There are thousands of start-ups nowadays and they will not be slowing down anytime soon. All of them boast about changing the future, being disruptive, being the “uber of [fill in the blank]”, and receiving millions of invested capital. However, which startups are actually worth keeping an eye on? Are there some that will lose steam and be no names in 2 years, while others truly disrupt the future, as we know it?
Public Folk versus Private Investor Lenses
On top of startups making all these outlandish claims, they are receiving millions of dollars for them. Why? Most start-ups are not revealing the entire “future vision” of their product, out of a fear of competition snagging their idea. They only show a small portion of what it truly “could be” to the public (us), but show the full picture to investors.
Therefore, the public sees these companies receiving millions of dollars for funding a random piece of technology that is not really a game changer, while investors have a completely different light on it.
Lumping both their claims and their valuations together, it can be difficult to see which startups to focus on. However, I created a list of some of the most promising start-ups for the future and their picture of the future that they show investors.
Start-ups to Watch
Peloton Interactive Inc.
– Why I chose them: People want to work out together. Most people do not enjoy suffering through a hard workout by themselves. It also is more motivation when you see someone doing the same workout next to you, hence why there are gyms. This company capitalized on that, but also realizes that technology is allowing us to still be able to workout “beside” someone else, in the comfort of our own home.
– Company overview: Peloton is a stationary bike that is in your home, but connects with live and on-demand cycling classes that you can take from the comfort of your own home. These classes are offered from top instructors and allow you to hop on your bike and join a class whenever you want. They also provide the rider with advanced metrics that track your cadence, resistance, and output for each ride. Lastly, their social media structure allows you to compete with other riders on a real-time leaderboard.
– Future I see: This will be the future of working out. Peloton is offering stationary bikes for now, but imagine kickboxing, swimming, dancing, and any other activity you want. Put on boxing gloves and start competing with your friends on who can throw the most punches in a minute. Learn salsa from a Dancing with the Stars professional. Alternatively, hop on a row machine and see how far your can go with a team of your friends. The possibilities are endless and this company will revolutionize the industry.
Hero Health
– Why I chose them: Medicine is an untapped market when it comes to technological innovation. With all the regulations and money to be made, people are very hesitant to let technology make it cheaper and less regulated. However, a time will come when it innovation meets it. When it does, this company will have a unique entrance and competitive advantage to get into a consumer’s home.
– Company overview: Most people have to take a decent amount of pills every day. Not only do they have to take pills, but they have to figure out how many of each, which ones are one which days, and then keep those pills from any kids or animals that might want to test them out. This company has merged smart technology with a pill dispenser to solve all those issues. Hero will track when you need to take you pills, send you a notification, and dispense the exact dosage that you need for that time.
– Future I see: This first product of Hero is not something to drop your jaw over. A smart dispenser is nothing that will drastically change the industry, but it is what comes after of few versions of the dispenser. Imagine Hero dispensers throughout the city, similar to ATMs. With hundreds of Hero dispensers around the city, you will not only be able to get your necessary supplements during the day, but if you ever needed more caffeine, vitamin D, or any other type of supplement, this ATM would be stocked with all your needs and, knowing your medical history and needs, could dispense the pills to help you get through the day with more energy.
Alexa (not start-up, but new product)
– Why I chose them: While this is not a start-up, they are changing the way home assistants are in your house. Over the last couple of weeks, Amazon released an Echo Look and Echo Show. While these might not make sense, look at the future that I think this technology can help build. Amazon is known for making life easier for their customer, so no matter what future they bring, you can be confident that it’ll be a great product for you.
– Company Overview: Alexa is a part of Amazon’s in home device. Alexa is another version of Cortana and Siri. This product comes in multiple different shapes and benefits, considering they recently launched (as mentioned above) two new product variations: the show and look.
– Future I see: Considering that an entire article could be written on the future of Alexa and the ramifications that it brings to your life, I’ll just focus on the Echo Look and it’s future in our life. For those who don’t know about Echo Look, it is a product with a camera that is also a stylist expert. Here’s the future of that product – have you ever ordered any clothes online, only to find out that they don’t fit? Me too. The Echo Look will solve this problem. With machine learning, a camera, and computer vision, it will be able to gather your measurements and recommend certain sizes for your clothes. This way you will no longer order the wrong size, but the Echo Look will recommend the perfect size for your body.
In Conclusion
These are just a few startups that will help you get through the day and not have to juggle as many chores. They are all in their first stage of development and have a long way to come. But, assuming the product owners and CEOs keep pushing the standard of products forward, they will definitely be changing different industries and making our days much better.
By keeping an eye on these startups, you will be able to see as they grow and become an essential part of your daily habits.
