7 START-UPS TO WATCH GOING INTO 2021

Bluetooth-enhanced frames. Automated larvae capsules. 5G signal bending. From San Francisco to Sydney, there’s a whole lot of new tech companies out there solving the world’s problems in pioneering and innovative ways. If you’re keen to know which start-ups are going to have a big impact in 2021, we reckon these seven business models are pretty safe bets.

Movandi

While the rollout of the fifth-generation wireless network continues to be rolled out around the world, there are some experts who are concerned that the 5G technology won’t be as accessible to those outside of high-density areas. 5G has the potential to transfer large amounts of data points much faster than ever before, but the wireless signal unfortunately loses its potency when not in direct line-of-sight. Enter Californian tech start-up, Movandi. The company has created new technology that can actually bend the signal around obstacles like buildings by broadening the 5G spectrum bands. This start-up has already received over $30 million in funding and is apparently in talks about potential partnerships with some of the biggest wireless providers in the world. Chalk that up as another win for Silicon Valley, I guess?

Goterra

Australian biotech start-up Goterra is solving the problem of food wastage, while simultaneously reducing CO2 emissions, as well as producing low-cost, protein-rich animal food. How? They’ve developed fully automated, AI powered, and self-contained capsules filled with black soldier fly larvae which eat their way through food waste and produce a by-product of rich soil fertiliser. Even the maggots themselves eventually become animal food that’s rich in protein. Goterra’s automated waste management have already been installed in places that have relatively high levels of food wastage, such as restaurants, farms, supermarkets, hospitals, hotels, and local city councils.

Afresh

Meanwhile in the U.S.A, retailers discard almost $20 billion worth of food each year, which is bad for the environment as well as their bottom line. Not to be outdone by the upstarts Down Under, San Francisco start-up Afresh have a different market strategy. Founded back in 2016, Afresh have created cloud-based algorithm software which uses artificial intelligence to optimise fresh food inventories and help companies cut back on their waste. Some stores who are using their software as a service SAAS via a tablet-based app are reporting their total food wastage has been cut in half. It’s no wonder then that Afresh have already secured partnerships with several billion-dollar supermarket chains in the U.S and are apparently in talks with other big players in grocery.

Frankly

While tech companies like Google and Facebook don’t actually produce any news, they still rake in fat stacks when it comes to revenue. Data-hungry content management start-up Frankly believes they’ve found a solution to this problem, which could provide publishers with the machine learning tools they need to achieve independence in digital advertising. Frankly aims to shift the digital ad dollar percentages with their own platform which gives publishers, broadcasters, and content providers the opportunity to manage and monetise their own content, while simultaneously collecting targeted first-party user data worth over $150 per person. That’s a literal goldmine for many media companies who can barely afford to stay in business while Google continues getting rich providing search results with their content. As they are currently the only company of its kind, Frankly unsurprisingly already has some VERY big names as customers.

Lucyd Lyte

Miami start-up Lucyd Lyte is gearing up to launch their preliminary line of Bluetooth-enhanced frames for optical glasses later this year. While they look, feel, and even correct vision exactly like normal prescription glasses, this innovative eyewear company has created the world’s first truly smart frames available with a wide variety of stylish options. With high-utility tech features like one-touch voice assistant, open-ear hi-fi audio, hands free phone calls, and all-day battery life, this new player in the wearable tech world is planning for mass market adoption. Lucyd Lyte have created a smart eyewear revolution that’s suitable for all day use with frames that look fashionable, feel comfortable, and are one hundred percent prescription ready.

Bulb

Over in London, eco-tech and energy start-up company Bulb already has over 300,000 customers with an annual growth of around 400%. As the largest supplier of green energy in the UK, Bulb can reduce the cost of energy by 20% using a combination of farm waste and several hydropower plants. As customers are switching from larger banks to smaller digital start-up firms, Bulb is also hoping that British customers will continue transitioning to their services. The start-up is even offering to pay the contract termination fees customers are often charged by traditional energy companies.

Jammcard

Initially founded back in 2017 by a professional drummer, Jammcard is an L.A.-based music-tech start-up that’s poised to reshape the future of the music industry. Known on the scene as Musician’s LinkedIn, Jammcard basically streamlines the entire process that professional musicians are able to find each other. While almost all of the professional musicians, sound engineers, guitar techs, and stage managers who have already signed on are totally independent, they all earn a median income of well over half a million dollars. Already boasting over 10,000 members, Jammcard has also raised $2 million, and are finalising impending partnerships with big names in the music industry like Fender and Sony. Jammcard looks like they’ll be jamming hard for a long time to come.

While the tech start-ups above have already secured financing at an early stage or are getting media attention in real time, others may end up simply vanishing from the market almost as fast as they appeared. That being said, there’s one thing start-up companies have in common… they’re all trying to break through the pack and emerge victorious. And these are the ones we think you should watch in 2021.