Recently, another foreign word has appeared in the Russian language - startup. Most often it can be heard from the lips of business people. However, not everyone knows what a startup is. If we explain this concept in simple language, we can say that a new-fangled foreign word is nothing more than an innovative business project that provides for future profit.
However, not all new ideas fit into the startup category. They must certainly be original and not copy existing business projects.
Appearance story
The word “startup” was first spoken in the United States as early as 1939. It was a time when virtually all the firms and enterprises involved in high-tech developments concentrated in the Santa Clara Valley (California) near San Francisco. Then students of Stanford University, William Hewlett and David Packard, created their very small project. The guys called him a startup, which translated from English meant “start” or “run”. Over time, the project has expanded significantly. Such a huge and successful company as Hewlett-Packard grew out of it.
The main differences of a startup
What are the reasons for the emergence of innovative ideas? The creation, successful development and further promotion of a startup becomes possible due to the slowness and slowness of large companies. Many corporations use a ready-made product to earn their profits without spending time and money on developing and creating new goods and services. Startups are as mobile as possible in terms of implementing new ideas. That is why they are in serious competition with large firms.
Creating a new startup is impossible without a good innovative idea. It is she who is the main resource of a successful business project. Of course, today many are pursuing unusual and fresh ideas, not sparing them large sums of money. After all, a startup plan that does not have any material embodiment costs a lot.
Another factor in the success of an innovative idea is its relevance. That is, it should be necessary for the consumer. After all, ideas are new and unusual, but at the same time not bringing any benefit to society.
One of the keys to the success of a startup is the youth of its creator. According to statistics, the average age of a person developing a successful idea is twenty-five years. In addition, the startup should certainly be passionate about his work and work hard at its implementation.
A successful business project requires a good team. Of course, at the first stage, you can bring a startup to life alone, but it is very difficult. And it's not just about money. A new idea is important strategy in management and access to all kinds of markets. And these are different directions, which are very difficult for one to master.
The Importance of Startups
Today, new successful business ideas are considered the most important indicator of economic development in any country. Prudent investors are also looking for new directions for their business. After all, it is clear that obtaining high incomes is possible in an area where there are no strict competition conditions.
What are they, the most successful startups the world has learned in recent years? Let's consider them in more detail. Let's start the top of the best startups with ideas that have been developed in Russia.
Lingualeo
Our rating starts this particular startup. It is not for nothing that LinguaLeo, the online training service, comes first in the top 10 business ideas created in our country. Indeed, in recent years its popularity has been growing at an impressive pace.
This service helps people either learn English or improve their existing level. To date, more than 14 million people use this project. Having visited the site, they can undergo testing, which will allow you to choose the appropriate level, and then get a set of training materials and exercises for training.
With the LinguaLeo app, each new “student” coaches understanding of spoken and written language. The process is very effective due to the good flow of material. The educational platform offers game elements expressed in audio and video formats.
No wonder “LinguaLeo” service entered the list of “Best Startups”. In 2015, it was included by Google in the list of the most worthy applications used in Android.
“Doctor at work”
The list of "Best Startups in Russia" also included the virtual society of professional doctors. The project was developed by Stanislav Sazhin and Andrei Perfiliev in 2009. The authors created a space that resembles a closed club. Inside this site, representatives of one specialty are given the opportunity to exchange experiences, obtain the necessary information. Here you can ask questions to colleagues and find a job.
To date, this project can safely be included in the list of "Best Internet Startups." After all, with the growth of popularity, he significantly expanded his borders. Today, the resource is visited not only by doctors, but also by students of medical educational institutions, as well as pharmacists. All these categories of users have the opportunity to communicate and free to upgrade their skills.
The Doctor at Work site is ranked first in the world in terms of activity. In addition, for several years in a row, the project occupied the most honorable places in the Best Startups rating of our country.
Amazinghiring
This application was invented in 2012 by Sergey Dmitrichenko and Vitaliy Obernihin. It is intended for recruiters who are engaged in the search for IT specialists. The application is able to analyze the data obtained from several sources at once.
AmazingHiring site has taken pride of place in the list of "Best Startups" because of its ability to quickly and efficiently find the right specialist based on the set of information that is provided about him on the Internet. Data comes from more than fifty different sources and are combined into a single profile.
The list of customers who use this application includes Parallels, Zeptolab, and Kaspersky Lab. According to the founders, there are no analogues of this startup.
Cardberry
This business idea was included in the Russian list of "Best Startups" in 2015. The founder of the Cardberry service is Roman Druzhenets. Back in 2013, he had the idea of combining the data of several discount cards on one medium. The result of this work was the electronic Cardberr, which is an aggregator of discount plastic where information about all bonuses and discounts of the owner can be stored. This project will allow you to abandon the constant carrying of a pile of discount cards. Now it’s enough to choose the bonus you need and synchronize a single card using Bluetooth.
To date, the project has gone beyond the borders of our country. He became one of the first steps in the ranking of “Best startups in the world.” Apart from Russia, Cardberry representative offices are opened in Singapore and the USA, and universal cards are used in more than twenty countries of the world.
