Christian Majgaard
Former Head of Global Branding, Marketing & Innovation at the LEGO Group | Chairman of Nord Modules & Rosa Danica | Branding & Strategy Author
Marshall Van Alstyne
Questrom Professor of Management, Boston University | MIT Digital Fellow | Co-Author of Platform Revolution | Authority on Platform Strategy & Network Effects
Marshall Van Alstyne is one of the world's leading authorities on the economics of digital platforms, the model behind Amazon, Apple, Uber, and Airbnb. A Boston University professor and MIT Digital Fellow, he co-developed two-sided network theory and co-authored the definitive book Platform Revolution. On stage, he gives leaders a rigorous framework for platform strategy, network effects, and competing in the age of AI.
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Marshall Van Alstyne biography
Marshall Van Alstyne is one of the world’s foremost authorities on the economics of digital platforms and network business models, the frameworks behind companies like Amazon, Apple, Uber, and Airbnb. The Questrom Professor of Management at Boston University and a Digital Fellow at the MIT Initiative on the Digital Economy, he has spent his career explaining how networked markets create value, why they concentrate power, and how leaders can build and govern them well.
Technology speaker Marshall Van Alstyne was one of the first researchers to measure the dollar value of social networks and a co-developer of the theory of “two-sided networks,” a set of ideas now taught in business schools worldwide. His Harvard Business Review article on platform strategy is ranked among the publication’s top 50 of all time. With Geoffrey Parker, he also originated the concept of the “inverted firm,” the idea that value is increasingly created outside the organization, by external developers, producers, and users, rather than inside it. He is the co-author, with Parker and Sangeet Paul Choudary, of Platform Revolution, the definitive guide to how platform businesses work.
From Network Effects to the Age of AI
Van Alstyne’s research spans the economics of information, network effects, intellectual property, and market design, and it increasingly addresses the questions raised by artificial intelligence and platform governance. His work on how network effects can tip markets toward a handful of dominant firms has become central to global debates on competition and antitrust, and he advises businesses and policymakers on both. His writing has appeared in Science, Nature, Management Science, Harvard Business Review, The New York Times, and The Wall Street Journal, and his honors include multiple National Science Foundation awards, patents, and best-paper prizes.
As a speaker, Marshall Van Alstyne helps leaders understand and harness the forces reshaping the modern economy. He speaks on platform strategy and network effects, how incumbents can compete with and build platforms of their own, the governance and regulation of dominant platforms, and what AI means for how value is created and captured. Audiences leave with a rigorous, practical framework for competing in a world where the most valuable companies are increasingly platforms.
Marshall Van Alstyne Speaking Videos
Business Model Shift - Marshall Van Alstyne, Boston University
Marshall Van Alstyne and the Platform Revolution
Marshall Van Alstyne Keynote Topics
Drawing on his definitive book, Van Alstyne explains why platform businesses have come to dominate the economy and what it takes to build one. He unpacks network effects, the "chicken-and-egg" problem of launching a platform, and the strategic moves that separate winners from the rest, giving leaders an owner's manual for competing in a platform world.
Why do some digital markets tip toward a single dominant player while others fragment? Van Alstyne, a co-founder of two-sided network theory, reveals the economic forces beneath the world's most valuable companies and shows leaders how to recognize, build, and defend the network effects that drive outsized value.
Traditional companies scale by growing internally; platforms scale by enabling others to create value outside the organization. Van Alstyne explains the "inverted firm" and what it means for strategy, talent, and competitive advantage, helping incumbent leaders rethink where and how their organizations create value.
As AI reshapes markets, the questions of platform power, governance, and regulation grow more urgent. Van Alstyne examines how AI intersects with network effects and platform dynamics, what it means for competition and antitrust, and how leaders and policymakers can steer toward outcomes that are both innovative and fair.
Speaker topics
FAQs on Booking Marshall Van Alstyne
Why Marshall Van Alstyne?
