While at the conference I mentioned in the previous post, I learned that one of the big business opportunities in Germany apparently is to move software running AS400 mainframes to the cloud. The reason is that the people who built the software in the 1970s and 1980s and have maintained it since then are retiring and companies are unable to replace them. So, after decades of delaying the inevitable, it finally is time to bite the bullet and transition the software. Mainframe software is far from the only area where I see companies severely underinvest in technology renewal and business opportunities that could be created by transitioning to modern technology. I can’t help wondering to what extent you are putting yourself at risk of disruption by new entrants or more innovative incumbents that use their new technology stack to offer value to customers that are impossible for technology laggards. Of course, many industries are perhaps too small for innovative players to care about, but at some point it will happen also there. So, evaluate your tech stack and prioritize modernization before you reach a point where it isn’t needed anymore.