Dressformer
The rating, which includes the best startups, also included this successful project, which appeared in February 2012. Its author, Alina Greenblatt, was able to combine modern technology with the fashion industry. The application she created is a plugin designed for online stores selling clothes, and allowing you to try on any thing.
Using the individual parameters of a potential buyer, the application develops a 3D model with exact repetitions of all the features of a human figure.
Technological online fitting is liked not only by buyers, but also by sellers. It helps to reduce the number of returns, allowing you to choose a thing that is ideal for a person. In addition, the user is given the opportunity to experiment with his image and get online stylist advice.
ImageAiry
This platform for services was created in 2013 by Alexandra Kudryashova and Ekaterina Kotenko-Lengold. The project is able to connect any users who want to get pictures of a certain territory with providers that provide similar services.
ImageAiry is in the "Best Startups in the World" rating. After all, this is the only one of its kind platform for aerial and satellite photography, which has made a unique and expensive product affordable even for small customers.
This startup allows you to purchase any pictures taken from space, as well as embed an interactive map with translation into applications and websites.
In Helsinki, in the contest "Best Startup of the Year" the project took second place. Today ImageAiry has become part of AstroDigital (USA).
Moneyman
This successful startup has gone from a project to an international company in just one year. Its founders Alexander Dunaev and Boris Batin created a project similar to the English resource Wonga, adapting it to Russian conditions.
The service is an automated system that allows you to get approval and issue a micro-loan. To date, the project is so popular that it has become a leader in the field of online lending. Thanks to him, the client receives money in cash, to an electronic wallet or to a card.
The investment potential of the project was highly appreciated by Russian Startup Rating - a service that selects which startup is better in our country.
Flashsafe
The startup created by Alexei Churkin allows everyone to get a flash drive with unlimited volume. The author managed to connect this drive to the cloud system. Information, having passed through special electronic devices, is placed in the storage on absolutely anonymous conditions and is not tied to a specific user. Subsequently, files can be obtained without using keys and passwords. The device created by Alexei Churkin cannot be hacked, which guarantees the confidentiality and security of any information. Sales of the “endless” flash cards started in August 2016.
Prisma
This business project has become one of the best startups in Russia within a few days after its presentation. The popularity of this mobile application grew so rapidly that the creators had to artificially curb the rush demand for it.
What is the main idea of the Prisma project? Using this mobile application, you can turn any photo into a portrait or a picture made in the style of any famous artist. In just a few clicks and seconds, an ordinary frame turns into a real work of art. The success of the application was dizzying. In just ten days of the existence of a photo editor, this product has become the most downloaded.
The founder of this service, Alexei Moiseenkov, said that work on a startup took him about two months, and the investments did not exceed the salary. Currently, investors are ready to invest in the project more than ten million dollars.
"Multicube"
This project was the best startup in 2016, becoming the winner of the Startup Village contest. The author and CEO of the project is Mikhail Bukhovtsev.
Multicube is an interesting technical novelty designed for kids. It is a mini-projector, made in the form of a cube. Inside the device are cartoons and filmstrips. Multicube is an excellent alternative to a tablet and contributes to a “healthy” viewing of children's stories and fairy tales on any surface.
Slack
This corporate manager is included in the list of "Best Business Startups."He appeared in 2013, and immediately made cumbersome internal document management and official correspondence between employees of the company unnecessary. This service is ideal not only for communication at work. Users also praised his ability to create communities for the interests of not only business but also leisure ones. In addition, the Slack website makes it easier to find the company’s specialists. That is why the project is so popular with the personnel department.
The startup, created by a graduate of the Cambridge Philosophy Department, Stuart Butterfield, was the fastest-running business application that has ever existed in history. Today it is estimated at almost $ 3 billion.
Uber
The Best American Startups ranking contains the most famous and at the same time scandalous project that allows you to call a taxi using the application downloaded to your mobile phone. This business idea is so successful that it is estimated by investors at sixty-four billion dollars.
The authors of the project are Garrett Kemple and Travis Kapanik. Immediately after its appearance in 2009, Uber began to bring large revenues to its creators. Almost all the leading financiers of the world fought for the right to invest in this project. This is easily explained by the size of the company's daily revenue. It is about several million dollars.
Currently, Uber mobile taxis can be found in eighty cities around the world. But this is not the limit. The company continues to expand actively today.
Zenefits
Looking through the best startups in the United States, one cannot fail to mention this company. It was founded in 2013 by entrepreneur Parker Conrad. Today he is the CEO of the company he created. In just a year, this business idea has gone from a startup unknown to anyone to a company with a capitalization of more than one billion dollars.
This project is a software used in the work of personnel services. The service allows to significantly simplify personnel management and facilitates document management in companies. Thanks to Zenefits, you can automatically calculate bonuses and benefits, payroll, and determine vacation dates.
Casper
This service can also be attributed to the best startups. His idea is to offer mattresses and other sleeping accessories. Moreover, the authors approached their case with a scientific approach. They organized a laboratory to establish the characteristics of an ideal mattress. And such a product was created. Now the company is engaged in its sale.
Pleasant bonuses to customers is:
- high quality products;
- compact packaging;
- fast delivery;
- the ability to test and, if necessary, return the goods.
This project with great success withstands competition, despite the fact that the price of its products is approximately 2 times higher than average.