Business in Europe. Business without leaving home

Many studies conducted by scientists in various parts of the world prove that the processes in the economy have clearly defined relationships. In the context of globalization, such interrelations spread not only within the economy of a single country, but also connect different economies by causal processes. In fact, we are talking about the effect of running circles on the water. The reader will ask the question, what is the meaning of such a preface?

The last decade has shown the presence of a very clear hierarchical structure between small businesses in different countries. Despite a number of significant political issues (we are talking about sanctions against Russia from the West) and, of course, the mental characteristics of different countries, there is a clear relationship between the emergence of new and profitable areas of small business in different countries. This is how most new trends originate in the USA, gradually “moving” to Europe and then spreading in waves around the world. Perhaps such a statement is not entirely patriotic, but at the same time it clearly characterizes the situation and gives great advantages to small businesses in Russia. In fact, after comparing the new popular business ideas of 2013 in the USA with the same rating of new and popular ideas in Europe in 2014, we can say with a 95% guarantee which ideas will be in demand in 2015-2016 in Russia. After all, it is worth remembering clearly that in the West, new startups keep pace with growing demand from consumers, and the citizens of our country do not differ in their needs from Europeans and Americans. As one classic said, “You can’t forbid living beautifully.”

It is worth noting that the proposed rating of the “hottest” directions for creating your own business contains a wide variety of areas and areas, ranging from the now popular Internet to the creation of quite traditional mini workshops. The only thing that really unites all these new business ideas is the huge demand from American, and now European buyers, which actually guarantees a quick and most importantly successful start.

Over the next week, we will analyze 14 new popular business ideas in Europe, do not forget to subscribe and receive article announcements to your mail, there will be no spam, I guarantee it.

#14 – The latest among the best and newest small business ideas in Europe are microbreweries. Of course, it is difficult to call it new, but mini-breweries received a “second wind” in the US in 2013 and are already re-conquering “old” Europe. Learn more about why this happened.

No. 13 - in the honorable thirteenth place is an idea characterized as a business with super minimal investments, in fact, you don’t need to invest anything, your own work and skills are enough, we are talking about individual fitness trainers.

No. 12, the development of technology has generated a boom in freelancing around the world, but the direction has received quite an interesting continuation. As a new type of freelancing, the services of virtual assistants have appeared. Consumers liked the direction so much that today we can talk about the boom of this business idea -.

No. 11 where in our time without the Internet and e-commerce! European business is no exception, which began to look for new niches, sort of like in the old idea of ​​online services for comparing products,

No. 9 IT security is one of the most competitive areas of the industry, however, the introduction of a new policy for the use of private gadgets (the so-called BYOD) creates a completely new niche in which the creation of .

No. 8 The emergence of new computers characterized as a super economy option, in fact, a computer. costs about 25-30 dollars not only opens up new opportunities for consumers, but also serves as a new direction for business and so on accessories for the Raspberry Pi

Wise businessmen, who have vast experience and understanding of the essence of the laws of market development, advise not to start a business from areas with high competition. They recommend looking for innovative goods and services, occupying free niches in which only a few work so far.

It is not necessary to enter the market with your own start-up. You can use new ideas that have begun to be implemented in the US or European countries. Many of them are already successful and in demand abroad, but are not yet available to the Russian consumer.

Processing of fruits and vegetables that have lost their presentation

The relative abundance and marketing policy of grocery stores provides customers with the opportunity to choose vegetables and fruits. This picture is especially vivid in supermarkets, where customers line up in long queues and look at each apple or orange for a long time, trying to buy the most beautiful and ripe fruits. The remaining products are quite suitable for consumption, but have an unsightly appearance. The shelf life of products, especially fresh ones, is short. Supermarket management will have to throw away the leftovers.

But this resource can be disposed of wisely and a line for processing illiquid assets and producing various food products from it: juices, jams and purees, fruit and vegetable salads, soups and cereals can be launched. This is not about rotten vegetables and fruits, but about those that have simply lost their presentation. Enter into an agreement with the management of several supermarkets and buy raw materials from them at a low price. Finished products can be sold in the same supermarkets.

Ecotourism

This is a very fashionable and promising direction. Rest in the outback, living in a rural house or in a tent, hiking along picturesque and non-trivial routes attract residents of megacities who are wealthy and tired of the bustle of the city. Eco-tourism is a great alternative to the rather boring luxury resorts and idle reclining on the beach.

