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Startup report
This document discusses upcoming trends for startups in 2018. Some key trends mentioned include increased automation and simplification of services, growth in connectivity through the internet of things, further development of artificial intelligence and virtual/augmented realities, an emphasis on health, sustainability and renewable energy, and the rising influence of Asia in technology and startups. Platforms for startups to get funding and promote their ideas like Kickstarter, Indiegogo and Reddit are also summarized.
Startup report
- 1. We are youngand talented team that is passionate about startups. We would like to share with you our view on upcoming trends and some tools for startups to use. We hope that our knowledge will be helpful for you. Every year we put more and more of our lives on the internet all thanks to rapidly growing number of different devices connected to world wide web. According to Business Insider till 2025 there will be 55 billions IoT devices, 6 times more than in 2017. In 2018 we’ll see a lot of new startups related to connecting our lives to the internet. Digital workspaces, online storage rooms, dog walker finder. Even profile database to help you find info about a person you have a meeting with. If you would define startup trends in 2018, automation and simplifying will be the right words to use. Nowadays we live in the world where innovations are coming from reinventing things but in more convenient way. Startups rethink our everyday needs and actions and present new ways to make our lives easier and more beneficial.
- 2. At this pointalmost everybody is familiar with Uber or Spotify or Airbnb. These startups are provi- ding services more efficiently than bigger companies. Sometimes companies work in global way trying to meet all human needs in one solution. Disruptive innovations are simplifying those needs. Someti- mes people don’t need or want big hotel rooms with all the ad- ditions, they just want a place to sleep, so they rent a room in a stranger’s house for a couple of nights. Nowadays people don’t want to buy records, they simply want to listen to music, so they use Spotify. We already have self-driving cars and 2018 will be the year of their continuous growth. But it will not stop at just making driving easier. In the near future we’ll be intro- duced to chef robots that will allow you to have homemade food without any effort.
- 3. 2017 was theyear of AI boom and it will not stop there. But there was a lot of controversy with AI being unpredictable in certain situations and sometimes making the wrong move. With that in mind in 2018 it will be more enquired to avoid unexpected actions that could upset general public. AI will be incorporated to help ease human work and sometimes make it fully automatic.
- 4. With the growingamount of our personal infor- mation existing online it is not surprising how many new security solutions are out there. In past couple years there was a lot of hacking attacks and data leakage, so now with the help of learning neural networks and AI new startups can make your data more secure. Paying hackers to detect security bugs is and will be a big thing in the future to make sure big companies are protected and your data with them. One company even provides password-free security service to eliminate human factor errors. Hype around Bitcoin in 2017 was huge. And it will not go away this year. Growth of IoT is causing the need in cryptocurrency so it is easier for people to live online. Currently a lot of online retailers accept bitcoin and their number is increasing. In the near future people will be introduced to blockchains that will help with understanding cryptocurrency and how to use it. Cryptocurrency will be used in industries other than online shopping or gaming, but investments or real estate, and will be very helpful in chaotic world of IoT.
- 5. Virtual reality hasa huge potential in gaming industry introducing new ways of interacting with other gamers and game itself. But it can give you a lot more than that. You can visit other countries, travel to outer space or even perform sur- gery. Virtual reality as well as aug- mented reality can be used not just for entertainment, but for pro- duct creation, case study simula- tions, education and employee training. Augmented reality will help marketing to become even more interactive while changing the world around us. THANKS TO AR YOU WILL BE ABLE TO „TRYON” NEW FURNITURE OR WALLPAPERS, TO CHECK PRODUCTS BEFORE BUYING THEM, TO PLAY LIVE ACTION GAMES.
- 6. In recent yearsmarket was introduced to customizable beauty and health products. Rapid growth of technology, in particular 3D printing, allows companies to personalize a lot of their products. But not just tangible products. Nowadays you could get personalized services or software. Thanks to some startups you will have a personal fitness trainer, doctor and shopping advisor in your pocket at any moment. It’s not that difficult for manufacturers and producents to customise their products, especially when they have limited amount of adjustments. And at the end of the day even more expensive personalised products are more efficient and will build better relations with customers.
