As the NoSQL industry continues to mature, consolidation is expected to occur over the next 18-24 months, prompting concerns about risks for developers and operations engineers who invest in these technologies. The process of industry maturation involves a cycle where early adopters face uncertainty and risk, followed by leaders emerging with better market traction, increased funding, and larger investments. Currently, three NoSQL players - Couchbase, DataStax, and MongoDB - have separated themselves from the rest of the pack, indicating a period of significant growth and investment for these companies.