The organization of such tours requires a minimum of costs and is not particularly difficult, but brings high profits. Eco-tourists do not expect comfortable conditions, they are looking for new, sometimes thrilling sensations, they want to test their endurance and get closer to nature at least for a while. However, it is still necessary to ensure the safety of customers.

Selling a liquid that repels water

A profitable business can be created by selling innovative products. One of them is Ultra Ever Dry. This is a revolutionary substance that has the ability to repel any liquids. The surface treated with Ultra Ever Dry does not get wet, does not get dirty with liquid concrete mixtures, oils, liquid mud. This product can be used at home, in construction and repair work, in production.

The advantage of selling innovative products is favorable conditions for cooperation from manufacturers and the opportunity to occupy a free niche.

Outsourced call center

More and more companies working in the field of sales and service feel the need to maintain constant communication with customers. The most effective way to inform about new offers, conduct surveys and provide a full-fledged service is telephone communication.

Only very large and successful companies have the opportunity to create and maintain their own call center at the proper level. Most enter into agreements with firms that provide this service on an outsourcing basis. To create such a center, you need a room, computer equipment, a single number, multi-channel communication with free incoming calls and special software. This service is in high demand.

Exclusive fragrances for each company

Researchers have long known about the ability of a person to perceive various smells at a subconscious level and remember them. Until recently, active work with the olfactory organs was carried out in the cosmetic and food industries. But now a new, very interesting direction is developing in the USA and European countries. For each company, a unique fragrance is created, which is sprayed in all offices and points that work with clients. It turned out that this is a very strong marketing technique - it makes visitors feel good and allows you to remember each company by smell.

In Russia, this direction is under development. There is no competition. A business that will create exclusive scents for customers and offer services in the form of installation of diffusers and fillers with aromatic substances is doomed to great success and high profits.

Sale of door handles with a disinfecting effect

Public institutions and transport, medical institutions, retail outlets and banks are visited by a lot of people throughout the day. Everyone knows that the door handles and handrails in the buildings of these institutions accumulate a huge amount of germs, many of which are quite dangerous.

The English company Altitude Medical has proposed a chic and effective way to combat infection - innovative door handles Pullclean. Inside these products, a dispenser with a disinfectant is installed. Everyone who touches this handle and opens the door receives a small portion of the substance and reliable protection against infectious and bacterial diseases.

The innovative door handle will go on sale at the end of the year. The manufacturer set the cost of each item at $200. Those who start offering these door handles to their customers will see significant profits, as the interest in this innovation has been huge. This is only the first of the products of an absolutely new direction. Soon, new products will appear on the market that will protect people from various viruses. For entrepreneurs, this direction promises very optimistic prospects.

Roll sales terminals

This idea is a huge success in European countries. Manufacturers of special vending machines for drinks, crackers, sweets and chips have proposed a new model. These machines are specialized for the sale of rolls.

Until that time, the dish could be ordered only in some restaurants and sushi bars. The technology of their preparation is simple, but requires precise proportions. A huge increase in demand for rolls has been noticed in all countries. Now the dish can be bought in a regular terminal. Those who have already purchased special machines are talking about significant profits that have exceeded the most optimistic forecasts. If you are already in the kiosk service industry or planning to enter this business, buying such a machine would be a great investment. The initial cost of the device is 150,000 rubles.

Advertising + weather forecast

The idea to combine clothing advertising with information about the current state of the weather came from a French company. The advertising billboard is equipped with special software and a weather sensor. Images of girls in outfits change depending on temperature and humidity. If it is raining, the model is dressed in a raincoat and holds an umbrella in her hands; in hot weather, the girl is in a light dress; it is colder - in a warm coat or fur coat.

This technique has significantly increased sales of clothing stores, but can also be used in the restaurant business. For example, billboards can show dishes that are suitable for a certain time of day or recommended for consumption under specific weather conditions.

Custom houses

A wide range of mortgage loans, the emergence of new building materials and "smart" technologies have increased the chances of every family to acquire their own home. Cottage villages are growing like mushrooms after rain. House owners compete with each other in the size and beauty of cottages, the originality of the design of the backyard, install energy-saving systems and other novelties that allow you to get maximum comfort at a bargain price.

