It’s been an exciting year for new startups. In fact, 2019 has seen some of the fastest growing new businesses as well as some of the most unusual business ventures in recent history. So, we have taken a look at the brands who are predicted to make it big to see if they are living up to the hype, or are actually doomed to fail. Click through to find out.
Loved by celebrities such as David Beckham, Leonardo DiCaprio and Usain Bolt, Peloton has revolutionised exercise for the digital age. Combining the ease of an at-home workout with the atmosphere of a live class, Peloton's exercise equipment links up to live-streamed classes. But while it’s approach has been described as "addicting", the fitness industry is notoriously unprofitable and Peloton has struggled. Despite seeing year on year growth, Peloton lost nearly $200 million (£154m) last year thanks to marketing costs. It was also hit by a $300 million (£231m) copyright lawsuit from music publishers who accused the firm of using music for its classes without permission. Ouch. Given these early missteps, it’s difficult to say whether Peloton’s unique model will be the key to its survival.
If a business wants to succeed in 2019 and beyond it needs to know its customers. That’s where Amperity, a new customer data management company can help. This Seattle-based software firm can pull data from thousands of sources to create a bespoke, up-to-the-moment, 360° customer profile. Co-founder and CEO Kabir Shahani recently raised $50 million (£38m) in Series C funding. And thanks to a customer base which includes Starbucks, Gap Inc and Moët Hennessy USA, Amperity’s annual recurring revenue grew 355% year-over-year in 2018. Impressive for a company founded in 2016.
Thanks to its legions of die-hard millennial fans and 2.4 million Instagram followers Glossier is truly a beauty-start up for the ages. Its now-iconic branding, innovative use of social media and early adoption of pop up stores and experience-led retail locations has led to its recent $1.2 billion (£926m) valuation, and shows no signs of slowing down. And while its founder Emily Weiss is best known for starting her career on MTV’s hit reality show, The Hills, she’ll now be remembered as the brains behind one of the most popular beauty brands of all time.
Micromobility has been revealed as one of the best industries to start a business in. So it’s no surprise to see e-scooter brand Bird sparking a (somewhat controversial) cultural phenomenon. Bird has been hailed as one of the fastest growing companies ever, and it’s recently been valued at $2 billion (£1.5bn) just 14 months into business. It took Airbnb three years to reach this kind of valuation, while Uber needed four. Available to rent via an app, Bird e-scooters can be found in 120 locations worldwide. But could its reputation for testing schemes in cities without getting permission from city officials get it into trouble and slow its unprecedented growth?
Bird isn’t the only e-scooter company experiencing roaring success. Alphabet (Google’s parent company) and ride-sharing service Uber recently announced they were injecting a huge $335 million (£258m) into Lime, a bikeshare company that has expanded into e-scooters. This now means Lime is valued at $1.1 billion (£840m). While these new scooter startups have managed to corner the notoriously-tricky millennial market, over-saturation could end up slowing profits. Lime and Bird alone face stiff competition from companies such as Lyft, Jump and Spin, to name a few.
Despite recent crackdowns on data sharing, cloud data warehouse companies such as Snowflake are seeing gargantuan levels of funding and unprecedented valuations. Thanks to growth funding led by Sequoia Capital, Snowflake has recently raised $450 million (£347m). This gives the San Mateo-based firm an incredible $3.5 billion (£2.7bn) valuation. Founded by Microsoft's former executive Bob Muglia, Snowflake’s innovative database software allows companies to spot patterns and trends within data. And with the global cloud data warehouse market expected to become a $20 billion (£15bn) industry by 2020, it seems this a niche destined for success.
Global demand for vegan food has quadrupled over the last five years. So why do brands such as Beyond Meat struggle to stay afloat? The plant-based meat providers shares plummeted to below $100 (£77) in October. This meant that stock fell by 8% (the lowest since June), and cut its trading price to 292% above its IPO price, a considerable drop from 800% in July. With stiff competition from meat-free alternatives created by more mainstream brands such as Kellogs and Nestle (and an unsuccessful trial with McDonalds), Beyond Meat will need more than quirky products to survive in 2020.