- 7. Most people associatestartups with technology and will be right to some point. A lot of startups incorporate technology in industries where techs are not that common. It will make solving problems industries could have easier and more convenient. It’s not a secret that AI is able to make human work easier and more efficient. But still there is a stigma around artificial intelligence created by dystopian films and literature. However AI industry is growing very fast in the last years because of its potential and possibilities. In the next couple of years AI will be implemented in different startups and companies, that will improve public opinion about it.
- 8. 2017 was ayear that brought us a lot of strange foods, for example cheese tea, black ice cream, foodwith gold leaves in it. But in 2018 startups in food industry will shift from weird to healthy. Growing popularity of vegan lifestyle caused a rise of startups focusing on expanding food choices for plant-based eaters. Also farming will be in focus in years to come. Overpopulation forces us to look for new alternative protein foods and to expand farming industry to feed people and fight starvation in third world countries. 2017 was a year that brought us a lot of strange foods, for example cheese tea, black ice cream, foodwith gold leaves in it. But in 2018 startups in food industry will shift from weird to healthy. Growing popularity of vegan lifestyle caused a rise of startups focusing on expanding food choices for plant-based eaters. Also farming will be in focus in years to come. Overpopulation forces us to look for new alternative protein foods and to expand farming industry to feed people and fight starvation in third world countries.
- 9. Virtual and augmentedrealities will play a huge role in video game development. Last year we saw an example of its enormous impact on gaming community with Pokemon Go. And in 2018 games will go even further. Every year gaming industry moves boundaries of what you can and can’t do in virtual worlds to give their players completely different experience. Virtual and augmented realities will play a huge role in video game development. Last year we saw an example of its enormous impact on gaming community with Pokemon Go. And in 2018 games will go even further. Every year gaming industry moves boundaries of what you can and can’t do in virtual worlds to give their players completely different experience.
- 10. Instagram accounts andinfluencer blogs are rapidly turning into businesses and new content channels for marketers. And in sight of the overwhelming popularity increase of these channels there is supposed to be somebody to manage all the business offers, content creation and marketing. There are more and more companies that offer mediation in collaborations between influencers and their sponsors. Also creating influencers will be a thing in 2018. Big companies are and will be paying people to travel, to try different products, to live luxury lifestyle to sell their products to influencer’s followers.
- 11. Thanks to almostabsolute access to internet people are becoming more and more concerned about their health. People start eating more non-processed food, hitting the gym and changing their lifestyle. And at the journey to better living they will have to look for help. Not just personal fitness trainer apps will be at the rise, but also digital health services will become more popular.
- 12. We all alreadyknow about electric cars and how they are more efficient. And in the next couple of years we will be presented with a few new models to choose from. But energy saving management will not stop just there. People are getting interested in renewable energy and its storage because of the rapid growth of Earth’s population. People need energy management tools to reduce energy waste at home and at work. Countries developing waste- -to-energy plans to slow Earth’s pollution. Interest in energy industry will lower prices for alternative energy sources and will make it more accessible. And it will open doors for startups that are developing solutions for energy managing.
- 13. Subscription models arenothing new these days. But we used to think about it as an entertainment service. In recent years a lot of software manufacturers became software providers. A few years ago you would buy programs and just use them. Nowadays however to use the same program you are obligated to pay monthly fee. The amount of companies offering their software as a service is growing rapidly over the last years and will continually grow in 2018. Startups will be focusing in particular on cloud computing with elements of cybersecurity and e-accounting.
- 14. Long time agoonly wealthy people had access to all tech novelties that were considered luxury things. Industrial growth caused mass production of gadgets and made them cheaper and more accessible. But not all countries had the same growth speed. Some regions of the world now have more advanced technology than others and growth pass differentiate from continent to continent. USA in recent years are losing its leadership to Europe and Asia, but still can impress the world with great startups. According to Global Startup System Report USA cities dropped their positions in favor of European cities. Canada on the other hand strengthens positions in Top 20 cities with Toronto and Vancouver. Thanks to Silicon Valley and many small successful startups America will hold its leader spot, but very rapid technological growth of Asian countries will shortly cause America to step back.