But many want to get a unique home. The demand for custom designs is extremely high. If you are in the design and construction industry or are just planning to enter this business, carve out a niche for creating unusual homes. It is still free here, and the number of people who want to get unique housing or office space is growing at an unthinkable pace.

Temporary personal chauffeur

This service was offered by one of the European taxi services. In big cities, many customers order a car every working day in order to take their children to school and get to work. In the evening, the situation repeats itself - you need to call and wait for a taxi for some time to get home, drop by for shopping. During the working day, for many entrepreneurs and office workers, traveling to a business meeting or other company business also involves the need to use transport.

The essence of the new service is the conclusion of an agreement with a taxi service for a certain period of time. Travel schedule and possible changes are discussed in advance. After that, the client receives a personal taxi, gets rid of the need to call a car and wait for its arrival. At the specified time, a personal driver with a car will be waiting for him at the entrance.

“Big Gay Ice Cream”

Now it is a developed network of cafes, although back in 2009, the activity began with a small van for selling ice cream and shakes. The essence of the idea is very simple, but effective. BGIC offers original and amazingly delicious combinations of ice cream toppings: lime curd, vanilla cookie crumble, pumpkin jam. Another secret of popularity is the original and memorable names of sweets.

Blacksmith

This is an unusual coffee shop. Its creators and visitors are fans of the Queen group. Photos of Freddie Mercury and other musicians of the group hang in the hall. From time to time one of the group's compositions sounds in the coffee shop. At this moment, the first in line customer receives the ordered drink for free. The slogan of this action: "When Queen plays, Freddie pays!".

Booty's Street Food

The owners of this restaurant in Louisiana traveled the world for a long time and studied the peculiarities of national cuisines. They have chosen, learned how to cook and offer their visitors the most popular, classic dishes from street vans around the world. But this is not enough for restless businessmen. The feature of the restaurant was a hidden art gallery located in the restroom.

carousel bar

In the center of this huge bar is a real working carousel. This is an old carousel. They don't ride on it. The carousel has huge photographs of the most interesting and popular places of the historic Royal Street. Visitors sit around the carousel and watch the exciting spectacle of changing pictures of local attractions. Also, the bar offers a huge number of original cocktails.

"Crock Spot"

Translated, the name of the food truck chain means "Egg Slut". The choice of the brand name turned out to be very successful, it is funny and remembered instantly. But the main feature of the business is that all dishes are prepared using eggs. There are also amazingly delicious branded recipes. It turned out that many people are willing to pay for it. The network is very popular and continues to expand, opening new points.

Forbes Island

This restaurant is located on the water in San Francisco Harbor. In addition to the magnificent and rare views that open from the windows and terrace of the restaurant on the water, visitors are offered gourmet dishes. There are banquet halls and special menus for various holidays. The restaurant is a huge success, it is often booked for special occasions.

“Gatherball”

It is a social network for travelers. Users, going on vacation, have the opportunity to get useful advice from experienced travelers who know the most interesting places on the chosen route. On the network you can find out what modes of transport are best to get to, about the best hotels and other features of the route.

This is a mobile application. It gives additional motivation to people who decide to start playing sports. If you visit the gym regularly, pleasant bonuses in monetary terms are credited to your account, truants are fined. It turns out that those who skip workouts pay people who managed to force themselves to work out.

Honor & Folly

This is a vintage hotel, designed in the spirit of an inn from the beginning of the last century. The style is perfectly maintained, and this attracts so many guests. An additional marketing gimmick is the regular cooking classes from local chefs held at this hotel.

"Hot Doug's"

This is a well-known Chicago chain of eateries, which became famous for the original hot dogs. For example, there are rattlesnake sausages on the menu. Branded recipes for sauces and snacks also attract customers.

This is one of the best and most famous burgers in Boston. Customers love this place because of the delicious dishes, but the main reason for its huge popularity is the themed menus that change every week.

This is a bar in Los Angeles that offers unique drinks to customers. Spirits are added to traditional Thai tapioca ball tea. Branded alcoholic bean cocktails are very popular, and the institution does not experience a lack of customers.

This is a restaurant in New York. The feature of the institution is the constantly changing chefs. Restaurant visitors have the opportunity to taste the dishes of culinary art stars. Also, here they give an opportunity to prove themselves to unknown beginners. After a week of work in LTO, many new stars appeared.

