In addition to benefiting people, a start-up’s activities require constant development, otherwise it is doomed to failure. If a start-up business is popular, it attracts more than just attention and money. Successful projects are noticed by large companies, invested and receive a return of tens of times what they invested.

If the members of the start-up do not intend to sell their shares, the business will become a source of passive income for each of them. That is why it is so important to choose the right start-up idea. To do this, you can study the market of startups that are popular abroad, attract a team of entrepreneurs willing to share their thoughts, look for areas that can be improved/improved, find a solution to your own problems or society by creating an application/comfortable service. We have prepared 5 popular startup ideas for 2023.

Online casino review sites

The bulk of gamers use mobile versions for games and machines, which is 89%. Every year new online sites open, which requires adequate and honest reviews. Creating a website for reviewing new online casinos and existing ones is one of the ideas that will be shot due to huge demand. The main thing is to make convenient functionality, to give an honest assessment of each site, to describe in details the advantages and tricks useful for players. A good example of a review site is Casino Point https://onlinecasinopoint.nl/. The author of this site, Martin Ardon, reviews online casinos without registration. This resource has a list of the best gambling clubs in the Netherlands and many different useful topics for gamblers.

Platform for online learning

More and more people want to improve their skills in their profession or learn a new type of activity. In the age of ever-evolving computer technology, this is easy to do:

• you don’t have to spend time studying offline;
• it is convenient to combine your main job, child-rearing and self-development.

Online courses are a great subject for a start-up. All you need to do is to decide on the field of education and get the right people with enough knowledge and experience involved. This will help you to stand out from the competition. You also need to create a database of training materials, promotional offers and case studies that will make you stand out.

Popular online learning platforms for 2023

• language courses;
• sales and marketing;
• programming and development;
• graphic design and interior design;
• courses in product and service/company promotion or product management.

You can create a free or a paid site. The latter attracts a more paying audience, but it needs to be filled more responsibly.

Healthy food delivery service

In second place are ideas for start-ups 2023 – a healthy food delivery service. This includes organic farm products, green food, low-sugar and gluten-free products. In 2022, sales of this segment of the market have tripled compared to 2021. The surge in health awareness comes in the wake of the pandemic and is in no hurry to diminish. As marketers point out, good nutrition is not only a health concern, but also a fashion statement, which makes it a great start-up topic.

Stable demand was observed not only in major European cities, but also in the regions, as noted by major online platforms and retailers. What products are worth including in the delivery list: superfoods, cereals, plant-based milk, pulses, nuts, microgreens, green vegetables, organic and farm products, food seeds, granola, spirulina, seaweed, herbal pickles, wheat sprouts, dried berries, herbal pickles, protein bars.

A mobile app for managing personal finances

Access to a large number of products in physical shops and online marketplaces provokes demand even when there is no need to make a purchase. Therefore, people are more likely to think about how to save money and avoid unnecessary purchases. An app can help you do just that:

• will compile a report on the results of purchasing activity;
• will give advice on how to manage your income and save money;
• will tell you where to invest your money to make it grow.

A mobile budget management app is a lifesaver, because you don’t have to keep the amount spent in mind. That’s why it’s so much in demand right now. According to statistics for the last 4 years, the demand for software with such functionality is only growing. And in the US, such apps have been downloaded more than 573 million times between 2018 and 2021. Here are the top 5 apps from this area to focus on: Mint, YNAB, Everydollar, Personal Capital, Honeydue.

It is worth making a version where all transactions are added automatically and do not need to be entered manually.

A platform for the online sale of handmade goods

Handmade is at the height of its popularity, as is healthy eating. There is a tendency in society to surround oneself with things that are not manufactured, but are handmade with love. And of course handmade is about uniqueness, many people appreciate something that is made in a single copy.

Accessories, leather goods, handmade tableware, toys, clothes for children and adults, jewellery, bags, cosmetics, wedding products, stationery, home and interior products, and furniture for animals are on trend. It is also worth taking advantage of this and creating a platform for online sales, where customers can choose all handmade goods in one place.

Demanding start-up ideas are not based on illusion, but on real consumer demand in Europe. All that remains is to choose your niche and develop the business.

