey of the “Software Eats World” World, starting with becoming the premier consultant for Slack implementations.
Instead, they are headed down the path of becoming part of Angel List’s talent pool for hire. A more curated, nuanced LinkedIn. IMHO, this is a sad day.