Fresh from Google fight, Huddle turns on Microsoft with a marching band

Mike Butcher

Mike Butcher is the European Editor for TechCrunch. A former grunge rock drummer, he became a long time journalist, and has since written for UK national newspapers and magazines including The Financial Times, The Guardian, The Times, The Daily Telegraph and The New Statesman. Mike is also a co-founder and shareholder of TechHub, a co-working space/service/community with several locations... → Learn More

Monday, October 3rd, 2011


Here’s a new one on turning against your former wet-nurse. Huddle was once a Microsoft BizSpark One company. But it’s business collaboration platform now competes with Microsoft’s Sharepoint. Indeed, there are rumours that UK-based Huddle (which now has a large SF office) was once yanked off stage at Mix ‘O6 at the last minute because someone realised the potential controversy. No stranger to controversy, Huddle also recently managed to convince Google to change it’s Google+ feature called Huddle. Now Huddle is back to harass its alma mater.

Microsoft is having its Sharepoint conference in Anaheim/LA, so Huddle turned up with a marching band and cheerleaders, branded Huddle of course. We gather Police tried to shut down the demo. Maybe they needed a break from OccupyWallStreet?

Huddle seems to be taking a few tips from the Salesforce playbook in its annoyance of Microsoft. Today’s it’s hired Simon O’Kane, former Managing Director, UK and Ireland, at Salesforce.com, as VP Enterprise. See where this is going?

Clients to date include Disney, HTC, Kia Motors and a 10 year deal with the UK government and says its sales have tripled in Q1 2011.