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Amazon

The company was founded in 1994 by Jeff Bezos and started out as an online bookstore. The American project was originally called Cadabra, and a few months later it was replaced by Amazon, which is familiar to today’s consumers. Over time, the company significantly expanded its range to include products from various categories:

• electronics;
• clothes;
• foodstuffs.

Amazon is now the world’s largest online retailer and one of Walmart’s main competitors, widely known in the US. Amazon’s monthly marketplace audience reaches almost 2.5 billion users worldwide. For example, in the US market alone, the number of active consumers exceeds 143 million people.

Amazon is also the world’s largest cloud provider, providing Amazon Web Services (AWS) to more than 1 million customers.

Facebook

Another start-up that has entered the daily lives of many internet users. It was founded in 2004 by Mark Zuckerberg, who was studying at Harvard University at the time. At first, the site was used for communication between students, but over time it has become the largest social network – as of December 2022, Facebook’s audience was 2.96 billion users.

Today the project is owned by Meta Platforms, led by the same Mark Zuckerberg, and not only provides an opportunity to communicate with friends, but is also an important tool for business. The company provides advertising services that help other entrepreneurs market their offerings.

Meta Platforms also includes new products and apps: Instagram and WhatsApp, they are also the biggest in their field.

Google

The technology company came into being in 1998 thanks to two Stanford students, Larry Page and Sergey Brin, as their joint research project in the form of an internet search engine.

Google today is not just a search engine, it’s a whole ecosystem of products that:

• develops software such as the Android operating system, Chrome browser, Gmail, Google Maps, Google Drive;
• owns the world’s largest video hosting platform, YouTube;
• is working on artificial intelligence and other technologies that keep it at the forefront of its industry.

Google has topped the Top 100 Employers in the US several times. Not surprisingly, many young minds seek a position at a successful company, and this despite a serious, multi-level selection process.

Apple

The American corporation now known for its gadgets was founded in 1976 by Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak and Ronald Wayne. The first 200 computers for the home were assembled and sold by the young enthusiasts to local Californians without outside funding, and only then did they enlist outside support.

Over time, the founders expanded the product range and started producing devices such as the iPhone, iPad and Apple Watch. Today, Apple is one of the leaders in the technology industry and sells its products all over the world.

Apple’s start-up ideas are not limited to technology; special attention is also paid to design. The company is known for its ergonomic devices, which are not only functional but also attractive in appearance. Additionally, Apple develops software such as the iOS operating system and the iTunes and Apple Music apps.

Airbnb

The online marketplace for finding short-term rentals and booking accommodation around the world was founded in 2008 by Brian Chesky and Joe Gebbia. Users of Airbnb’s services can rent out part of their flat, their house, or their entire home to travellers. The site serves as a platform for secure communication between host and guest, and takes responsibility for processing transactions between them, earning commissions on both sides.

Airbnb allows people to rent accommodation anywhere in the world, making it popular among travellers; over the years, the community has brought together more than 150 million people. The company has evolved and now provides an additional service: booking tours and excursions in various cities around the world under the Airbnb Experiences brand.

Uber

The youngest start-up to break into the transport industry was founded in 2009 by Garrett Camp and Travis Kalanick. That same year saw the launch of their eponymous taxi app, which allows people to call a car from their smartphone. Today, Uber’s services are available in more than 76 countries and allow people to get around the city quickly and conveniently, making it popular with commuters.

The company also provides an opportunity to earn money for drivers who can connect to the taxi platform and start working at their convenience. The project is developing new services, such as Uber Eats, which allows users to order food from different restaurants in the city.

The aforementioned start-up projects, have changed our lives as they continue to develop and expand their services. By their example, they show how important it is to be innovative and adapt to rapidly changing market conditions. These companies are inspiring many entrepreneurs around the world now and will surely continue to do so and change the world in the future.

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In the world of web development, blockchain technology and decentralized applications (DApps) are becoming increasingly popular. This has led to a rise in demand for skilled web3 developers and engineers who can build these innovative solutions. Thankfully, there are many freelance platforms where you can find talented web3 developers who possess the skills you need. Finding skilled web3 developers is a task in itself. Using platforms like LinkedIn, GitHub, online forums you can a fairly accurate picture of developers out there. Reach out to colleagues or industry contacts to get referrals for skilled Web3 developers.