We can all do with eating a little less sugar. So it’s great to see Vancouver-based company Smart Sweets, is on track to see its 2019 revenues exceed $40 million (£31m). Sounds like a sweet deal to us. Wondering how the brand got started? After feeling the side effects of eating too much sugar, Smart Sweets’ founder Tara Bosch dropped out of college to test low-sugar versions of her favourite candy recipes. Its products are now market leaders in the USA and Canada. But it’s biggest fan is Tara's grandmother. Cute.
LoveBug Probiotics is a New York based supplements business that grew its revenue a whopping 2,621% in three years. And thanks to deals with major brands such as Target and CVS, its brought in $3.1 million (£2.4m) in 2018 alone. Plus, LoveBug's origin story proves you don’t need a traditional business background to build a successful brand. Founder Ashley Harris originally worked in art and literature while experimenting with fermenting probiotic-rich foods in her own kitchen. At the beginning, Ashley found it hard selling LoveBug products on Amazon, but through positive reviews and patience she beat the tough competition.
The energy company challenger brand Igloo is moving into the smart homes market; a savvy move considering the smart home market is set to be worth $151 billion (£116bn) by 2024. Founded in 2016, Igloo Energy now enjoys annual revenues of in excess of £34 million ($43m). This is set to increase with the launch of its online energy-saving marketplace, which gives customers personalised advice on saving money on their energy use as well as benefits from government incentives worth more than £8,600 ($11,075). But will the backing of big brands such as Samsung, tado°, PassivSystems and RolecEV be enough to guarantee Igloo's success?
Having a celebrity or social media influencer as the face of a brand doesn’t always guarantee big sales. Especially when you’ve already had to change the name of your company due to public backlash. Yet SKIMS, founded by Kim Kardashian West, continues to see phenomenal success. The shapewear brand’s launch earned Kim $2 million (£1.5m) within minutes of the site going live. To put this into perspective, Spanx, the shapewear industry stalwart, took $4million (£3m) in sales in its first year.
Do you have to actually be in a specific demographic to create a brand aimed at one? The 30-something founder of a dating app for the over 50s doesn’t think so. Charly Lester is the woman behind Lumen, a dating app for ‘seniors’. The app is geared towards users aged 50 and older, a demographic that just happens to be the fastest growing niche for technology use.
Thanks to an instantly iconic media launch campaign in which app users protested against ‘everyday ageism’ by wearing nothing but placards, Charly has proved she understands her target market and is seeing profits soar. No wonder successful dating app Badoo has invested $4.5 million (£3.5m) into Lumen.
Thanks to the latest technology, it’s possible for everyone to create stunning art. At least that’s what the founder of Boston-based Cupixel believes. After working in B2B software for 20 years, Elad Katav decided to develop a $70 (£54) art kit. These tools then link to an app which helps users create their own works of art. Cupixel has now raised about $2 million (£1.5m) in seed funding from angel investors all over the world. If it continues to play into consumer appetite for the latest augmented reality trends, it looks to take the global arts and craft market by storm.
Social media is big business. So it’s no surprise to hear that LA-based social media agency, The Edit, has become one of the most talked-about, female-driven businesses of the year. Yet results in the world of social media are notoriously hard to measure. The Edit’s combined client base reaches 50 million people per day on Instagram alone, and nearly 90 million consumers per day across platforms. But how does this translate into profits? To reach optimum levels of success The Edit would do well to replicate the approach of industry disruptors, Social Chain Group. The UK-based influencer marketing and social media thought leaders recently partnered with e-commerce retailer Lumaland and went public. The merged company is now valued at $207 million (£160m). Food for thought.
ByBi Beauty is a sustainable aesthetics brand stocked globally in Sephora, Boots and ASOS. And despite only being founded in 2017, its gained a worldwide reputation for its ethical practices and natural alternatives to popular cosmetic ingredients. By 2024, the global aesthetics market is expected to be worth $18.8 million (£14.4m) so it’s clever of ByBi to launch a natural retinol (vitamin A) alternative in the form of its Bakuchiol Booster, to satiate demand for vegan cosmetic treatments. And even cleverer to harness the power of 'pop-up culture' by introducing their own annual sustainability summit.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is set to be worth $191 billion (£147 bn) by the year 2024, with sales-focused AI appearing to be one of the fastest growing trends. Highspot, a sales enablement platform vendor startup, uses AI to help customer service reps give better service and guidance to customers using data analysis. Highspot’s clients include TripAdvisor, Hootsuite and Starbucks, a client list which has helped it secure $60 million (£46.4m) to grow its influence and expand its services. Could early adoption of new technologies ensure Highspot's success in an emerging industry?
