Tech Startup ideas for startups to start entrepreneurial journey

Top tech startup ideas in Fintech, Edtech, Foodtech, Cybersecurity, and Adtech, backed by market analysis.

Although startups operate in many different industries, technological fields remain the most popular. Besides E-Commerce and AI, Fintech, CyberSecurity, Edtech, Foodtech, and Adtech all contribute to the heat of global startup and investment trends. In this article, we analyze the market size, investment data, and trends to suggest the top tech startup ideas so that you can start your entrepreneurial journey.

Tech startups and online businesses – Trend for Industry 4.0

With the advancement of digital technology, starting new businesses online or in the technological field is becoming popular with the emergence of many new startups.

Global distribution of startups by industries

Figure 1: Global distribution of startups by industries

According to Statista [1], startups are distributed by industry worldwide in 2022 as follows:  

  • Fintech: 7.1%
  • Life Science &healthcare: 6.8%
  • Artificial Intelligence (AI): 5.0%
  • Gaming: 4.7%
  • Adtech: 3.3%
  • Edtech: 2.8%
(See Figure 1) The above data not only shows the global distribution of startups by industries but also implies the attractiveness of online businesses and tech startups thanks to the worldwide spread of the Internet, cloud service, and the advancement of digital technologies.

Top tech startup ideas deserve to watch

While E-Commerce remains the most popular sector for new startups and will keep its growth in the coming years, here are another five sectors that entrepreneurs can focus on.  

1. FinTech

Prospects of the FinTech Sector

Fintech remains in the interest of investors around the world. In 2018, 18,000 Fintech startups received funding, an increase of 40% from the number in 2017 [2]. Even though the number of deals closed in 2021 is only one-third of 2018, at 5,684 deals, the investment kept surging at US$210 billion [3]. Investors and entrepreneurs keep their optimism for the prospects and growth of the Fintech sector in the coming years, estimating that the market size will reach US$698.5 billion by 2030 with a CAGR of 20.3% [4].

Tech Startup ideas in the Fintech sector

There are some trends that open opportunities for new businesses in the Fintech sector.
Buy Now Pay Later Applications
Paying in installments or with credit cards is not a new trend but has been present in the market for a long time. However, this payment trend is now on a surge with the support of Millennials and Gen Z [5]. Therefore, besides developing the e-wallet payment service, you can develop another type of payment service called Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL) to replace credit cards. According to KPMG, payment services attracted the most funding in the fintech sector, at US$51.7 billion in 2021, nearly double the investment in 2020, in which BNPL held a surge in interest of investors [3]. Besides, it is estimated that by 2026, US$576 billion of global transactions will be paid through BNPL service, a fivefold increase from 2021[5]. So, this will be a promising market opportunity if you want to start your business in Fintech.
Loans with revenue-based interest for startups
With the boom in the number of startups, demand for capital will increase significantly because not all startups can raise funds successfully. Meanwhile, this type of business is considered high-risk and thus is not accepted for corporate loans by Banks. Therefore, on one hand, you can provide online loans for startups like Bank loans with monthly interest payments. On the other hand, you can charge them a rate on their monthly revenue. Statistics show that the market size for this financial service is at US$6.62 billion with a CAGR of 6.3% until 2028 [5]. This promises a potential market for Fintech startups to join.
Micro-Investment Platforms
The demand for saving and investing with little money is also becoming popular. Many people, especially the young generation do not have a large amount of money to save and invest. Not to mention there are barriers in the conventional investment market such as brokerage minimums. This has led to the emergence of micro-investing platforms which provide consumers with a variety of choices to invest their money, help them track real-time market trends, track their spending, manage their investments and portfolio, etc. The global micro-investing platform market revenue reached US$392 million in 2021 and is expected to reach US$3.2 billion by 2032 with a CAGR of 21% [6].  Therefore, developing applications for micro-investment will serve as a promising tech startup idea for fintech startups.
Tech startup ideas in Fintech. Trends and market opportunities for buy now pay later platforms, loans for startups and micro-investment platforms
Fintech Trends and Market Opportunities

