Ingress players gave Niantic confidence to continue developing their project. It helped show that there was enough interest in their concept to get funding for Pokemon Go. 

Pokemon Go portals are ingress portals. Ingress players were setting the trend before it was trendy. 

Too early and you're a geek, right on time and you are a sheep. ;-). 

I did play pokemon Go today and ingress these last two days in Les Diablerets so I am teasing myself so please do not see this as trolling.