Desktop Virtualization (DV) is the hottest trend in the field of virtualization. According to industry analysts, the market for DV in 2011 is expected to outpace the market for the hugely successful server virtualization market. DV holds the promise of enabling any user to have their desktop anytime, anywhere, on any device – including mobile devices — without compromising on the user experience. From a corporate perspective, DV dramatically lowers the total cost of ownership as well as power requirements, while enhancing the security and provisioning of corporate desktops.

There is a continued push from customers to reduce Desktop Management costs, support new mobile devices, and at the same time, deliver desktop software on-demand and improve user productivity. The latest trend is to leverage DV and cloud-based delivery models to provide Software as a Service (SaaS) or Desktop as a Service (DaaS).

The challenge for enterprise computing is to deliver legacy and corporate applications to end users with the same level of flexibility and rich user experience as Apple has brought to consumers with its iTunes, iPad and the App Store.

Mobile computing is the future. DV and cloud computing will be the building blocks for delivering secure corporate applications on-demand to a new generation of ultra-thin mobile devices designed for standard desktop applications. One example is Intel’s Mobile Internet Device line running the Atom processor, providing a quantum leap in the utility of mobile computing.

Funding and personnel will always be critical challenges for entrepreneurs. While building an app for a Smartphone does not require much capital, building a product for corporate use is vastly different. Venture capital is not as readily available as it used to be, so entrepreneurs with a great idea for technical innovation must work harder than ever to secure financing capital from a variety of sources. Once initial funding is obtained, the product or service must demonstrate early proof points with successful beta deployments or early customers. And, since no product or service can stand alone, startup companies need to establish meaningful partnerships with an ecosystem of companies that offer complementary technologies and go-to-market capability.

Building an organization that is formidable and self sustained is especially difficult if you don’t have the right people. Everyone in Silicon Valley, from small start-ups to giant companies such as Google, is scrambling to fill critical jobs, mostly in engineering, with a talent war underway for the most in-demand specialties. Companies are on the hunt for those with the right skills, especially programmers, mobile Internet specialists and social media experts. Having competent team players on staff is essential to the success of any startup. But with the proper funding, the right products, the right partners, and the right people, the future is indeed bright for entrepreneurs.

The author is Founder & CEO, DeskStream