If you’re looking to start a business now, you need to know what’s happening in the startup world now. Historical information and last year’s news will only get you so far. Investing in the success of your startup means being informed about the latest startup trends. Let’s touch on this year’s top seven, and then you smarty-pants entrepreneurs can go make the most of them.
Infinite Competition
The Internet is making it easier for no-name competitors from around the world to break into your local marketplace and swipe your marketshare. If you’re local, make sure you don’t skimp on investment in local SEO, and always be on the lookout for partnerships with other businesses to grow marketshare on the ground.
Regardless of whether you’re local or not, you need to keep an eye on the technology that is really raising the bar when it comes to key areas of your business like:
- Digital marketing
- Customer relationship management
- Logistics
As a startup, invest in and learn the technologies that will allow you to not only compete in your industry–anyone and everyone is doing that–but that gives you a leg up on the crowd.
Investors Maximizing Returns
Many investors took a hit over the last 10 years. They’ve come out of the downturn smarter. They’re more reserved when it comes to investing in companies who don’t have a solid plan with an optimized strategy. They’re looking for business who know how to run lean in an optimized way and make smart decisions. And more often than not, they’re looking for proven demand and revenue.
This may be bad news for your competitors who’ll have trouble securing startup capital. But you can take advantage of this by having a plan, minimizing waste and demonstrating that you’re a wise investment through solid data and expertise. And hey, a world-class pitch deck doesn’t hurt.
Triple Ds: Disruption, Disruption, Disruption
We’re seeing incredible disruption across industries; in fact, “Disruptive” is table-stakes. New technologies mean a different and often better way of doing things. Companies who don’t adapt will quickly get left behind and those who do adapt will struggle as they learn new technologies.
As a startup, this could be your in: While your competitors are trying to retrofit their companies, you can build something strong from the ground up. Things are much more fun when you’re the disruptor, and not the disruptee. They’re much more lucrative too.
Augmented Reality/Virtual Reality (AR/VR)
Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality companies are popping up seemingly overnight to take advantage of the craze surrounding the technologies. They’re finding new ways to make us wonder how we ever lived without it, and constantly imagine the possibilities of always living alongside it.
Be sure to learn everything you can about these technologies, how you could complement them and about how you could incorporate these technologies into your business to better connect with customers and run operations.
AI & Machine Learning
Startups are streamlining these processes by turning to artificial intelligence and machine learning to augment their products and services, and assist and engage their customers. Through it, they’re improving relationships, increasing customer retention and optimizing their conversion rates with fewer resources.
As an entrepreneur, you’re often a 1 person show. But these technologies are becoming more affordable, so consider adopting the technology to cut corners the smart way–like hiring a virtual assistant who never takes bathroom breaks.
Predictive Analytics
Predictive analytics is the use of analytical tools to analyze and aggregate data so that you can make more informed decisions when it comes to things like:
- What you sell
- How you sell it
- Who you sell it to
This can be combined with AI and machine learning technology to not only predict customer behavior but to respond at just the right time to make the sale. Never underestimate an intelligent interpretation of the data.
No Physical Workspace
Finally, among startup trends, we’re finding more and more companies who run their entire business online, without a fixed or classic “office”. Employees work where they want on mobile devices and team members collaborate through digital workspace technologies. To run lean, invest in remote technologies and remote workspaces.
Startup Trends That You Need to Know
Staying current isn’t easy in the fast paced startup environment. But by keeping track of startup trends you can not only effectively spearhead your next startup but you can stay ahead of the competition.
What would you add to our list of trends transforming the startup landscape? Comment below.
SnapMunk
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How are these trends comparing to what we have seen in the early weeks of 2018?
We see more and more of the top talent talking about AI and machine learning. There has to be a bad side of things like this. I am not going to believe that I can teach a machine to learn AND do something that humans have been doing for years and that is learn on a dime, in real time.
There is a lot of talk surrounding AI and how it can help our future. Do we really think that? I am not sure I am 100% sold on that concept, nor do I feel comfortable about it.
I totally agree with local businesses having to keep an eye on what is moving around in their industry. If a technology is out there that can reduce the costs of logistics for the business owner, then they should be on top of using that technology.
Absolutely. If you cannot stay up to date with your industry, you are going to be left at the wayside for sure.
Augmented reality is huge! THere is so much that you can do with it and when you couple it up with an app or another wearable, you can really boost the productivity of it.
If there was any time that you could really make work happen from anywhere in the “office” it is today. There is a lot of technology available these days that can be used to make this happen. Pretty cool concept and maybe one that might make work feel less like “work”.
I feel the same way that others here feel about the AI and how it can be implemented into daily life. Even though it seems like a great idea, there have already been horror stories about how it backfired and caused a bad situation to become worse.
Yup. You are making a great point and one that a few articles have touched on slightly.
One of the things that I find strange is that augmented reality is nothing brand new. It just seems like it finally finds a light that it can shine in. Companies are seeing the rise in how the technology works with augmented reality and how it can help their business.
I was thinking the same thing. I have been watching YouTube videos about augmented reality for a few years now. Is it just now that companies are seeing the benefit from using it?
Investors have always wanted to maximize their returns, don’t you think? I mean, if I am going to give someone my money with a hope they will bring back more than I gave them because they have a great idea or product, I would have hoped it was maximized to the full extent.
Maybe they are going to be more strict about getting those investments back. I can see always wanting to maximize, but the research involved might be more complex today compared to 10 years ago.
The world of AI and the world of predictive marketing is going to join forces in a big way one day. There is so much big data out there that has to be gone through and when companies are making millions with that information and the marketing they use it for, being able to tell the next thing that I buy is the gold standard.
For today, getting into any industry and hoping that there is not going to be a competitor there to crush you in the next 30 days is not good thinking. I think that is why we have seen the rise of Kickstarter campaigns and companies with a great product or idea, getting bought out as soon as you hear about them.
Totally impossible today. Even if you are the only one when things start, the copycats come out to play and you are left with trying to stay ahead of them.
I can see that the workplace, or workspace, as we know it today is going to change a little bit. Over the years, the typical office has gone from cubicles to open concept and back again a few different times. I wonder if companies make space feel more like “home” if it will increase productivity?