Marc Degli has spent years in the trenches of enterprise technology. As a co-founder of Blackhawk Alert, he helped build solutions that once felt like the exclusive domain of large corporations with deep pockets and global teams. But today, Marc’s focus has shifted — and he’s sounding the alarm for anyone still underestimating small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs).

“The gap between what big enterprises can do and what SMBs can do is almost gone,” Marc says. “AI has leveled the playing field, and honestly, some of the most exciting innovations I’m seeing aren’t coming from boardrooms — they’re coming from small teams working out of local offices and coffee shops.”

A New Era for SMBs

Australia has long been a tough place for startups. Limited government support, risk-averse investors, and a culture that hasn’t always embraced bold ideas have made it difficult for many founders to break through. But according to Marc, that’s exactly why what’s happening now is so remarkable.

“Traditionally, if you didn’t have millions in backing, you were stuck. But with AI, you can launch with far less and move much faster,” he explains. “True innovation isn’t just surviving here — it’s thriving, because resourceful SMBs are using technology in ways big enterprises can’t.”

Doing More with Less

What excites Marc the most isn’t just the technology itself, but how accessible it’s become.

AI is now embedded in tools that SMBs can adopt without a team of data scientists or enterprise-sized budgets. Automating admin work, scaling marketing, predicting customer behavior — things that used to be reserved for major corporations are now in reach for almost anyone.

“This isn’t theory anymore. AI is practical, it’s affordable, and it’s empowering SMBs to compete — and win,” Marc says.

The SMB Advantage

Marc believes smaller businesses actually have a hidden edge. They’re nimble. They don’t have to navigate layers of bureaucracy. They can take an idea from concept to execution in weeks, not quarters.The SMB Advantage

“While larger organizations are still figuring out how to adopt AI without disrupting their structure, SMBs are already deploying it,” Marc says. “And because of that, I think we’re going to see some of the most groundbreaking ideas come from them, not the enterprises.”

What Comes Next

For Marc, this isn’t just a trend — it’s a turning point. He sees a future where SMBs don’t just catch up to the big players; they rewrite the rules altogether.

“The real story isn’t that SMBs are closing the gap,” he says. “It’s that they’re starting to build the future faster than anyone expected.”

And in a country like Australia — where startups have traditionally struggled for support — that shift might be exactly what the ecosystem needs.“The real story isn’t that SMBs are closing the gap,” he says. “It’s that they’re starting to build the future faster than anyone expected.”For Marc, this isn’t just a trend — it’s a turning point. He sees a future where SMBs don’t just catch up to the big players; they rewrite the rules altogether.

"You can follow up with Marc Degli at:

https://linktr.ee/MarcDegli

LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marcdi/ "

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