II. Top Platforms for Finding Web3 Developers

When you are seeking to hire web3 developers you might want to start using some popular online job searching sites like:

A. Upwork is one of the most popular freelance platforms on the market today. It’s user-friendly interface and vast pool of freelancers make it easy to find web3 developers and engineers with the desired skills. Upwork provides a user-friendly messaging and payment system, making it a great choice for businesses of all sizes.

B. Freelancer is another popular freelance platform that can help you find web3 developers and engineers. With over 30 million registered freelancers, the platform has an extensive pool of skilled professionals with knowledge of web3 technology. Freelancer also provides a messaging and payment system, making it an ideal platform for businesses looking to outsource their web3 development projects.

C. LinkedIn is a professional social networking platform that connects professionals from various industries and helps them to establish and maintain professional relationships.

D. Laborx is an online job marketplace powered by blockchain technology that connects employers with skilled freelancers worldwide.

E. Gitcoin is a blockchain-based platform that connects developers with open source projects that require funding. It serves as a marketplace where project owners can post bounties for developers to work on specific projects and receive monetary rewards.

III. Other Platforms for Finding Web3 Developers
There are many sites for finding capable and apt developers, too many to list all but some include:

A. Toptal is an exclusive network of top-tier freelancers in web development, including web3 developers and engineers. By carefully screening each freelancer, Toptal ensures that you work with the very best candidates in the industry. This makes Toptal a great choice for businesses that require high- quality deliverables.

B. Guru is another freelance platform that can help you find web3 developers and engineers. With over 3 million users, Guru provides a vast pool of skilled professionals who can work on your web3 projects. Similar to other platforms, Guru also provides a messaging and payment system for seamless collaboration.

C. Codeable is for businesses that require skilled web3 developers and engineers for their WordPress projects, Codeable is the best platform. Codeable provides WordPress development services, including web3 development services, by matching businesses with skilled freelancers. With careful vetting of all freelancers, Codeable ensures that you are working with the best of the best.

Although not as popular as others they are within their right valuable assets in the journey to find a qualified web3 developer. To get qualified people to join platforms many opt for specialization as apposed to numbers.

IV. Tips for Hiring the Best Web3 Developers
Here are some common advice when hiring web3 developers:

1. Knowledge of blockchain technology: The primary focus of a Web3 developer is to develop decentralized applications (dApps) and smart contracts. They should have in-depth knowledge of blockchain technology, the cryptographic principles underpinning it, and how it works.

2. Proficiency in programming languages: Web3 developers must be proficient in programming languages such as Solidity, JavaScript, and Python, which are the primary programming languages for developing dApps.

3. Experience with Ethereum: Ethereum is the most popular blockchain platform for developing dApps, and Web3 developers must have experience with it.

4. Knowledge of other blockchain platforms: While Ethereum is the most popular, there are other blockchain platforms such as Polkadot, Cosmos, and Terra. A good Web3 developer should be familiar with other blockchain platforms and be able to develop dApps on them.

5. Understanding of decentralized finance: Decentralized finance (DeFi) is one of the most significant use cases of blockchain technology. A Web3 developer should understand DeFi concepts such as stablecoins, lending protocols, protocol governance, and more.

6. Familiarity with Web3 tools and frameworks: The Web3 development stack has numerous tools, frameworks, and libraries. A good Web3 developer should be familiar with popular ones like Truffle, Remix, Hardhat, and more.

7. Problem-solving and analytical skills: Web3 development requires a developer to solve complex problems and adapt to new technologies and platforms. A good Web3 developer should have excellent problem-solving and analytical skills.

8. Communication skills: Finally, a good Web3 developer should have excellent communication skills to communicate technical concepts effectively, collaborate with other developers, and work closely with clients.

When looking for a qualified web3 developer, your job posting will probably be spread among the previous job markets sites like Freelancer, Upwork, LaborX, and others. When you decided to create the job posting following these rules will help you find the prospective candidate.