- 15. After World WarII Asian countries showed fenomenal speed of technological growth and now China and Japan are competing with the USA for leadership. Most of the latest tech inventions were coming from Asian countries. Lately South Korea and Singapore joined technological revolution in Asia. Governments are helping to create beneficial environment for startups to develop to boost the economy. And in next couple years we’ll see the results of their cooperation. London is surely the European’s capital of startups but other big cities are not falling behind. Berlin and Paris are on the rise cumulating the power of different nationalities. For long time Europe was the center of industrialization and now European countries are standing their ground being among the world’s most advanced countries. Surely Europe isn’t the leader it once was but still is a motherland for a lot of great inventions and startups.
- 16. To launch theirproduct startups need funding, contacts and public engagement. Thanks to our technologically advanced world they can find all of that online. There are plenty of platforms to help startups to find investors or to promote their products. And nowadays there is no way for startups to launch without online help.
- 17. Crowdfunding is simplydonations with extra steps. Usually startups provide some sort of product in exchange of small amount of financial help. It could be final product, discount to purchase the product or custom change to product. Different platforms can have different requirements for startup projects but at the end of the day basic idea is the same.
- 18. Probably this isthe most popular platform for startups that is known even outside the startup community. Kickstarter is used to raise funds for upcoming businesses and project ideas to help them break the seal. However some risk is involved with managing startup campaign on Kickstarter: if you don’t reach your fund goal you will lose all that money. But still Kickstarter is a great place to start. Indiegogo is very similar to Kickstarter, but with some important differences. Unlike on Kickstarter, here you can raise funds for non-profit projects. Also if you didn’t reach your goal you still can keep the money you were donated. While the purpose is the same (to raise money) Indiegogo has some key features that is not available on Kickstarter.
- 19. This is theplatform for startups that are looking more for venture capital instead of just small fundings. RocketHub also offering advices on where you could find additional funds. Besides that you can find helpful articles on the website. It is not like other crowdfunding sites but it shares the same core idea only with different features. Patreon is without doubts the most popular crowdfunding platform among creators on Youtube, Instagram or Twitch. Unlike others, this site is a subscription-based platform, that focuses on funding artists instead of projects. Usually creators offers special content on Patreon in return for subscription that is not available on their main platform.
- 20. 50% DISCOUNT To raise fundsfirstly you need to draw people to your crowdfunding platform. Promoting your projects online will be very helpful. It will create natural flaw of visitors for your project. Some startups narrow their promotion to social media, but while it’s great way to show your project it’s more important at the early stages of your campaign to focus on sites where you can get some feedback. You will be surprised that Reddit is used not only to post memes on the internet. This huge website also has forum topics for startups and entrepreneurs where you can share your project ideas. People will upvote your post if they like it and discuss your ideas.
- 21. Maqtoob is aplatform that helps businesses at the early stages providing useful information about business tools. You’ll be able to learn how to reduce costs or improve performance. Also there are reviews and recommendations from other users available for your needs. This is a website that help you to share your project with others, to answer their questions about it and gain feedback. It will allow you to introduce your startup to the world of people interested in new and innovative ideas.
- 22. Social media isa great way to show your project or upcoming product to the world. It usually doesn’t matter which platform in particular you will use, just chose medium that is most suitable for your product. Social media are used to surround yourself with people who are interested in your project and will support you. While it’s also a good place to find feedback, it will not be as constructive, as on Reddit for example, because your following is built on people who sympathize you.
- 23. If you workwith a remote team you surely will look for platform to manage your project online and to communicate with teammates easier. Good interaction between co-workers often a key to perfect results. There are plenty of tools to help you manage your projects in the most efficient way possible.
- 24. Slack is easyto use communication tool that allows you to be in touch with your remote team at any time. You can create #channels to ease communication even more and share files and documents. This is software as a service platform that allows you to create and assign tasks when you work with a remote team and in office. You can create projects and invite teammates to join. Manage projects with assigning tasks to particular person, setting deadlines and checking-in when task is done. Built in calendar will show you all the tasks and their deadlines. Upcoming platform that combines a lot of features needed to manage projects. You can create tasks and communicate with teammates within one platform. But if you are not assigned to any project this platform will still be useful for you. It will allow you to set up events, to write a blog and even to become an investor if you find a project that will get you interested.