Build vs Buy vs Partner

Biological Parallel

Coral polyps have three strategies for acquiring photosynthetic capability: evolve chloroplasts internally (build—energetically prohibitive), consume algae as food (buy—temporary access), or form symbiosis with zooxanthellae algae (partner—shared infrastructure). Most corals chose partner: algae live in coral tissue, share glucose, and receive protection. The partnership option dominates when capabilities are too expensive to build but too critical to rent intermittently.