1. Clearly define the role: Start by clearly defining the role of a web3 developer. Make sure you specify the expectations, responsibilities and qualifications required for the job.

2. Focus on the technical skills: Make sure you mention the technical skills required for the job. Highlight the programming languages, frameworks, and platforms that are essential for working in the web3 domain.

3. Provide context: Provide context to your job posting by explaining the business and industry you operate in, the kind of projects you work on, and how they relate to web3.

4. Describe the project: Give a brief description of the project that the web3 developer will work on. Explain the goals and objectives of the project to help the candidate decide if they are the right fit.

5. Mention the experience required: Indicate the level of experience required for the job, whether it is an entry-level or senior position. This is crucial to attract the right candidates.

6. Highlight the company culture: Emphasize your company culture and values. This is important as it can attract candidates who share the same values and motivations as your company.

7. Include compensation: Clearly state the salary range and benefits for the job. This will help you attract the right candidates and avoid any misunderstandings during the hiring process.

8. Invite the reader to apply: Finish your job posting with a powerful call-to-action inviting the reader to apply for the job. Make sure you provide clear instructions on how to apply, what documents they need, and the deadline for the application.

A few suggestions to consider when conducting successful interviews with Web3 developers might include:

1. Understand the basics of Web3: Before conducting an interview with a Web3 developer, it’s essential to have a basic understanding of what Web3 technology is and how it works. This will enable you to ask relevant questions and evaluate the candidate’s understanding of the technology.

2. Prepare a list of technical questions: Web3 developers require specific technical skills, and you should prepare a list of technical questions to assess their expertise. Questions could be centered on blockchain programming languages, smart contracts, and dApps to ensure the candidate has the necessary experience in these areas.

3. Provide a coding challenge: To determine a candidate’s hands-on ability, you can provide them with a small coding challenge relevant to the job. This can be a great way to evaluate their problem-solving skills, communication, and teamwork.

4. Gauge their passion for Web3 technology: Web3 developers need to be curious and excited about new advancements in technology. During the interview, you can ask candidates to share their views on the potential of Web3 and their passion for developing decentralized applications.

5. Review their portfolio: Looking through a candidate’s portfolio is one of the best ways to understand their experience, work quality, and performance. Review any previous blockchain projects they have worked on and how well they were executed.

6. Evaluate their soft skills: Soft skills such as communication, teamwork, and willingness to learn are critical in hiring a Web3 developer. Ask candidates about their work experience, how they collaborate with team members, and how adaptive they are to different situations.

7. Keep an open mind: Finally, as with any technical role, it’s integral to keep an open and objective mind. Don’t let any biases cloud your judgment, and evaluate candidates solely based on their performance during the interview process.

V. Conclusion

Finding skilled Web3 developers is crucial for the success of any blockchain or Web3 project. Web3 development requires specialized skills and expertise in decentralized technologies such as blockchain, smart contracts, and distributed systems. The complexity of these technologies means that only experienced developers with a strong understanding of programming languages like Solidity, Rust, and JavaScript can efficiently develop Web3 applications. By choosing one of the above mentioned platforms (Freelancer, Upwork, LinkedIn, LaborX, etc), you can access a vast pool of talented developers and ensure the success of your web3 project.

Additionally, as the adoption of Web3 technologies continues to grow, demand for skilled Web3 developers will continue to increase. Companies and organizations that want to stay ahead of the curve must ensure that they have access to the best developers who can help them leverage these technologies to create innovative solutions. Decentralization and blockchain technology’s has the potential to revolutionize industries such as finance, governance, and healthcare.

Overall, finding skilled Web3 developers is crucial for successful Web3 development projects. As technology evolves and the Web3 ecosystem continues to mature, the need for skilled developers will only increase, making it all the more important to find the best talent available.

Some web3 developers who undoubtedly have either hired or been hired by such platforms include:

1. Vitalik Buterin: He is the founder of Ethereum, a decentralized blockchain platform, and is considered one of the most influential Web3 developers.

2. Jae Kwon: He is the founder of Cosmos, a Web3 development project focusing on interoperability between different blockchain networks.

3. Gavin Wood: One of the co-founders of Ethereum, he also created Polkadot, a blockchain platform that enables cross-chain communication.