2. EdTech

Prospects of the EdTech sector

This is a competitive industry but has been developed unceasingly. Market size is being enlarged since education technologies can serve the learning needs of a variety of customers anywhere and anytime. Particularly, in 2021, over US$20 billion was invested in Edtech Startups, 40 times the investment amount in 2010 [11]. Many Edtech startups have become unicorns valued at over US$1 billion [11].
Tech startup ideas in Edtech sector
Edtech startups are welcomed by investors because of the following reasons.
Firstly, students, teachers, employees, and companies have all become familiar with education technology and online education during the Covid outbreak. Secondly, with the rapid application of AI, VR, and AR, the demand for personalized learning and experiential learning to improve the quality and effectiveness of education for students keeps increasing. Finally, with the advancement and application of digital technologies in all aspects of business, firms are facing challenges in attracting and hiring talent. Therefore, retraining and upgrading skills for employees is an urgent need for companies. Many big multinational companies such as Amazon, Walmart, Target, and Google announced a big investment in workforce development and training programs to bridge the skill gaps [11]. Investors and Entrepreneurs, therefore, pay more attention to this upskilling space. In 2021, US$2.1 billion was poured into reskilling and upskilling startups [12].
These reasons keep opening opportunities for Edtech Startups who can really bring novel and effective solutions to the market.
Tech startup ideas in Edtech
Since investors and users are interested in both school education and corporate training, you can start your business in any field. Here are some tech startup ideas we suggest based on investment trends:
  • Platforms for bridging the communications between the school/teachers and parents/students.
  • Platforms to help schools, teachers, and students manage learning (i.e. learning management system) in general.
  • AI-based system to manage the customized learning experience for students, including an algorithm to evaluate students, then customize their selection of courses/programs based on student level and interest.
  • Local tutor-finding platforms
  • Career guide and university suggestion platforms for students based on the evaluation of their abilities and interests.
  • VR and AR applications in multiple subjects and lessons to improve students’ learning experience and quality.
  • Creating games and simulation environments for students’ lessons.  
  • Upskilling and Reskilling platforms for employees

3. CyberSecurity

Tech startup ideas in Cyber Security - market opportunity for AI and Automated Cyber security solution
AI and Automated Security solution – Market opportunity

Prospects of the Cybersecurity industry

With the advancement of digital technology, when all the data, processes, and business activities are digitalized, cyber security is becoming an important sector than ever before. This is because the costs of cyberattacks are severe. It is not only the cost in finance due to lost money and the time and labour for recovery action but also the loss in productivity, the loss of intellectual property, arising legal liabilities, and the damage to the company’s image and damages by cybercrime was recorded at US$3 trillion in total, which is now expected to reach US$10.5 trillion annually by 2025 [7]. The average cost of a data breach is also very high at US$4.24 million in 2021 [8]. These figures would urge many companies, both big and small ones, to worry about cybercrime and want to have better security solutions.

Therefore, opening new businesses in this field serves as promising tech startup ideas. Particularly, in 2021, the total investment in this field has reached US$4.85 billion [3]. According to Statista, the global market size for Cyber Security Sector is expected to reach US$345.4 billion by 2026 [9]. Experts also believe that a large sum of investment will keep pumping into this field in the coming years.

Tech Startup ideas in CyberSecurity

To open online businesses or tech startups in cyber security, you can choose one of the following ideas:
AI-based CyberSecurity applications and software
You can develop AI-based cyber security applications or software to sell B2B, especially to SMEs with low financial capacity. This is because these companies do not have enough funds to hire big companies or a group of cybersecurity specialists to do the job. Meanwhile, not only big companies, but SMEs are also targets of cybercriminals for their less secure system. According to the research by Ponemon Institute and IBM Security [8], [10], the average data breach cost for SMEs is US$2.98 million. And 70% of SMEs experienced cyberattacks within a 12-month period. Meanwhile, the research also found that organizations with AI and automated security solutions can reduce the cost of data breaches by 80% compared with those without and 65% compared with those with a partial application [8].
Open consulting business on online marketplace platforms
You can also use consulting and training marketplace platforms like Kounselly to provide services such as consulting, pen testing, system design and upgrading, and online training courses about cyber security. As a result, you will support businesses improve their capabilities in risk and cyber security management in the context of this skill shortage.

4. AdTech

Tech startup ideas in Adtech wtih Influencer marketing platforms

Influencer marketing trend

With the widespread popularity of social media platforms, businesses need to use KOLs, KOCs, and social media influencers such as Youtubers, Tiktokers, streamers, etc. to access the large customer base available on these platforms. This is because Gen X, Millennials, and Gen Z spend most of their time on social media platforms, watching online videos, and have their purchase decisions affected by those videos. According to Google, 64% of Gen X bought products or services shown in the videos they watched [18]. 39% of Gen Y were inspired to have life changes after watching inspiring Youtube videos [19] and 85% made purchases after watching marketing videos [20]. As digital natives, Gen Z is the most affected generation by social media platforms. Statistics showed that Gen Z spent 37% of their time watching Youtube videos, especially those made by influencers who share the same interest and hobbies as them [21]. As a result, Influencer Marketing is necessary for Companies’ Marketing strategies. However, accessing online influencers and managing influencer marketing campaigns will be time-consuming and costly for firms. As such, a tech startup idea has been opened in this field.

