Online community that guides developers of specialized software

It's no secret that companies privately develop programs to improve their internal operations. But more often than not, those apps -- which could prove immensely useful to other businesses -- are kept secret. Maybe the companies don't see a larger value in their creations, or they simply don't want to diversify into software sales. That's why the Austin, Texas, company Fluid Innovation has created Virtual Ventures, an online community that guides developers of specialized software within the business world to possible buyers of their apps on the open market.

Virtual Ventures, which works like a videogame, recently helped find a home for a large corporation's global mailing-and-tracking system used for external billing. Like all of the game's participants, the company's anonymity is assured.