4. Samson Mow: Known for his work on the Lightning Network, a scaling solution for Bitcoin, he is now the CEO of Blockstream, a company that focuses on Bitcoin and other Web3 development projects.

5. Joseph Lubin: He is one of the co-founders of Ethereum and the founder of ConsenSys, a company that develops Web3 solutions and tools for decentralized applications.

6. Charles Hoskinson is a computer scientist and entrepreneur, best known as one of the co-founders of Ethereum and the founder of the cryptocurrency project Cardano. He has also helped develop several other blockchain platforms, including BitShares and EOS.

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One of the famous startup ideas for students that would guarantee that they will earn money is sneaker reselling. With low capital, you can resell sneakers and gain at least $50 more (depending on your market and depending on the kind of sneaker you are selling).

Once you have sold two-three pairs, you can start buying other profitable sneakers and resell them through an online marketplace or a sneaker expo, as there are a lot of ways to sell sneakers nowadays.

2. Thrift Reseller

Thrift reselling is one of the most hassle-free startups that you can do anytime and anywhere, as long as you have a connection with a supplier, a market, and an active social media presence.

Also, if you have a tight budget for the capital, it’s still doable because some average thrift bales’ price range is $50-$70. And by reselling it, you can make profits in no time.

3. Selling Used Books

Selling used books is not only profitable but also one of the ways to help your environment because in most cases, your used books wouldn’t be used in the next semester. Thus, you can resell your book to those students that will be taking the same subjects that you have taken.

4. Sell Handmade Goods

If you’re into arts and crafts, especially if you’re good with stitching, painting, sketching, etc., then selling handmade goods would be a good idea as a startup as it is one of the most profitable startup ideas and not a costly investment. And you can earn a lot with it in no time.

5. Freelance Writing

Freelance writing is one of the most popular startups for most students because it only requires low investment, which is talent and time management when handling a lot of clients. And you can start by making a web page of your services or making your Instagram account professional so potential clients could contact you directly.

6. Freelance Graphic Designing

Aside from freelance writing mentioned, you could also dwell on being a freelance graphic designer, may it be online or through your school’s classmates that have small businesses too.

Graphic designing is one of the most popular startups in the world because small or big businesses are maintaining their social media engagement with their followers, partners, and clients too. But you need to master what niche you will be focusing on because competition is everywhere.

7. Tutoring

Are you good at certain subjects or are you a consistent honor student, then tutoring would be a good start for you as your only investment is your mind and how you manage your client’s expectations. Or you can create your own small business team where you guys can assist other students that are in need of help in subjects like Math, English, and Science.

The tutoring business is hassle-free to market, maintain, and advertise since there will always be 10-15 students at the campus that need help or assistance in their subjects.

8. Dropshipping

Dropshipping is also one of the most famous startups for students today, it allows you to sell products to clients without ever making an initial purchase or keeping track of inventories. If you are talented in design and marketing, this would be a fantastic idea to venture into.

Also, it is important that you know how to engage with clients, sell, and position the products because it is more crucial than the products themselves.

9. Food Delivery Service

If you own a motorbike, car, or bicycle, you can try to venture into a food delivery service within your city or community. You can start doing this by offering your friends and making them rate you or recommend you to their other friends, but you have to be sure that you have an affordable service fee so that people will see the worth of your delivery service.

10. Content Creator

If you have a lot of followers on your social media platforms, you could venture into being a content creator. There is a lot of content you can make depending on the things you do best (e.g., working out videos, day-in-a-life of a college student, get-ready-with-me videos, etc.).

Once you have a lot of followers or viewers, potential advertisements or sponsorships will come for you, and even your videos will be monetized.

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A hybrid model of online and offline

With the advent of COVID-19, the world entered an era of full online, but as the disease recedes and restrictions are lifted, the model shifts toward more complex interactions.

The world has yet to unite and harmonize interactions that will erase the boundaries between online and offline. The trend toward the hybrid model affects virtually all segments of the population and markets, including education, work, and training systems. Also hybrid forms of interaction are closely connected with the trend to outsourcing and outstaff, which gives new impetus to the transition of labor relations to these models.