Booking Marshall Van Alstyne gives audiences one of the definitive voices on the business model that dominates the modern economy. A Boston University professor and MIT Digital Fellow, he helped create the academic foundations of platform strategy, co-developing two-sided network theory and co-authoring Platform Revolution, the field's most authoritative book. His ideas are taught in business schools worldwide, his HBR work ranks among the publication's most influential ever, and he advises both companies and policymakers on platform competition and AI. Rigorous yet highly practical, he helps leaders understand not just how platforms like Amazon and Uber won, but how their own organizations can compete in a networked world. He is an ideal speaker for events on technology, strategy, innovation, and the digital economy. To bring Marshall Van Alstyne to your next event, contact Aurum Speakers Bureau.
What is Marshall Van Alstyne known for?
Marshall Van Alstyne is known as a pioneering scholar of digital platforms and network economics. He co-developed the theory of two-sided networks, was among the first to measure the economic value of social networks, and co-originated the concept of the "inverted firm." He is the Questrom Professor of Management at Boston University, a Digital Fellow at the MIT Initiative on the Digital Economy, and co-author of Platform Revolution, one of the most influential books on platform business models.
What is the book Platform Revolution about?
Platform Revolution (2016), co-authored by Marshall Van Alstyne, Geoffrey Parker, and Sangeet Paul Choudary, is widely regarded as the definitive guide to how platform businesses work. It explains how two-sided markets connect producers and consumers, why network effects make platforms so powerful, and how organizations can build, launch, and govern successful platforms of their own, using examples from companies like Uber, Airbnb, Amazon, and Apple.
What topics does technology speaker Marshall Van Alstyne cover?
Marshall Van Alstyne speaks on platform strategy, network effects, the economics of digital business, the "inverted firm," platform governance and antitrust, and the impact of AI on competition and value creation. His keynotes suit technology, strategy, and innovation conferences, as well as organizations trying to build platforms or compete against them. To book Marshall Van Alstyne as a speaker, contact Aurum Speakers Bureau.
How to book Marshall Van Alstyne as a keynote speaker?
Aurum Speakers Bureau can help you book Marshall Van Alstyne as a speaker for your next event, conference, or board meeting. Simply fill out our contact form to inquire about Marshall Van Alstyne's availability for a speaking engagement. One of our booking agents will respond to your request immediately and contact the speaker to let them know you want to hire them. We will assist you with obtaining speaking fees, booking information, and confirming availability for Marshall Van Alstyne or any other top keynote speaker or celebrity of your choice.
How much is Marshall Van Alstyne speaking fee?
Marshall Van Alstyne speaking fees are determined by several factors, including the event's date, whether it's a virtual or in-person event, the duration, format, preparation required for their speech, and more. The same applies to the cost to hire any other top expert speakers and celebrities. The Speaker Fee Range listed on our website is simply a guideline and is subject to change without notice. If you would like to hire Marshall Van Alstyne to deliver a keynote speech for your event, please fill out the contact form or email us at info@aurumbureau.com with as much detail as possible. One of our experienced agents will get in touch with you and let you know exactly how much it will cost to book Marshall Van Alstyne.
How can I contact Marshall Van Alstyne?
We only work with Marshall Van Alstyne on paid speaking engagements. Aurum Speakers Bureau can assist you in booking Marshall Van Alstyne and will handle all negotiations, contracts, and logistics associated with having Marshall Van Alstyne speak at your event. We will be your sole point of contact throughout the process. Get in touch with Aurum Speakers Bureau today, and we will reach out to any motivational speaker or celebrity you want to enquire about speaking at your event. If you wish to contact Marshall Van Alstyne for any other reason, we will be unable to assist you as we are not authorized to provide personal contact information.
Can I book Marshall Van Alstyne for a virtual keynote?
Yes, Marshall Van Alstyne is available for virtual keynotes and webinars. To book Marshall Van Alstyne for a virtual event, please complete the contact form or send us an email to inquire about the special fees for virtual engagements.