“MakeItFor.Us”

This is an online marketplace. Its users get the opportunity to order the production of any things seen in real life or social networks. Another part of the users are the masters of various directions who carry out these orders.

“Maximus/Minimus”

This is a van that cooks and sells incredibly delicious and original pulled pork sandwiches. The van itself is also remarkable, it looks like a large pig made of metal. The business operates in Seattle.

Miso & Ale

This is a family run pub in Honolulu. The owners offer visitors dishes of national Hawaiian cuisine, prepared only from local and seasonal ingredients. Unique recipes, exemplary service, freshness and organic products have made the pub one of the most beloved places in the city and a tourist attraction.

Chain of stores in New York. The best tailors work here, who sew men's suits to order. You can place an order online, but you need to come to the salon to try on. The network offers several hundred varieties of fabrics and many models of costumes that can be selected using a special computer program with visualization. The cutters take many different measurements and work with innovative tailoring technology. As a result, the client receives a suit that fits his figure perfectly.

Pangea Pal

This is an online service for travelers. Going to an unfamiliar city, service users find people who live in it. After getting to know one or more locals, the traveler arranges a personal meeting or receives valuable advice on visiting the most interesting sights, choosing a hotel or shopping places.

A couple from Houston bought an old bus, restored it and created an original photo booth. The service is in great demand at various celebrations and parties. Clients order a mobile photo booth very often, because after a preliminary reservation, it arrives at the appointed time directly to the place of the holiday.

“Restaurant Jezebel”

This is an upscale restaurant in Austin. Visitors are not offered a standard menu, but are asked about taste preferences and, based on the information received, they prepare a unique gourmet dinner. Here you can taste rare varieties of wine, pamper yourself with an elite cigar and get chic service.

“SomethingStore”

This is an online store with a very original concept. Customers pay $10, but don't know what they'll get in return until they receive the order. It can be anything from a piano to household items or a funny hat. Despite the stupidity of the idea, the service has many fans. People are attracted by the possibility of pleasant and exciting anticipation and surprise, which they experience during the receipt of their purchase.

“The Beer Dabbler Store”

This is a specialized beer store. Here you can buy barrels, original glasses, equipment for selling beer and clothes with logos of the most famous breweries. The assortment of the store includes art objects and beer-themed souvenirs. Also, customers are offered novelties, for example, beer soap or stylish candles in figured beer bottles.

“The Best Fish Taco in Ensenada”

This is the best place in Los Angeles serving the most delicious fish tacos in town. Having chosen a narrow specialization, the owner of the buffet has achieved perfection in his direction. Local tacos are truly recognized as the best in the city. The entertainment program of this institution also deserves attention. Comedy nights are organized here. The best comedians of the country perform on a small buffet stage.

“The Big Board”

At first glance, this is an ordinary bar, of which there are a lot in Washington. But the establishment has developed a unique beer pricing system. Its value changes depending on demand, as in a financial exchange. There is a huge board hanging on the wall of the bar, all types of beer are not listed and changes in its price are made in real time. Also, the bar offers burgers with 1005 natural ingredients.

“The Boring Store”

In translation, the name means "Shop of boring things." Chicago patrons and residents alike know that the sign is in direct conflict with the store's actual inventory. They sell everything that super-agents might need. The chip worked, there is no end to tourists and local buyers. In fact, the store was set up to raise funding for a non-profit learning center for emerging writers located in the same building.

This is an online store that specializes in selling a wide variety of things for people who are passionate about advanced technology. Among the buyers of the store are programmers, students, technical specialists, people who create and are fond of various areas of Internet culture. In addition to advanced and necessary things in the work on the creation of new inventions, the store offers various knick-knacks, for example, Minecraft-themed souvenirs.

The idea of ​​this business is to create unique perfumes to order. The company has its own fragrance recipes and invites customers to create new compositions. Everyone has the opportunity to be trained in the basics of creating perfumes. There are special courses for students planning to work in the perfumery field.

Zombie Apocalypse Store

This is a store in Las Vegas. This store stocks everything you need to survive if the zombie apocalypse comes. Here you can buy weapons that are effective against zombies, protective equipment, a supply of food and many other things that will come in handy with the onset of the collapse of the existing order of things and social order. Needless to say, the store is very popular with tourists, fans of the fantasy genre, and people who are hosting or planning to attend themed parties?