Influencer Marketing Platform

Reports from Grand View Research [22] showed that the market size for global influencer marketing platforms was valued at US$10.39 billion in 2021 and is expected to grow at a CAGR of 33.4% during the 2022 – 2030 period. There are 2 segments in the influencer marketing platform market.
  • Search and discovery segment. In this segment, platforms will help firms search and discover suitable influencers to be their brand’s ambassadors based on audience demographics, performance, and the effectiveness of content.
  • Analytics and reporting segment. In this segment, platforms will help firms analyze critical factors of promotional campaigns, their effectiveness, content penetration, and influencer engagement.   
So, to open a business in this field, you can build a platform or application in either segment or in a combination of both.

5. FoodTech

foodtech

Prospects of the FoodTech sector

The food industry never reduces its heat in entrepreneurs’ and investors’ portfolios. This is because food is necessary for basic human needs. According to PitchBook, during the last 10 years, investment in Foodtech witnessed a dramatic increase from US$60 million in 2008 to over US$ 1 billion in 2015 [13] and US$39 billion in 2021 [14]. The global market size is also expected to surpass US$385.7 billion by 2030, US$150 billion higher than the size in 2021, with a CAGR of 5.8% [15].

Tech startup ideas in FoodTech

The following trends open promising tech startup ideas for your businesses in the Foodtech sector.
Convenience-based solutions
Our life is becoming busier, making convenience an important value that we look for besides the requirements for food quality and nutrition. This need sets the foundation for a variety of ideas to create convenience for consumers. In 2018, US$16.9 billion was invested in these startups [16]. Here are the convenience-based tech startup ideas in Foodtech based on investment trends that you can try.  
  • Sell groceries online
  • Online grocery and food delivery
  • Online restaurant marketplace
  • A chain of AI and machine learning-based food processing and selling machines
  • Establish a fleet of robots or drones to serve food delivery from restaurants to consumers
Tracking and Tracing applications and software
The demand for visibility and traceability of food is becoming a requisite [16]. On one hand, it is to ensure food hygiene and safety for consumers. On the other hand, it is to help firms manage the quality of food and the sustainability of their supply chain. Therefore, you can start a new business by developing blockchain-based tracking and tracing applications and software to create the visibility and traceability of food in the supply chain.
Solutions for alternative protein
We now require not only clean and healthy food but also an environment-friendly and sustainable one. Therefore, there has been a shift in investment and attention of investors and entrepreneurs to alternative proteins such as bio-engineered foods and plant-based proteins to replace our daily meat and dairy products [16]. According to BCG Group, alternative food production plays a critical role in tackling climate change. Particularly, each dollar invested in meat and dairy alternatives resulted in 7 times reductions of greenhouse gas compared with green buildings and 11 times compared with zero-emission cars [17]. Besides we are also facing severe climate change that would hurt global food production in the future, placing us in food insecurity if no substitute solutions are found. Embracing the trend, investment in this field has increased from US$1 billion in 2019 to US$5 billion in 2021. It is also expected that alternatives will account for 11% of meat, egg, and dairy product sold by 2035, 5.5 times increase from 2% in 2021 [17]. The global market size for this segment is forecasted at US$45.9 billion in 2026 with a CAGR of 7.6% [15]. So, this is really a promising opportunity for you to consider.
Tech startup ideas in FoodTech. Trends and market opportunities with the convenience-based solutions, tracking and tracing food in the supply chain, and alternative proteins
Foodtech trends and market opportunities

Summary

Startups can operate in many different industries; however, technological fields remain the most popular and attractive thanks to the widespread of the Internet globally and the advancement of digital technologies. Therefore, the opportunities are enormous for tech startups that can diagnose the customers’ problems, recognize the trends and find solutions to solve customers’ problems in a novel and innovative way.