Supply Chain Management

The world is facing a new challenge – the supply chain disruption when goods don’t reach their destination. For example, skies or straits open and close depending on the momentary geopolitical situation, and logistics workers can get sick en masse.

Supply chains were the first to collapse with the arrival of the coronavirus, experiencing a shortage of drivers, loaders and other categories of workers. Decades of cost-cutting, cost-cutting human resources and a reluctance to automate processes 100% has caused logistics to collapse around the world, especially for shipments of large and mid-sized multinational corporations.

The industry needs to develop new flexible and user-friendly solutions for every part of the supply chain that can be shared. Businesses need to get all the tools that will provide confidence in the timing of shipments.

Start Local Go Global or the New Geography of Venture Capital

Startups are considered a global story a priori, but in practice we see that 75% of all unicorns originated in the U.S., and some of them use hired staff from other jurisdictions.

Silicon Valley is a real phenomenon that no other country has yet been able to replicate. However, successful cases created in other markets are already emerging. For example, China and India are showing good dynamics, creating and scaling local startups.

Paying attention to the “new” geography, it is impossible not to note the powerful impulse from Africa, Latin America and Asia. It is worth waiting for new startups from these jurisdictions, which are ready to enter the global market and expand the investment flow in the coming years.

Agritech

Digitalization is catching up with agriculture, and it is already being actively used in food schemes, logistics and quality control.
The number of agritech projects is steadily growing, while digitalization is still low. There is a major market pain: digital illiteracy among ordinary farmers and agronomists, who need to be trained and adapted to the new realities. Even trivial access to information is also a separate challenge. Industry representatives are not aware of the measurable benefits of the proposed solutions, and most importantly, there are still few successful cases on the market.

Play-to-earn – “play to earn”

The play-to-earn trend is the latest business model in the game industry. We have been familiar with the game industry for a long time and understand how the investment market looks like in the production of computer entertainment. Now the fairly mature game industry is forming a new market within itself.

The concept is an open economy, where the player “lives” in the virtual world (metavirtual universe), contributes to its development and receives financial benefits for it. A prime example of such a game is the multiplayer RPG Albion Online, where one can both spend real money and earn it and then withdraw it from the system. At the same time in the project is built such an economic model, which does not allow for serious inflation.

Impact Investing

Impact investing is a term applied to capital allocation, financial instruments, and other things that are exclusively about business and not about people. Recently, however, startups aimed at helping society and the environment have become increasingly attractive from the point of view of investment.

In fact, impact investing attracts not only financial help from private capital. Ordinary sympathetic people are involved in the product and are willing to participate in its development without compensation. Foundations and government agencies are more than willing to provide grant support. In addition, for such startups can end up quite successfully on crowdfunding platforms.

The facilitated marketing model for impact products can be noted separately. This area allows the use of a very large number of previously untapped channels that are not covered by existing advertising tools.

The trend for personalization and personality

The personalization trend affects several segments at once, one of them being the distribution of goods and services for the b2c segment. Today, more and more companies are beginning to personalize their products to reflect the views, values and preferences of multiple target audiences.
The trend for personalization can be traced not only at the production stage, but also continues at the stage of sales through targeted advertising. The right technologies and ways in which data is collected and analyzed guarantee a relevant hit on the person who is more likely to make a purchase.

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Start with yourself.

Given that building a startup is a long road, at about 5-7 years, you have to go from yourself. What that means. You need an idea that you personally believe in, that drives you. Start by identifying a problem that already exists in close proximity to you: someone your friends, acquaintances, colleagues, clients have encountered.

Look for an idea that catches your eye, in a field where you have expertise. If you do not have such an idea, but only a desire to be financially successful, the startup model will not work for you. I advise you to choose, for example, a franchise with an established business model.

Formulate a vision.

Describe your idea through proven tools-I recommend Lean Canvas by Ash Maurya. Your task at this stage is through the key blocks to articulate the vision of the idea in a human-understandable form.

Test your idea

After you have described the idea, having developed a vision, you need to identify the key constraints for its implementation. The best way to do this is through expert interviews and competitive analysis. You need to get answers to the following questions:

• Does the market need your solution?
• Are you technologically capable of implementing it?
• Will it be profitable in the long term?

