Next BIG Trends
JUST IN: Business ideas you can start today across AI, consumer, health, software, and more.
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THE GREATEST OPPORTUNITY
We are living in the greatest time to start a company. AI tools now let you code and build products faster than ever, often at little cost. Not long ago, we published one of the first Generative AI market maps when the trend was just starting to emerge, and since then we’ve seen shifts across AI, media, and consumer - along with a growing desire for in-person socializing and a focus on health.
This edition shares what we’re seeing, hearing, and discussing with friends within the community. Our aim is to keep you updated on the latest trends and the kinds of businesses they could inspire.
Let’s dive in!
THE LATEST BUSINESS IDEAS & TRENDS ACROSS TECH
AI Skills in the Workplace: AI will replace some jobs but boost productivity and create opportunities to learn new skills however many teams lack practical AI training. There’s potential for an agency or subscription service that equips the workplace with the latest AI skills, news, and tools.
In Real Life Tech: We interviewed Maxime Barbier, co-founder of Timeleft, which hosts dinners for 120,000 strangers monthly, generating $16M in net annual revenue. The concept is simple: people want to meet new people. This model could be replicated for running clubs, brunches, social events, or niche communities.
The Creator Economy: Create a tool that generates thumbnails for creators - a time-consuming task. With 200 million creators globally, the opportunity is huge.
Health I: Gut health clinics are booming in Southeast Asia.
Health II: Cal AI lets you photograph your meal to calculate calories. You could expand this into meal planning, health tracking, workout programs, and integration with wearable devices.
Health III: Electrolytes are trending among health-conscious consumers. Check out the likes of Heights, Humantra and Wilder.
Niche Directories: You could build the go-to directory for bagels, breweries, or Japanese food. We did exactly this in our latest podcast edition, creating a BBQ lovers’ food directory in just 45 minutes by vibe coding. See how we did it and the tools used here.
Fitness: Hyrox, the sport of fitness racing events company launched in 2017, charges a few hundred dollars per event and runs 80+ events annually. With over 600k athletes, $140M revenue, and strong community-driven growth, they earn from tickets, merch, gym affiliate programs, and licensing. A company to watch.
Beautiful UI on Vending Machines: Tao Bin, based in Thailand, operates 7,500 vending machines selling powdered-drink products. At 100+ cups/day capable per vending machine at $1.30 per drink, they’re approaching $100M in revenue. Consumers crave convenience.
Helping Emergency Services with Drones: Aerodome supports emergency services by deploying drones - an increasing need as local government budgets shrink.
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The Startup Tech Stack: Building a startup is hard, and finding the best, most affordable tools takes valuable founder time. Imagine a tool where founders input their tech stack, get recommendations, and if better options exist - have the switching handled for them. Pricing could be based on savings generated over a set period.
A/B Testing for QR Codes: In Asia, daily life is QR-based, yet most restaurants don’t A/B test menus via QR codes. The right tool could make this effortless.
Creators Are the Future of Media: With 200M creators globally, trust has shifted from legacy media to creators we follow regularly. Tools like advanced audience analytics could help creators truly understand their fans.
Safety: In 2024, 15,000 cars were stolen in London alone. One solution: in-home parking bollards, charging $2k–$5k for installation plus annual maintenance. Safer cars become easier to insure.
Social Wellness: Ice baths are booming in Southeast Asia - pay per session, chill for an hour or two, meet people. All you need is a location, water, ice, and a great vibe. The future of social is partly wellness driven.
Dating Apps: Bumble’s share price has plunged from $75 to $6. Swiping hasn’t evolved - there’s an opportunity to match based on your vibe, actual shared interests and hobbies. Will dating become more AI driven?
AI-Generated Advertising Campaigns: Campaigns are still early-stage AI, but accuracy is improving fast. Expect fully AI-generated ad campaigns - and even movies, in the coming years.
Video AI: AI photo editing is already strong and getting better with the likes of Photoroom leading the way. Next up: high-quality video editing.
The Startup Operating System Is Changing: You no longer need hundreds of employees for single roles - AI agents can now take their place. Creating niche AI agents offers huge opportunities -see one of our most popular pieces on The New Operating System for businesses as inspiration.
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Great list, Ollie! I really like the business dinner hosting idea. I've been invited to this quite a few times but it seems to have tailed off in recent years. Networking in person definitely beats the experience of any video group call.
I live in the North of england, so the parking bollards idea really interests me