4 Startups Trends To Watch In 2022

he startup sector is an ever-evolving, rapidly changing landscape. New technologies and new ways of doing business are constantly emerging, and it can be difficult to predict what is going to happen in the future. The future is always uncertain, but there are a few trends emerging in the business world that will have a significant impact on startups. In October 2021, more than $54 billion was invested in over 2,000 companies around the world. Some of the hottest sectors are wellness, finance, and property technology (aka proptech). Here are 4 trends of what we can expect to see happen with the startup sector by 2022:  

More flexibility and Personalization for everyone 

Finding what works best for you will be the goal. Whether it’s fundraising techniques, events, exercise methods, education, or jobs, 2022 will bring an abundance of options for people and businesses. A new platform, Wizard Commerce, will allow consumers to text a brand, discuss products, and ultimately buy items through a secure website that also saves payment information. This platform is set to launch this year. According to Melissa Bridgeford, Tech Entrepreneur, “The fact that conversational, text-based commerce is so popular in Asia suggests that it could also take off here and we believe that the time is right for American consumers to try this new approach to shopping.”

The pandemic has changed the way we live, work, and socialize. Everyone became proficient in navigating digital spaces and the new normal. As businesses begin to reopen, this won’t change, but instead, continue to evolve. And the world of entrepreneurship will follow suit.

Crypto, Blockchain and NoCode Tech will continue to disrupt traditional business models 

The first prediction is that business models based on cryptocurrency and blockchain technology will continue to disrupt traditional business models. This means that more companies will be using these technologies to get ahead of their competitors, leading to less competition and an increase in market share for each company. Neil Sequeira, co-founder and a partner at Defy venture capital, believes disruptions are ahead for legacy businesses. “You’ll see the crypto DeFi [decentralized finance] blockchain businesses opening up more business models in traditional markets that are already being disrupted,” Thus, financial and NoCode technology becomes more accessible, finance, insurance, and other legacy businesses will see more competition. Small business owners and startups alike will be able to use these tools to overcome inefficiencies, and challenge more well-established businesses. 

Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Robotics 

New developments in things like AI and robotics will also create opportunities for startups who want to use it instead of human labor in order to reduce costs. Although artificial intelligence currently has a difficult time completing common sense tasks in the real world, it is adept at processing and analyzing troves of data far more quickly than a human brain could. AI softwares can then return with synthesized courses of action and present them to the human user. In this way, humans can use AI to help game out possible consequences of each action and streamline the decision-making process.

Amir Husain, founder and CEO of machine learning company SparkCognition said, “AI is kind of the second coming of software. It's a form of software that makes decisions on its own, that's able to act even in situations not foreseen by the programmers. Artificial intelligence has a wider latitude of decision-making ability as opposed to traditional software.” The traits of artificial intelligence will be highly valuable throughout many industries. This is because AI can do things that humans simply cannot; it has an infinite knowledge base and never gets tired or bored. As this happens, more businesses will be forced to adapt to these changes in order to stay competitive. In the near future, we will see a shift from humans being the drivers of innovation to artificial intelligence. 

Collaboration between corporates and startups

With more and more businesses moving online, the way that people are doing business is also changing. One of the most interesting changes in how people do business with one another is the increase in B2B collaborations and partnerships. Partnerships between startups and large global corporations are critical to the advancement of technological innovations and this association is important for the long-term growth of businesses of all sizes. With more B2B startups eyeing global expansion, it is important for them to have access to a high scale of infrastructure and support. To a great extent, this can be provided by large corporations that will help these startups access the pool of data they have. 

As the years pass by, it's always interesting to think about what the future will hold. Whether you're an entrepreneur or work for one, these trends are important to foresee. Especially for entrepreneurs, wherein it can lead to better business decisions and help them grow their company in new directions to this year and beyond.