You may not recognise her name, but Alison Chemla is responsible for creating Instagram’s favourite earring. A lucite hoop worn by the likes of Rihanna, Blake Lively and Kendall Jenner that starts from around $125 (£98) per pair. But the hoops were created at a much lower price point than Alison’s usual designs. Under the name Alison Lou, Alison creates fine jewelry that can sell for $595 (£459) for a simple stud earring or as much as $15,000 (£11k) for one-of-a-kind pieces. Alison was initially resistant to create a cheaper diffusion line, but it is the 'Loucite' hoops that have catapulted her brand into the limelight and created a million-dollar empire.
British Challenger bank Revolut is looking to raise $1.5 billion (£1.2bn) in order to become Europe's most valuable fintech firm. But if it’s global expansion they’re after beyond 2019, they’ll end up facing stiff competition from brands such as Monzo, Starling and Chime. A partnership with Mastercard may be enough to ward off fellow challenger banks in what’s become an oversaturated market, but if recent technical difficulties are anything to go by, Revlout needs to sure-up its software to handle the rapid growth it desires.
Speaking of challenger banks, Revolut’s main competitor Starling is continuing to see soaring success. A recent foray into television advertising has given the fellow British brand a much needed boost, while its launch of its euro debit card is a direct challenge to Revolut. Looking to the future, Starling Bank is set to notch up a million more customers after raising £30 million ($38m) in new funds. The race to become the world’s digital banking leader is certainly hotting up…
We’re all trying to cut down on how much we consume. But does this mean renting products instead of buying them is the solution? Peer-to-peer rental startup Fat Llama believes so. It provides an online platform for users to lend, borrow, buy and rent out belongings. But it isn’t just about getting rid of your old trainers. Currently available in the US and UK, users can browse products such as bikes, drones and DJ equipment or film and photography gear. Fancy. Fat Llama has so far managed to get high profile investors on board, navigated a super-secure insurance agreement and has raised a whopping $10 million (£7.15m) in Series A investment to fund expansion.
Described as one of the“best and most exciting” new businesses in the UK, Trouva is one of the few brands managing to drag the retail industry into the modern era. The online marketplace allows you to shop from over 700 indie brands and boutiques, helping promote bricks-and-mortar stores to a wider audience. After raising £2 million ($2.6m) of funding in its early days, Trouva saw almost instant financial rewards and enjoyed the positive critical acclaim that came with it. In fact, Trouva debuted at number three on the Startups 100 2019 Index. Previous alumni include global food delivery service Deliveroo, and could mean that Trouva is destines for the same dizzying heights.
We’re more keen than ever to know the story behind our favourite brands, which is why artisan products continue to remain in demand. More importantly it's why online-coffee business BeanBox is seeing a 534% three year growth. Seattle-founded BeanBox sells roasters, coffee beans, coffee-themed gifts, and coffee subscriptions to coffee-enthusiasts all over the world. BeanBox has enjoyed a $3 million (£2.3m) revenue in 2018 alone.
Ever run out of phone battery while out and about? This could become a thing of the past thanks to ChargedUp. This new startup is currently creating the UK’s largest phone charging network, with plans for over 600 power bank stations all powered by renewable energy. ChargedUp is now ripe for expansion, having completed a £1.2 million ($1.5m) seed round and providing one million minutes of power charging to customers so far.
In an era where there’s no such thing as a job for life, employer-employee feedback is more important than ever. That’s why HRTech firm Howamigoing launched their appraisal platform in 2015. The service allows employees to transparently and confidently manage feedback, performance plans and career goals in a stress-free, constructive way. Demolishing the need for awkward conversations and pointless box-ticking. Howamigoing works with companies in the UK, US, Hong Kong and Australia. It’s also recently announced an additional $1.4 million (£1.1m) in seed funding which will help with its expansion.
