26 Jan Three Startup Trends To Watch In 2014 With Adam Haun Of Up Global
In my most recent interview on “The Price Of Business” with Kevin Price, I had the opportunity to connect with Adam Haun (@adam_haun on Twitter), one of the regional managers of Up Global.
Up Global is a non-profit dedicated to fostering entrepreneurship, grassroots leadership, and strong communities. They also play a major roll in the operation of Startup Weekend events across the globe.
Fostering a thriving ecosystem for startups in Central Pennsylvania is something I’m very passionate about. It’s the main reason behind why I decided to found the Netrepid Virtual Incubator, and it’s also one of the primary missions of Up Global. With those synergies already existing, I had a great time talking to Adam about trends he noticed as he traveled the world as part of Startup Weekend events during 2013 and what innovations we can expect to find in the growth of new businesses in 2014.
A YouTube clip featuring the full segment (10:11) is embedded right below. Following the clip, I’ve included three of the top startup trends Adam covered during the interview, along with some of his additional thoughts. If you’re a VC or angel investor – you may want to monitor startups that solve problems in the areas listed below. After, the global startup community is poised to present solutions in all of these areas thanks to events like Startup Weekend.
3 Trends From Startup Weekend 2013 That Will Lead To Innovation In 2014
1. Home Growing Softwares
Adam’s thoughts: I’ve been to a lot of different markets covering Startup Weekends. The first trend that really sticks out in my mind is that people are trying to build home growing software. The first time I heard this was at an event in Tupelo, Mississippi. A college student was trying to build a software that would enable anyone to grow their own fruits/vegetables at home. The software was able to tell temp, what plants need in terms of condensation, sunlight, etc. I thought it was a unique idea — and I heard it pitched two or three other times!
2. Mobile Dating Apps
Adam’s thoughts: A lot of people have been messing around with dating apps – specifically to build a better mobile dating application. People won’t need to take the time anymore to build their profiles on a desktop computer, they can just do it from the palm of their hand on their phone.
Have you ever tried a mobile dating app? Let us know which ones you like the best?
3. Education Technology Solutions
Adam’s thoughts: There were also a lot of innovative educational technologies being pitched. Some were pitched by teachers who were trying to solve problems that they face day to day with software and technology.
What startup trends do you see taking shape this year? Please let us know in the comments below!