“Unclaimed Baggage Center”

This store sells items from lost and unclaimed luggage. A certain percentage of travel bags and suitcases do not find their owners. After the measures taken by the airline to find the owners of the baggage, forgotten and lost items are sent to a special storage. A clause of the agreement between the airline and the passenger comes into force, according to which, after the specified time, the baggage is opened and the items are sent for sale.

These products make up the assortment of the store. They are cleaned, processed and sold to everyone at a low price.

Studying the experience of European startups, as well as the opinions of experts in the field of entrepreneurship, it is possible to single out 10 promising business segments that are relevant for Europe and, to a large extent, for Russia.

 

Europe today is an extremely “motley” market. However, it is believed that there is a place for both traditional business segments and innovative ones. The Moneymaker Factory business portal has selected for you 10 new business ideas in Europe (5 are business concepts and 5 are already working business models).

Business concept: hygge leisure goods store

Popularity: Denmark, UK

The word "hygge" is of Danish origin. In the original, the word sounds like hygge and means "comfort" (understood as home). The Danes are a northern, sedate people who cannot do without comfort at home, and, in addition, promote their own values ​​in terms of arranging life among other Europeans.

The main idea of ​​hygge is to furnish a home with simple and inexpensive, but at the same time helping to completely disconnect the owner from pressing problems - at work, in business, in relationships - things. It is possible, of course, that there are already hygge things in the house, but it is important to find them in time, as well as to use them correctly.

Video about what is hygge:

So, a typical home that has everything for hygge will have:

• soft, ultra-comfortable sofa - for the owner to spend the whole evening on it after work (or even the whole weekend);
• a set of large cups designed for the slow and intoxicating use of tea and coffee during the evening;
• a set of foamy bath flavors - which the owner will take after tea;
• a pleasant book, the best of classical literature.

And an indispensable condition - no electronics around. The idea of ​​hygge is to abstract a person from the world of gadgets and television, e-mail and SMS, to communicate with himself, close friends, or at least with a cat or a dog – and, of course, face to face.

An enterprising European has every chance to make money using the hygge hobby as a business idea. To do this, he needs to organize a specialized store where a person who has discovered hygge can buy everything listed above for a reasonable fee.

Business concept: applied political consulting

Popularity: UK

Over the past few years, political processes in Europe have been developing at an unprecedented pace. It comes to literally redrawing the political map of the continent: the British made the famous Brexit, and it is likely that they will not do the same. The West and East of Europe now and then strive to stab each other with yet another economic sanction, internal contradictions are aggravated.

In a word, a European who is accustomed to a measured life, albeit an experienced entrepreneur, can literally go round from ongoing events in an attempt to understand how to be and develop a business (or develop oneself) if the next major market is unavailable or if the national currency is unpredictable jumping in which direction?

It would be great, according to British experts, who are thoroughly adept at overcoming the consequences of global political events - which their home state knows firsthand, for any interested person to have a chance to turn to knowledgeable people for reasonable advice on such issues. Now, there are no qualified services on the consulting market that, for example, would explain to inexperienced Europeans:

• how will business go when Britain leaves the EU de jure and de facto;
• where to sell farm products, if not to Russia;
• what is realistic to expect from the governments of countries in southern Europe, whose economies are mired in debt;
• what business ideas in Europe in 2017 and beyond will be relevant given the changes in the markets.

It turns out that the European business community and not only is in need of applied political consulting - instead of daily TV populism. Such consulting is a worthwhile business idea, since knowledge in this part can be sold very well. The main thing is that they are presented in a qualified manner.

Business concept: alternative fitness

Popularity: UK

Going to a fitness club for Europeans turns into a routine, and often does not give the necessary emotions to lovers of a healthy lifestyle. According to British experts, there is a clear shortage of “alternative” fitness concepts on the market that would offer amateur athletes, and maybe professionals, the opportunity to experience sensations that effectively complement, or even replace the pleasant, but boring heaviness from the bench press or air the ease of running along a monotonously spinning track in the gym.

What exactly can attract visitors to an “alternative” fitness center? Something like:

• classes with elements of virtual reality (when running on the track visually takes place in a virtual forest or in a stadium - thanks to the use of Oculus Rift glasses or their analogues);
• workouts with elements of enthusiasm and fun (such as cross-country jumping around the gym on jumper springs);
• individual and collective training with overcoming obstacles (for example, in the form of a truck that must be pulled to the side in order to move on to the next obstacle).

