THE ULTIMATE GUIDE TO STARTUP TRENDS IN 2019

At KISSPatent, we strive to stay ahead of the curve. We monitor behavior, anticipate trends, and act accordingly.

For this, and many other reasons, we make the effort to attend the most influential conferences.

This year, for example, we’ve already attended the Blockchain Economic Forum in Davos, the Brainport Techlaw Workshop on patenting AI, the World Agri-Tech Innovation Summit, and the Future Food-Tech summit in San Francisco.

A while back we published an article on our predictions for the 2019 startup trends. We were spot on but did notice some other trends startups MUST be aware of.

We’ve reviewed and revamped the article.

Here are several startup trends we believe will continue to flourish in 2019:  

THE INTERNET OF EVERYTHING, NOT THE INTERNET OF THINGS (IOT)  

A few years ago, the IoT was treated as a separate category from artificial intelligence or blockchain—but no longer.

As more startups begin to design customer-centric innovations, the lines between Artificial Intelligence, IoT, and Blockchain start to disappear. Customers don’t really care whether an app uses a specific kind of technology.

Rather, consumers care about ease of use, functionality, and value proposition of the products that they’re using.

That’s why in 2019, Artificial Intelligence will still be the focus of many up-and-coming startups. However, these startups will begin to create cross-technology fueled products, such as combining AI and IoT.

For example, let’s imagine you have an underlying heart condition and choose to monitor your physical exercise through a wearable device, like a Fitbit. The wearable device collects data points on your health.

What if there was a way for your doctor (or a technology equivalent) to take receive that data and evaluate whether they were correlated to a “normal” range of behaviors?

Machine learning can help take billions of data points and boil them down to what’s really meaningful. Your wearable device now not only tracks your health but provides real-time updates to a health service.

Think about the implication of blood pressure monitoring, diabetes management, and even sleep science.

Apple, for example, recently announced a new iteration of their smartwatch that can measure glucose levels, track blood pressure, and more closely monitor heart health.

The general premise is the same for any other application as well. Collect, review, and analyze data to find patterns that can be learned from so that better decisions can be made.

OPPORTUNITIES IN CANNABIS-INFUSED BEVERAGES

More US states (and Canadian) companies are betting big on people wanting to sip, rather than smoke, their weed.

In Canada, large beverage companies are eyeing the CBD market, evaluating the possibility of creating cannabis-infused drinks. There have even been rumors of acquiring smaller companies with industry-specific knowledge.

While all of this may sound like it’s happening on a macro level, we predict the changing legal regulations will level the playing field for startups—and grab investors’ attention as they look to invest in a newly legal industry.

What does this mean for foodtech startups in 2019?

Well, the cannabis beverage market will be worth 600 million dollars by 2022!

Entrepreneurs seeking to invest in cannabis-related businesses face special opportunities and challenges due to the developing and fast-changing business and legal landscape.

However, making timely choices, along with knowledge of the complexities, can help optimize the opportunities for success in this field.

MEAT-ALTERNATIVES WILL TAKE CENTER STAGE IN THE MINDS OF CONSUMERS.   

Soy, jackfruit, wheat—what do these ingredients have in common?

They’re all plant-based proteins you’ll likely find yourself consuming in 2019.

As consumers continue to embrace no-meat protein alternatives, big food companies are taking notice and growing their plant-based food division.

Meat-alternative startup Impossible Foods has created the booming Impossible Burger, with demand so high the company is struggling to keep up with production.

However, we think that burgers aren’t the only new food that we’ll see on shelves in 2019. With massive room for growth, we expect to see smaller startups make big entrances in plant-based products.

Consumers worldwide have expressed interest in foregoing meat products, at least part-time. The food tech market in 2019 will adjust to accommodate these new consumers.

For more information on startups disrupting the food industry and the future of our food, check our most recent article on smart fermentation.

OPPORTUNITIES IN VOICE RECOGNITION TECHNOLOGY

In 2011, consumers were intrigued by Apple’s Siri when it was released.

Now, voice recognition technology is entering our homes, cars, and businesses. Virtual assistants are no longer a commodity-- they’re a part of everyday life.

To succeed in 2019, startups don’t necessarily need to come up with their own voice recognition devices. There are plenty of opportunities for startups to develop apps, proprietary algorithms, and other functionalities within the voice technology space.

For example, there are opportunities for voice recognition technology in manufacturing, agriculture, field service, business services, education, and even healthcare.

When combined with AI, startups can succeed in 2019 by creating voice recognition technologies that serve a specific niche.

Head over to our blog to read the rest of our ultimate guide to startup trends in 2019 and stay ahead of the curve!

I’d love to hear your thoughts on what you think the future holds for startups in the years to come.

Also, feel free to check out our Resource Center for other comprehensive guides, ebooks, webinars and much more!