Zoho’s Enterprise Play, Peak Anthropic? & 2026 ShortLists

In ConstellationTV episode 124, CR analyst co-hosts Holger Mueller and Liz Miller deliver a dynamic mix of humor, insightful analysis, and actionable takeaways for anyone navigating the complex world of enterprise technology and SaaS markets. Whether you're a corporate executive assessing software solutions, an IT strategist exploring AI frameworks, or simply curious about SaaS trends, this episode provides valuable perspectives.

Zoho Day 2026: A Spotlight on Platform Evolution and Leadership Transitions

The episode begins by covering enterprise technology news. The first major deep dive centers on Zoho Day 2026, held in Austin, Texas—an analyst meeting showcasing Zoho’s impressive rise from serving small businesses to expanding globally into mid-market and enterprise spaces. Zoho’s ambition continues to strengthen, with notable moves into ERP systems, starting with a rollout in India and plans for global expansion anticipated around Q3.

Both Holger and Liz praise Zoho for its remarkable focus on simplicity and customer-centric solutions:

• Liz: “Zoho is simple. It gives our business the exact power that it needs, but it doesn't give us so much that it becomes cost-prohibitive.”
• Holger adds: “They shared with us what is coming new in their behind-the-scenes architecture...and advancements in low-code/no-code showed promise.”

Evolving Leadership for Future Growth

Zoho’s leadership structure has seen significant shifts, with Sridhar Vembu, previously the CEO, transitioning to Chief Scientist to focus on innovations such as quantum computing. His brother, Mani Vembu, has stepped into the CEO role, tasked with modernizing the core platform and addressing technical debt. According to Holger, “There needs to be a replatforming and elimination of technical debt...This could be Mani's monumental contribution to Indian SaaS history.”

Liz felt strongly about the future potential of the leadership: “Mark my words, Mani is going to do great things." She also emphasized **Rana Vembu’s (Sridhar’s sister)**integral and often behind-the-scenes contributions to product excellence, stating, "Rana is a force to be reckoned with."

Salesforce’s Acquisition Frenzy: Insights into AI and Data Evolution

Holger delivers a detailed analysis of Salesforce’s recent, aggressive acquisition strategy, spanning conversational insights tools, AI frameworks, and platforms that enhance enterprise data capabilities. Salesforce has been rapidly acquiring companies—such as Informatica, Simulate, Qualified, Spindle AI, and Evergreen—to strengthen its AI-related arsenal and better manage the growing challenges of unstructured data.

Liz highlights the scale and magnitude of unstructured data as a pressing issue for AI implementation: “If the average enterprise collects 10 terabytes of data and that's growing at 68% year over year, and 70% of that data is unstructured, we are going to have to figure out what we're going to do with all of that.”

This underscores the opportunity for AI frameworks to transform businesses, as Salesforce leverages its platforms (like Slack integrations) to drive actionable insights. As Holger notes, “Slack is becoming one of the overall pieces where pipeline-relevant information is captured.”

Acceleration vs. Velocity: How Salesforce Leads Organizational Transformation

Holger and Liz debate the terminology surrounding organizational progress—calling out differences between speed, velocity, and acceleration.

• Holger: “It’s acceleration—moving faster and getting growth momentum.”
• Liz emphasizes velocity’s role in enterprise adaptation: “Velocity matters, but Salesforce’s example of enterprise acceleration shows movement in the right direction.”

Speculation on Anthropic's Influence: Peak Hype or Sustained Impact?

In the next segment, Larry Dignan ponders whether the tech market is experiencing “Peak Anthropic”. Anthropic’s actions, ranging from code modernization to partnerships, are shaking up SaaS stocks, but Larry warns that they mirror hype cycles seen in past eras when companies like Microsoft entered new markets.

Anthropic is both a competitor and a partner for SaaS solutions, leaving the markets in flux.

Larry states: “I don't know if we're at a peak, but the fear around SaaS stocks and the hype around Anthropic—man, the volume’s turned up.”

Constellation Research Shortlists: A Strategic Decision-Making Asset

The episode concludes with an overview of Constellation Research’s newly released 2026 ShortLists. ShortLists are curated rankings of enterprise tech solutions for capabilities such as autonomous IT platforms, generative AI tools, and sovereign cloud infrastructure. These lists, free and openly accessible, aim to simplify the selection process for enterprise buyers and shorten their implementation timeline: “From nine months to two or three,” explains Holger.

Highlights of Shortlist Categories:

• AI Factories and Agentic Platforms: Liz notes a growing push for platforms that facilitate AI workloads and agentic ecosystems.
• Generative AI for Content Creation: Larry and Liz's expertise drives a shortlist specializing in AI applications for copywriting and digital content.
• Sovereign Cloud: Holger emphasizes the importance of sovereignty: “How do you ensure workloads stay within a continent? Does that only mean citizens and passport holders touch the data?”

The shortlists are built entirely on user-driven criteria, focusing on feedback from their executive network: “This is really about the end user... It’s what enterprise buyers directly tell us is important,” Liz explains. Vendors are encouraged to reach out with feedback if they feel shortlisted solutions missed important contenders.

Conclusion

This episode blends humor, in-depth analysis, and actionable advice for decision-makers exploring AI tools, SaaS platforms, and tech investments. From understanding Zoho’s rapid evolution and Salesforce’s acquisitions to leveraging Constellation’s shortlists for enterprise selection, the insights shared are tailored for navigating modern technology challenges.

For those eager to dive deeper into the data, trends, and solutions discussed, the full episode provides even more valuable context and lighthearted banter to make complex topics accessible. Stay tuned for future episodes from Holger, Liz, and Larry as they continue driving conversations in enterprise tech!