To find answers, I recommend:

1) Find current peers in the marketplace and understand how their business models work. Draw up a Lean Canvas for them, find out what their product consists of, their monetization model, and what the customer journey to value looks like. I can also recommend SimmilarWeb, SEMRush for website analysis, Sensor Tower, App Annie for mobile apps.

2) Talk to industry experts who understand the rules of the game and the competitive factors between players. Another source of support is network trackers, startup support specialists. Every team has a tracker and guides them through the whole startup development process, and trackers also help teams participate in external projects.

3) Conduct interviews with users of existing solutions and find out if there is unmet demand. You may then decide that you should go into other customer segments. If you think you’ve discovered a market niche and your belief in the idea has only gotten stronger, move on to creating a business model.

Build the business model

Continuous improvement of the product, taking into account the wishes of the client – this is what lies at the heart of the Lean StartUp methodology. The sequence of actions is as follows: you create a simple product, get feedback from your target audience, improve your product, get feedback again, study the data you received and go back to make improvements. There can be many such iterations – it is important not to stop and look for the very product that will meet all the needs of customers.

The Lean StartUp approach is different from the classical one. Classic means that first the product is created, then the demo, and only then do the sales start (Build-Demo-Sell). The order of Lean StartUp is different: first we make a demo of the product, then we look for clients for it, and only after that we finalize the real product (Demo-Sell-Build)

Create MVP

MVP – Minimum Viable Product. This is the earliest version of the product: it is already functional, it can already be presented to customers and the first “manual” sales can be started. At this stage, the product can be assembled by the team itself, for example, in the format of a chat-bot or a simple application. The actual goal at this stage is to make sure that the product works and solves the identified problem. Only after that can we move on to the stage of finalizing the product. If it turns out that the idea does not work, you can start over with a different product.

I recommend using low-code platforms, designers and services: for quick mobile apps building – Glide, Adalo, FlutterFlow, for chatbots – BotFather, Integromat, ChatForma, AirTable, for web applications – Tilda, AirTable, Integromat, Collabza. There are many materials on low-code available in public sources.

Find a partner

The search for a co-founder of the startup usually goes in parallel with the other steps.

A composition with three meta roles is considered optimal:

• Entrepreneur: sees a market opportunity, leads the team, and – most importantly – investors. Such people are truly passionate about their idea and inspire those around them.
• Technologist: creates the solution/technology that will close the customer’s problem.
• Organizer: builds processes within, sets and implements goals, controls the P&L plan (Profit and Loss).

This is an ideal picture for a startup – in reality, one person most often combines two roles at once. But it is physically impossible to combine all three. You need to understand which of the profiles you can fill by yourself, and for which role you need to find a person with appropriate competencies. It is important that he should be involved, reliable, and your values should coincide. You should be comfortable doing activities together.

Be prepared for the fact that the original idea will not remain in its original form: it will be transformed many times, most likely you will go through some number of “U-turns”. A U-turn is a significant change in one or more elements of the business model in order to meet performance targets. This can be changes in any of the business model items: the value proposition, the technology itself, the operating model, the go-to-market strategy (channels) or the monetization scheme. This is the essence of a startup – a constant search for a new solution, a search for its business model, and reversals within it.

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In order to find a good project to invest in, an investor needs to do serious work. It includes not only searching for and obtaining information on startups, but also building their own image in the eyes of the authors of the ideas.

Five steps to building the right investment strategy:

• Engage in networking and build trust in the startup community;
• get to know the authors of the projects and follow their activities;
• learn to follow trends and understand at what moment and what idea will work;
• find experienced co-investors to invest in projects together;
• Evaluate the project at each stage of its development, in order to make a decision on further investments.

Before attracting investment, it is necessary to determine the ultimate goal of financing and, depending on it, calculate the amount of investment, sources and timing of their receipt.

After that, it is necessary to determine the investors. If you cannot or do not want to raise money from your inner circle, you need to make a list of funds or business angels that are suitable for the purpose of the project. Funds can be found in the business media or in the profile channels of messengers. Investors can be contacted on LinkedIn, with warm letters prepared in advance with the necessary information. Dating can also be used to get a face-to-face meeting.

