Aren't strategic partnerships a major tool for startups? What have freemium and all-free models done to the "competitive weapon" of undercutting competitor pricing? How can you access the risk of complementary endeavors?
So to clarify, I'm trying to say two things: 1. when designing a business model, don't think in terms of selling advertising (i.e. selling out your users), think in terms of "creating value for someone with discretionary budget to send your way"
2. most companies, especially their marketing departments, should be more active in investing in complementary infosoftwaretech.