REFERENCES
Fintech

[1] A. Minaev. Startup Statistics (2022): 35 Important Facts and Trends. FirstSite Guide, 2022. Available: https://firstsiteguide.com/startup-stats/

 [2] KindGeek Software. Top Investors in European FinTech Startups 2020. –Medium, 2020. Available; https://kindgeek.medium.com/top-investors-in-european-fintech-startups-2020-f42e19d54687

[3] A. Ruddenklau. Total Fintech investment tops US$210 billion, as interest in crypto and blockchain surges, say KPMG’s Pulse of Fintech. KPMG, 2021. Available: https://home.kpmg/xx/en/home/media/press-releases/2022/02/total-fintech-investment-tops-us-210-billion.html

[4] G. Aarti, B. Pramod & K. Vineet. Fintech Technologies Market by Deployment Mode, Application, Technology and End-User: Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 2021 – 2030. Allied Market Research, 2021. Available: https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/fintech-technologies-market

[5] P. Hung. Top FinTech Trends to watch in 2023. Forbes, 2022. Available: https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbestechcouncil/2022/10/14/top-fintech-trends-to-watch-in-2023/?sh=1e8882781610

[6]. S. Saha. Micro-Investing Platform Market by Platform Type, End User and Region – Forecast 2022 – 2032. Future Market Insights, 2022. Available: https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/micro-investing-platform-market

Cybersecurity
[7]. S. Morgan. Cybercrime to cost the world $10.5 trillion annually by 2025. Cybercrime Magazine, 2020. Available: https://cybersecurityventures.com/hackerpocalypse-cybercrime-report-2016/ [8]. IBM. Cost of a data breach report 2021. IBM Security, 2021. Available: https://www.ibm.com/downloads/cas/OJDVQGRY [9] J. A. Sava. Cybersecurity market revenues worldwide 2021 – 2026. Statista, 2022. Available: https://www.statista.com/statistics/595182/worldwide-security-as-a-service-market-size/ [10] A. Halperin. Worried about a cyberattack? What it could cost your small business. Business News Daily, 2022. Available: https://www.businessnewsdaily.com/8475-cost-of-cyberattack.html
Edtech
[11] S.  Sanghvi & M. Westhoff. Five trends to watch in the edtech industry. McKinsey & Company, 2022. Available: https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/education/our-insights/five-trends-to-watch-in-the-edtech-industry [12] J. Glasner. “Great resignation” drives billions in VC dollars to upskilling startups. Crunchbase News, 2022. Available: https://news.crunchbase.com/startups/worker-upskilling-training-reskilling-startups-vc-funding-guild-education/
Foodtech
[13] D. Olsen. Recipe for growth: VCs are more interested in food tech than ever. PitchBook, 2018. Available: https://pitchbook.com/news/articles/recipe-for-growth-vcs-are-more-interested-in-food-tech-than-ever [14] Pitchbook. Foodtech Report. Pitchbook, 2022. Available: https://pitchbook.com/news/reports/2021-annual-foodtech-report [15] Growth market reports. Foodtech Market size, share, growth and industry trends by 2030. Growth market reports, 2021. Available: https://growthmarketreports.com/report/foodtech-market-global-industry-analysis [16] I. Fung. The present and future of food tech investment opportunity. TechCrunch, 2019. Available: https://techcrunch.com/2019/10/22/the-foodtech-investment-opportunity-present-and-future/ [17] D. Carrington. Plant-based meat by far the best climate investment, report finds. The Guardian, 2022. Available: https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2022/jul/07/plant-based-meat-by-far-the-best-climate-investment-report-finds
Adtech
[18]  N. Gross, B. J. Reeber. Marketing to Gen Xers? Here’s what they’re watching on Youtube. Think with Google, Marketing Strategies, 2017. Available: https://www.thinkwithgoogle.com/marketing-strategies/video/marketing-generation-x-youtube-behavior-trends/ [19] M. Anderson. Why millennials don’t deserve the bad rap they get. Think with Google, Marketing strategies, 2017. Available: https://www.thinkwithgoogle.com/marketing-strategies/data-and-measurement/millennials-youtube-consumer-insights-marketing/ [20] E. Sweeney. Study: 85% of millennials have purchased a product after watching a Youtube video. Marketing Dive, 2018. Available: https://www.marketingdive.com/news/study-85-of-millennials-have-purchased-a-product-after-watching-a-video/541594/ [21] E. Murphy, M. Olson, N. M. Regan & M. Lavery. Piper Jaffray 38th Semi-Annnual Taking Stock With Teens Survey, Fall 2019. Pipersandler, 2019. Available: http://www.pipersandler.com/private/pdf/TSWT_Fall_2019_Infographic_11x17.pdf [22] Grand View Research. Influencer Marketing Platform Market Size, Share & Trends Analysis Report by Application, by Organization Size, By End-Use, By Region, And Segment Forecasts, 2022 – 2030. Grand View Research, 2022. Available: https://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/influencer-marketing-platform-market
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