Software Quality Assurance Engineer, Kobo

The e-reader giant has changed tack in recent years to pursue growth via integrations and partnerships. A notable example is its native device integration with Pocket, a wishlist app loved by millions of readers.

The company is hoping that these partnerships and product improvements will allow it to finally break the US market where it most struggles for market share with Kindle.

Amazon has consistently shown its willingness to drop prices to protect its position in any market it plays in. That means that Kobo will have to demonstrate true product superiority to make a dent while protecting its margins.