The year 2020 has been a roller coaster ride with a lot of challenges. The whole world was in a state of suffering. Meanwhile, to some, the year 2020 has provided countless opportunities to look forward. The situation we are in, due to COVID-19, has shown how vulnerable we are as human beings. Also, the same state of emergency has led many startups to thrive. Due to this, some companies are likely to become household names.
There are and will always be some companies/startups that you had never heard of, and suddenly all you hear and see are them. For instance, many people didn’t know Zoom a year ago, but now they do. Zoom was one of the most downloaded apps and now everyone knows Zoom as it went crazy during the pandemic.
Similarly, we present to you these 6 startups/companies that we believe will go crazy in future. So, here are the 6 startups we should be looking forward to;
1. Cazoo
Cazoo was founded by Alex Chesterman, one of the UK’s leading digital entrepreneurs and also a founder of Zoopla, in 2018. It’s one of the UK’s most rapidly developing innovation organizations. Cazoo is a british used car dealing company that is making purchase and delivery of used cars as simple and straightforward as purchasing any commodity online.. Cazoo provides shoppers with greater certainty, value, comfort, and quality when purchasing a used vehicle.
Observing the people’s interest on Cazoo, it seems it will surely become a household name in the coming years. As they have already begun to advertise aggressively, it will be fascinating to watch it grow. Cazoo has been in talks to go public in the United States with a merger deal with AJAX.
2. Hush Blankets
Hush Blankets is a Canada-based company established in 2017. After learning about weighted therapy while working as a volunteer at a special-needs camp, Lior Ohayon and Aaron Spivak founder of Hush Blankets, wanted to create a weighted blanket to help people who suffer from anxiety, insomnia, and stress by interfering with their sleeping and relaxation time. Hush Blankets has raised $1.6 million through crowdfunding since their inception in 2018, and they have released four weighted blankets.
Hush Blankets also sells cooling sheets, eye masks, mattresses, and pillows, all of which will help them reach their $50 million goal by 2021. Weighted blankets are gaining popularity in this pandemic as people are suffering due to lockdown and loss, physically, economically and mentally. Hush Blankets are catering the need of people suffering from anxiety, restlessness, stress, worry and fear caused due to COVID-19 and related factors.
3. Hopin
Hopin is an online events platform, established in 2019, that allows users to create engaging virtual events that connect people all over the world, thereby helping to bring sustainability to the events industry. It is a live events platform that allows attendees to connect with new people in the same way they would at a physical event. Johnny Bourfarhat founded Hopin with the goal of facilitating meaningful interactions and networking between people online, just like at a live event. Hopin prioritizes engagement over content, wanting people to participate in the experience rather than just watch it.
The COVID-19 situation has led people to stay inside their home and work from there. Hopin, by its virtual event platform, is taking advantage of this situation and serving the platform which gives phenomenal virtual experience of events to individuals and companies without attending them physically during such pandemic.
In March 2021, Hopin had an evaluation of $5.65 billion. NATO, UN etc. are some of the clients of Hopin and their platform.
4. SoLo Funds
SoLo Funds Inc is a technology-driven financial platform that began with a simple goal that is to provide quick access to low-interest loans of less than $1,000. With this in mind, a Los Angeles-based tech startup called SoLo launched an iOS lending exchange that connects lenders and borrowers.
SoLo can assess individuals’ creditworthiness that traditional financial institutions may have overlooked due to its cutting-edge technology. To identify borrowers, the software uses several data points and a machine learning process.
SoLo Funds has received numerous positive reviews and accolades, including the 2020 Startup of the Year award. The founders of the company are Jarrel Carter, Rodney Williams, Taylor Bruno and Travis Holoway. They established SoLo Funds in 2018.
5. OhmConnect
OhmConnect, Inc. is a San Francisco-based technology startup established in 2013 that offers energy management solutions through smart meter analytics energy market integration.
In 2014, three people with diverse work backgrounds — Cadir Lee, Matt Duesterberg, and Curtis Tongue — came together for a common goal. They wished to address the issue of long-term sustainable energy. As a result, the trio created OhmConnect, a way to gamify energy savings.
Although the Ohmconnect is still in its early stages, it has already attracted over 100,000 users. We’re excited to see how the company develops over the year with its sustainable idea.
6. AirGarage
AirGarage is a parking lot management company headquartered in San Francisco. It was established in 2017 in Tempe, Arizona by Scott Fitsimones, Chelsea Border and Jonathan Barkl with the original concept that people could rent out their driveways to college students looking to save money on parking.
AirGarage has raised $2 million in funding from angel and venture capitalists. Furthermore, the company currently manages parking lots in 22 states across the United States and Canada.
Article By: Saurav Giri
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