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New startups emerge every day, and each of them addresses a specific need or market opportunity. Some are incentivized by venture capital dollars, and others are bootstrapped with sweat equity. Some target the general population, while others are niched to a specific demographic.
We’ve seen it all, from companies that make shoes out of egg cartons to apps that send notifications when your friends arrive at the same bar as you.
Even with such an abundance of ideas, the successful ones always seem to revolve around solving some sort of problem or meeting some unfulfilled need in society. Here are some ideas that should be profitable if you pursue them in 2022:
Virtual Assisted Living Environment
The world is getting older and more technologically advanced at the same time, which has created a new opportunity for services and products that address the special needs of this growing demographic. One of these opportunities is the creation of a virtual assisted living environment (VALE) where seniors can stay in touch with friends and family without having to travel to visit them.
VALEs could take the form of artificially intelligent home robots that are programmed with natural language skills and a database of information that addresses typical questions asked by seniors and helps them navigate their surroundings.
VALEs will probably be one of the first large-scale uses of augmented reality, with features such as telepresence that allow people to see and hear each other as if they were in the same room. VALEs could also take the form of virtual reality environments, such as a simulated town or city that allows seniors to interact with each other and with their families as if they were in the same physical location.
These environments could also simulate activities such as gardening, cooking, or traveling to different virtual locations. VALEs could provide a low-cost alternative to visiting real-life destinations, allowing seniors to feel connected and involved in their communities even if they can’t get out as often as they used to.
Games Being Played in the Real World
One of the newest trends in the gaming industry is the move towards real-world augmented reality games. Real-life games, such as Parimatch basketball, are bringing the adventure and excitement of gaming out of the virtual world and into the real one. These games are played in public spaces, such as parks or city streets, and use features of the environment as part of the game.
Games such as Pokémon Go were a success because they brought augmented reality to the masses, but there is plenty of room for new and innovative real-world games. These games are still in the very early stages of development, and if you can come up with the idea that has yet to be tried, you could be well on your way to creating the next big game.
Robotics and Automation
Automation is used in everything from manufacturing to logistics, but there are opportunities to apply robotics and automation to many more aspects of the service sector. Some examples include automated grocery stores that let customers shop for groceries and pick them up at a specified time, drone-delivered food, or a restaurant ordering and payment system that lets customers order food with a simple voice command.
Other ideas could target other service industries, such as robotics as an alternative to cleaning services or automated customer service, or medical advice services that don’t require human employees. If these ideas take off, they could reduce the cost of many services, freeing up money for other purchases and creating additional demand for goods and services in the economy.
Voice-Based Platforms
Voice assistants, such as Amazon, Alexa, or Google Home, are the latest craze in tech. People are using these devices in their homes and cars to control their smart appliances and play music. This is just the beginning of voice-based platforms, though, as technology advances and more people adopt these devices.
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Developers are constantly creating new skills for these devices and releasing updates that improve performance and functionality. Voice assistants are projected to grow in popularity, which means the demand for new skills and apps will increase.
If you can create a profitable skill or app, the development of these platforms could provide a steady source of income for years to come.
Human Behavior Change
Human behavior change is a social trend that has been gaining momentum in recent years. From a new focus on health and fitness to a growing concern about the environment, people are seeking ways to improve their lives and the world around them.
Entrepreneurs who can identify a behavior they would like to change in society and create a product or service that facilitates that change could have a successful product on their hands.
For example, an app that helps people meet each other and make new friends in their area, a fitness product designed to help people lose weight without feeling hungry, or a product that helps people reduce their carbon footprint are all ideas that could be profitable in 2022.
