Starting a business in the world we live in today is not a challenging process. People can start their startup journey using a stable Wi-Fi connection and decent smart device. However, they will not manage to reach their goals without following the biggest startup trends. Unfortunately, that especially counts when we talk about the year 2021. It is not a secret that 2020 was harmful to many startups all around the world. Some of the biggest ones stopped working because of the drastic effect of the pandemic on the market. That is another confirmation that following the latest startup trends is the only option to survive.

Once a startup is implemented using these trends the only work left behind is the effective marketing of the brand through which people know about the brand and what the brand provides. Marketing strategies of new startups should be accurate and cost-effective. To know more about marketing strategies and develop them we have ‘How to develop a Startup Marketing Strategy.’

Fortunately for all business owners, startup trends are not the same as fashion trends. Not everyone can afford to purchase an expensive watch, dress, shoes, or anything else. Investing in a fashion startup also requires decent capital to invest. But entrepreneurs will not have to invest a lot of effort and money to follow the latest startup trends as most of them are technology-based which can be executed on a decent budget. With a couple of effective tools, they will manage to keep their productivity and stay competitive. Because of that, let's find out the biggest startup trends for 2021 and help entrepreneurs that want to continue working in the post-pandemic era.

Work from Home and Videoconferences

Work from Home and video conferences are probably the most popular startup trend. When the virus started to spread around the world, entrepreneurs realized the safety of their workers is the top priority and so working by keeping the employees away from the org. was a task. Not all of them had the opportunity to respect the new way of working. For instance, some of them could not keep the social distance because of the type of work they were assigned as the premises and offices they work at were not big enough.

Hence, they decided to allow employees to work from home. Of course, for every startup owner, that way of working is challenging. Losing control was possible in almost every way. The good news for them is that they live in the 21st century, and a variety of online tools can help to protect the effectiveness of all the teams. For instance, tools like GoToMeeting, Google Hangout and Zoom Meetings can be used for proper communication among employees and as an excellent option for videoconferences. Software like Microsoft Teams and Slack can be used for communication. They are all easy to use and reliable. People without any technical background could use these tools to connect with people across the world. Yet, a high level of communication has not been enough to keep the same level of effectiveness. That is the reason why startups had to use different collaboration platforms. These platforms allow people to exchange all the essential data in one place. Applications like Trello help to manage the workflow4. Because of that, many online tools like Trello and Asana gained massive popularity in 2020.

Online Education

Students are finding a way to remain effective during the pandemic. But unfortunately, they had to meet certain obstacles for the first time. For example, they had to organize their time properly to keep the same level of productivity. In that case, time management apps were a helpful tool.

On the other hand, when they have many duties, they could also use some tools that will assist them. For instance, writing an essay, academic paper, or anything else takes a lot of time. Because of that, looking for a good writing service can be an excellent alternative. All the students could use apps like TrustMyPaper, SupremeDissertations, RememberTheMilk, and RescueTime to improve their writing and manage time more effectively.

That is the opportunity that many startups recognized. They are willing to participate in school, college, and coaching centre markets by offering different services. Some of the companies that could serve as inspiration are Yuanfudao, Udacity, and Outschool. As you can see, the trend exists in all parts of the world (from China to the USA).

Robotic Delivery

No-contact delivery is one of the characteristics of new normality. At first, glance, reaching that goal seems almost impossible. Still, no contact delivery is executed where the delivery guy leaves the package outside the house and then the people take it in the hose after the time period. Fortunately, science is making progress every day. That is the reason why many companies managed to apply robotic delivery to their business operations.

One of the companies that are using that technology is Nuro. The startup uses small vehicles that carry fresh food to people. They can deliver prepared meals, vegetables, fruits or anything else. If Nuro is not a good example, then Amazon, the retail giant, probably will be. They are using so-called Scout vehicles on the streets and sidewalks across America.

The companies who have stepped forward to take an initiative towards Robotic Delivery are:

• Starship Technologies
• Savioke
• Eliport
• Teleretail
• Aethon
• Postmates
• BoxBot
• Effidence
• Robomart
• Cleveron

Telemedical

COVID-19 is not the only health issue people are dealing with. Many other problems require medical attention. However, doctors and patients had to find a new way to protect themselves and get consultancy. That is the reason why the telemedical field is another startup trend in the world.

Doctor-patient video chats are one of the options that many medical startups apply. Both sides have their respective benefits from that trend. Patients will not have to wait in the private clinic hallways and hence social distancing will also not be disturbed. In that way, they can potentially be safe from the virus. Public companies, as well as different startups, are following that trend. A good example of that are startups like K Health and Clinic. People can directly ask an online doctor all the questions they have.

5G Technology

The entire business world has moved online. Companies now invest a lot more in online advertising. Despite that, their employees use them more actively because of the remote work requirements. That all means that people need the higher speed of the internet. Logically, that directly influenced the popularity of 5G technology. The ways how startups use 5G technology are different. We could use companies like Nido Robotics to confirm that statement. That startup uses drones to research different areas of the Spanish seafloor. However, with the 4G network, those drones’ effectiveness would not be at the highest level. On the other hand, the 5G network makes things a lot easier for them. They can easily navigate the drone and communicate with the devices effectively thanks to the Internet of Things.

Virtual Startups

Due to the pandemic creating a new remote working culture, business owners are working hard towards establishing business ventures that can completely operate in a virtual manner. Startups are trying to catch the positive part of the pandemic by working towards a remote working environment that has its own pros. Working with the latest technological and communication tools will be a catalyst for startups to successfully launch their businesses virtually.

Written by Rahul Gorivale