When communicating with an investor in person, it is important to get him interested right away. This requires an attractive business plan, as well as a concise and clear presentation or pitch. The advantages over competitors and the uniqueness of your idea should be stated at the beginning. It is also necessary to indicate the clear tangible benefits and expected results. For this purpose, the statistics of the prototype test or any other, which justifies the need for this product or service, is suitable.

A brief outline of the pitch:

• A description of the problem and its solution;
• Project stage, metrics and achievements;
• business model;
• stages of development and what has already been done;
• market and competitors;
• team;
• investment proposal.

In order for the presentation to be successful, you must learn to speak to the investor in the same language – briefly and concisely. You need to be prepared for all possible objections from his side.

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There are several ways to help you choose a successful startup solution:

Be on-trend. Read about market innovations and inventions, and try to anticipate in which industry they can be applied;

Become an expert. Being a market insider is always more advantageous than coming in from the outside. At the same time, it is possible to combine knowledge in several industries at once to invent something at the intersection of technologies. For example, Michael Bloomberg, an employee of Salomon Brothers, an investment bank, after he was fired, decided to create his own financial agency, Bloomberg. He ended up becoming one of the richest and most influential people in the world;

Solve his own problem. To come up with a solution that is not on the market, but that will make life easier for you personally. That’s how Flickr was born, because in developing the online multiplayer game “Game Neverending,” you needed somewhere to store images;

Looking for weak points. Being able to understand where other people are losing their money and time sometimes helps invent a useful solution;

Improve what already exists. A particularly successful way is to work with those products and services that now cause negativity due to an unfinished interface or for other reasons. Richard Branson created Virgin Atlantic to overtake British Airways in service, but went much further;

Link the unrelated. This is the principle used by startups that have found a successful combination of cheap goods and services and wealthy customers who need them. For example, the Odesk exchange helps companies find freelancers from the other side of the world;

Copy with improvements. An unsuccessful clone will quickly fail, and a successful one, as practice shows, develops into an independent company and is no longer associated with its predecessor.

Traveling and adopting experience. Cases of successful business from another country can work at home too. Howard Schultz of the United States picked up the idea for a coffee shop in Milan. That’s how Starbucks came about;

Work with new markets. If you keep track of new products from companies, you can quickly suggest additions and improvements for them. Bill Gates started making money by writing a BASIC interpreter for the first Altair 8800 home PC;

Communicating with the smart ones. Using other people’s ideas is possible, and sometimes necessary. Many people can’t bring something worthwhile to life, but would like to delegate the function.

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Startups are looking for an attractive business model, while companies already have one and are focused on executing it successfully. By the way, a startup doesn’t necessarily involve technical innovation or invention – it focuses specifically on new business models.

This distinction between a startup and a company affects the nature and needs of both types of organizations.

In addition to the fact that a startup does not have a ready-made business model, industry analysts highlight a number of other features of such a project:

• Novelty – sometimes startups don’t even have a registered organizational form;
• Minimal startup costs – startups may not have their own capital, and development happens at the expense of third-party investment;
• A unique idea – a startup will only be successful if its idea has not been used before, and it will be useful for clients and profitable for investors;
• Fast growth – the startup does not have time to get up and running, it needs to find an effective promotion strategy as soon as possible.

Stages of startup development

Every startup goes through several stages before it enters the market. However, in some cases, the author of an idea may consciously skip several stages, if the situation allows. The main thing is to determine, before launching, what will happen to the startup after it attracts investment. This may be a move to a traditional business, a sale, or a launch on the stock market. Such information is especially important for potential investors to understand the risks and return on investment.

There are several basic stages that a startup goes through:

• Problem/Solution Fit – confirmation of the problem and that the proposed product will solve it;
• Minimum Viable Product (MVP) – development of a working prototype with the minimum functionality to solve the problem; release of the alpha version and testing its flaws;
• Product/Market Fit – confirmation that the product has a market (closed beta of the product);
• Scale – scaling the business model (open beta and release of the consumer version of the product);
• Maturity – the transition from startup to business.

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