BUSINESS IDEA #1 | STARTUP

AI Screenshot App 📱

Take the shot

1. Problem/Opportunity❓

There are two types of people in the world. People who randomly screenshot things on their phones as reminders and admit to it…and those who do it but won’t admit it.

I like to take random screenshots as reminders to my future self for quotes to remember, podcasts to listen to, items to buy, any number of things. But it turns out my future self has no interest in trawling through a never ending list of screenshots in my phone.

So let’s build an app to do the sorting for me.

2. Solution ✅

Create an app which uses AI to organise, understand and take action based on screenshots on a user’s phone.

Here’s how it works. The user downloads the app and gives it permission to view the screenshots folder on the phone as well as other apps on the phone. Then, whenever a screenshot is taken it is analysed by the platform and organised accordingly. Screenshots are organised into folders in the app and different actions are taken based on the content of the screenshot as analysed and executed by an AI agent.

For example, if you take a screenshot of a book cover you saw online it will provide a link in the app on where to buy the book. Of if you screenshot reservation details for dinner it will ask if you want this to be added to your calendar. It understands the context of the screenshot and provides action items accordingly.

3. Business Model 🏦

Go-to-market: Pick one particular use case and phone type, say screenshots for shopping on iPhones and expand from there

Monetisation: freemium version with limited features and a paid version

Startup Costs: All you need here is some good engineering talent and you’ll be all set

4. How You’ll Get Rich 💰

The path to riches here is to sell the business to a big player in the consumer note taking space, like Evernote for example

BUSINESS IDEA #2 | STARTUP

Subscription Sharing App 👔

A problem shared is a problem halved

1. Problem/Opportunity❓

Subscription fatigue is becoming very real. And with the global subscription market projected to grow from $72.9 billion in 2021 to $120.0 billion by 2026, this problem is going to get worse.

Take streaming platforms. Netflix. Prime Video. Disney+. Hulu. Peacock. Paramount+. HBO Max. Apple TV+. Sure I’d happily pay for all of them if I didn’t have to worry about things like food and rent.

This uptick in subscriptions has led to an increase in users using their parent’s accounts or just straight up pirating content.

But we think there’s a way to solve this problem.

2. Solution ✅

Here’s the idea. Create an app that allows users to find partners to split the cost of subscription services to reduce the cost.

Users input the subscriptions they currently have or want, and the app matches them with other users looking to split the same services. The app handles the secure splitting of login credentials and the automated monthly payment collection and distribution.

For example, two users could split a $20/month Netflix Premium plan, each saving $10 per month. Or four users could split a $100/month Adobe Creative Cloud plan, each saving $75 per month. The app ensures all split partners have equal and secure access to the shared accounts.

SubscriptionSplit also provides a marketplace where users can discover and propose new subscriptions to split. The app could even negotiate group discounts with subscription providers based on the pooled buying power of its user base.

3. Business Model 🏦

Go-to-market: Target cost-conscious millennials and Gen Z who are heavy users of subscription services. Partner with personal finance influencers and budgeting apps to reach initial users.

Monetization: Charge a small transaction fee (e.g. 5%) on each monthly split payment.

Startup Costs: Develop the core matching and payment splitting technologies. Invest in security measures to protect user accounts and prevent unauthorized access. Budget for user acquisition and partnerships to rapidly build a critical mass of splitters.

4. How You’ll Get Rich 💰

The play here is to exit to a big player in the subscription market such as Chargebee who could complement their existing B2B business with a B2C business too.

DRUNK BUSINESS IDEA

Fake on Demand Managers

Do you work in retail or food service? Do you constantly have Karens complaining to you and asking to speak to your Manager?

Well you can save your Manager time by hiring a fake Manager for her to complain to. Save your Manager conutless hours while letting any Karen who wants to air their grievances.

Everybody wins.

BIG DECK ENERGY

Uber’s $200k Pre-seed Deck

Year: 2008

Stage: Pre-seed

Amount: $200k

Today Uber is the publicly listed, $160bn giant in the transportation market.

But back in 2008, when it was called UberCab, Travis Kalanick set out to raise a paltry $200k to get the business off the ground.

Here’s the deck he used to do it.

THE MONEYSHOT

Selling Spots in Heaven

Ever wanted to reserve your spot in heaven?

Well, a couple of mates by the names of Edgar Kim and Nate Davis thought they could take care of just that. In 2007 they got together and launched reserveaspotinheaven.com.

Reserve A Spot In Heaven sold “travel kits”, complete with boarding passes, certificates and “Heaven 101” booklets. Prices started at $12.79. Turns out a lot of people really wanted to reserve their spot in heaven.

Upon launch, the guys saw a few thousand visitors each day. They then get covered by Fox news and made $4,000 overnight. In the following 2 months, they racked up another $11,000.

They were covered by a number of huge publications in the following weeks and months and while it’s hard to know how much they made it’s many, many thousands.

That’s a hell of a lot of cash (or a heaven amount of cash I guess).