Lauren Carson and her sister Annie started Kinect Solar in 2015 with just $10,000 (£7.7k) in inventory. Fast forward to 2018 and the company brought in $13.3 million (£10.2m) in revenue. That's a three-year growth rate of 2,358%. The company which sells and distributes renewable energy equipment, now moves its product across the USA, Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean, reflecting global consciousness and the increased awareness of energy sources that are kinder to the planet.
Alo. Girlfriend Collective. Fabletics. Outdoor Voices. The leggings market is crowded to say the least. Inundated with so many Instagrammable-options for gymwear, we’re becoming fatigued by the sheer amount choice out there. But new leggings startup Yella feels there’s one area it’s still possible to stand out: price. Yella founder Daniella Mizrahi didn’t want to launch with high prices, but found creating a sense of luxury and exclusivity has been key to Yella’s appeal. With leggings at $325 (£250) and sports bras sold at $185 (£142), retail experts have warned that Mizrahi needs to ensure that Yella's customers understand why they are a luxury.
Studies show that over 50% of the UK workforce is expected to work remotely by 2020. So it’s hardly surprising to see uber-cool co-working facilities pop up in almost every city in the country. The most popular of these spaces is WeWork, a company that provides offices and rentable desks to freelancers, side-hustlers and startups. As of June 2019, WeWork has rapidly expanded to offer 527,000 memberships across 528 locations in 111 cities around the world. It’s become a symbol of changing times and a juggernaut in its niche. However, its meteoric rise has been followed by a dramatic fall. WeWork's founder Adam Neumann has fallen into disgrace following allegations of misconduct, and its $47 billion (£36bn) valuation has been disputed. It remains to be seen whether the space-for-hire business can recover.
WeWork’s recent troubles prove that co-working and networking is tricky territory to start a business in. But female members club AllBright is proving critics wrong after its recent $129 million (£100m) valuation. Founded in 2017, AllBright is known for its iconic London locations and the recent cash injection will support the brand’s move stateside this year. AllBright’s ‘clubhouses’ are famous for championing women by offering space to work, networking events and panels, as well as gyms and roof terraces where female business owners can connect. However, it's got competition. Hot on its heels is The Wing, a private members club founded in New York that is frequented by the likes of model and fashion designer Alexa Chung and Game of Thrones actress Emilia Clarke. Its much-anticipated London location opened this October and could be a contender to AllBright's success in the British capital.
Market research companies are more in demand than ever. Which is why Singapore-based market research and data platform Milieu Insight, has raised $2.4 million (£1.8m) to expand into Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines and Vietnam. Analysing customer data and market trends has become important to brands across the globe as they seek to understand the ever-evolving habits of a more complex consumer. If Milieu can stay ahead with its product development and give big brands an insight into what products, media and brands consumers prefer, it's sure to do well in 2020.
Recent studies have shown that millenials prefer experiences over owning things. Which is why ‘hotel on wheels’ start up Cabin is seeing great success with five star resort-inspired buses that make dull trips a little more luxurious. Launched under the name SleepBus in 2016, Cabin has since rebranded and enjoyed plenty of PR exposure for its quirky service offering: buses that transport you from LA to San Francisco and back again. It’s also secured a handy $3.3 million (£2.5m) in seed financing so its sleeper-car buses can offer more routes.
It’s the video-sharing app that has Mark Zuckerberg running scared. Originally created in 2016, TikTok allows users to create sharable short clips and mini-music videos, and it has recently experienced a resurgence in popularity and now boasts 500 million users worldwide. In fact, it’s now become one of the most downloaded apps globally and has unseated Uber as the world's biggest privately-backed start-up. TikTok's Chinese parent company ByteDance reported revenues of between $7 billion (£5.4bn) and $8.4 billion (£6.5bn) in the first half of 2019, which is already more than what the company generated in the whole of 2018. TikTok's recent valuation of $75 billion (£61bn) means that it's on track to become one of the most successful social media platforms ever.
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