2014 was the year of Uber, and despite it seeming that not a day went by without another story from the troubled startup, they are undeniably hugely successful (so far). Now, with 2014 coming to an end, we begin to look into 2015. Who will be the big winners of the coming year? Bizzvenue has decided to look into three interesting startups you’ve probably never heard of. Will they be the next Uber? Or will they vanish completely come 2016? Who knows. Here is our list.
Thirstie
New York based Thirstie offers on-demand wine & spirits discovery and delivery. The company is currently operating in New York City, Hoboken, Jersey City, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago, Miami, and Washington DC – on iOS, Android and the web. Thirstie claims to be the easiest and most convenient wine and spirits delivery service currently available. The app works as a middleman between liquor stores and consumers. Thirstie doesn’t have amazon style warehouses full of inventory. Basically, with Thirstie, you can grab your smartphone hit a few icons and have alcohol at your door within an hour. Seems convenient. However, do we really need a liquor store in our pocket?
Why Thirstie may conquer 2015 – It seems like on demand services are the next big thing, and with Uber constantly getting billions worth of investment despite being a very troubled startup, Thirstie could possibly cash in on the new growing demand.
Why Thirstie may crash in 2015 – If you actually break this startup down, Thirstie is nothing more than a delivery service and we can already order alcohol along with our groceries, also from the convenience of a smartphone app. What’s new here?
TurfToes
These are always the best startups. Startups that are born not by obsessive brainstorming sessions, but suddenly and naturally during the day to day routine- a light bulb goes on in the founders head. CEO and Co founder Braxton Norwood was working in the synthetic grass industry and noticed that all his customers had something in common. They couldn’t resist the urge to take off their shoes and walk around on the new grass. After observing this behaviour for many months, Braxton asked himself – What if people could always have this unique and enjoyable sensation, not only in their yards, but every step of their day? That question founded TurfToes. TurfToes offer a sandal that will have you walking on grass all day long!
Braxton told Bizzvenue that: “finding manufactures to create our product in the U.S. for a reasonable price has been the biggest struggle.” Braxton continued to explain that the biggest challenge moving forward will be “ getting the word out about our company.” Braxton is confident in the product but hopes they will be able to reach the masses. Turftoes target audience is going to be males and females, 15-35 that enjoy an active lifestyle. Braxton explained to Bizzvnue that “This audience utilizes social media heavily so we see ourselves taking advantage of this medium”.
Why Turftoes may conquer 2015 – This is a great unique product. Remember Crocs? They were fantastically ugly yet they managed to be a mega hit. There is no reason Turftoes can’t do that same (or more) with a far more interesting product.
Why Turftoes may crash in 2015 – As Braxton said, it’s down to reaching the masses. If the marketing campaign will be unsuccessful the product won’t make it.
Rinse
If Thirstie may be a bit pointless, Rinse most certainly isn’t. Rinse hopes to conquer the market by creating a seamless dry cleaning laundry experience designed entirely around the users needs. Rinse pick-up and drop-off laundry at the customers door according to the costumer’s schedule. Basically a representative from Rinse shows up at your door (whenever you want them to), they take your laundry, wash it, iron it and bring it back whenever you arrange. Rinse also implements an SMS service to notify you when they are about to arrive. Just imagine all the time this could save you- Not having to deal with laundry anymore is a dream come true for many people around the world. Pricing is 1.50$ per lb. for wash and fold with free pickup and delivery. Of course there is also the obligatory app to go with the service.
Why Rinse may conquer 2015 – Why not? They offer a brilliant, practical and affordable solution to a problem that plagues every single busy person. There really isn’t any reason not to use this service and they potential growth is pretty much unlimited.
Why Rinse may crash in 2015 – Again, marketing is an issue. It’s important to get the word out. Other than that, Rinse looks like a solid startup with a proper business model.