Such a European business idea as alternative fitness is another example of a business segment that has not yet been formed. At the same time, its potential capacity can be gigantic and comparable to the scale of activities of ordinary fitness centers.

Business concept: release of copyright 3D products

Popularity: UK

Today, 3D printers are available to everyone. But very few, according to British experts, have tried to make a business on the production of author's products, which are so easy to make even at home. The software supplied with modern 3D printers allows you to create quite complex product templates, among which there may be the most popular and sold items on the European market. For example:

• crockery, kitchen utensils;
• Christmas decorations;
• home decor items;
• Goods for pets;
• details for furniture, automobiles;
• toys.

Author's concepts can become quite competitive with factory ones and form a promising business idea. The attractiveness of such concepts can be increased by personalizing the production of 3D products, which at the appropriate level may be unattainable in large enterprises.

Business concept: Clean food specialty store

Popularity: UK, Italy

We are talking about "purity" in terms of the absence of content in the composition of such components as, for example:

• sugar;
• gluten;
• milk.

The priority in the formation of the assortment in the store can be determined taking into account various national gastronomic traditions. For example, in Italy and Ireland, the gluten diet is equally popular, but the Italians consume much less sugar than the Irish.

Europe, according to British experts, lacks stores that could specialize in the corresponding "clean" products. Millions of markets are open for the implementation of the corresponding business idea - represented by people who are on a diet, and simply have special nutritional preferences.

Working business: mobile application for targeted savings

Business: Qapital (Sweden).

In Europe, buying an expensive thing, even if there is no free money, is not a problem, since a loan with minimal interest rates is easily taken for this. However, the founders of the Stockholm-based startup Qapital suggest that citizens begin to refuse overpayments to banks and effectively accumulate money to make the necessary purchase on their own.

The main thing, according to Swedish entrepreneurs, is to determine the specific purpose of savings. After that, trust the automatic personal budget management algorithm implemented in the Qapital application.
This algorithm assumes that the user will quietly form free money due to:

1. Differences between planned costs and actual costs.

   For example, if a person enters a cafe expecting to spend 3 euros there, but in fact (as an option - because of discounts that he did not know about) spends 2.50, then 50 saved eurocents go to savings.

2. Rounding expenses.

   Buying sandwiches for 2.39 euros every day, a person can easily write down 2.50 euros in expenses, and after some time (as an option, in a month) - find that his actual expenses are much lower due to the "virtual discount" of 11 euro cents from every sandwich.

Small and often subtle savings or "virtual discounts" can turn into free and sufficient capital to buy a new thing.

A working business: organizing the acceptance of Bitcoin payments

Business: Pey (Germany)

Cryptocurrency Bitcoin is becoming de facto one of the popular payment methods. For European experts, it is obvious that this trend will soon consolidate and de jure, despite the fact that legislators in developed countries are far from always loyal to Bitcoin.

If the cryptocurrency nevertheless turns into a completely legal means of payment, it will very soon become in demand not only when paying for goods and services through a browser, but also offline. There will be a question about the organization of effective "acquiring" of payments using accounts in the Bitcoin system - so that in terms of convenience and efficiency this method of payment is not inferior to card transactions.

The German startup Pey offers the business community technologically advanced in structure, but simple in execution, hardware solutions that allow the interested store to introduce special terminals for accepting payments through Bitcoin accounts of buyers. In the absence of competitors, the Germans have the right to count on a monopoly position in this potentially extremely promising market segment.

A working business: a mobile application instead of a key

Business: nello (Germany)

Considering what small business ideas in the field of high technologies in Europe may deserve attention, you can pay attention to another unusual German startup - nello. It embodies another interesting approach to the use of mobile applications on smartphones and tablets.

Mobile applications are a powerful tool for increasing comfort in relation to a person's use of various familiar things. Including even the simplest ones - such as opening the front door with a key.

The founders of the German startup nello offer users to forget about everyday worries about lost house keys and use a reliable mobile application as a lock opening tool. Using it (in combination with a specialized door lock) the user can:

• set the opening of the door lock automatically - as the user approaches the house (which is determined by his GPS coordinates);
• open the lock by voice command via smartphone;
• open the lock manually via smartphone;
• set the opening of the lock on time.

Signals are exchanged between the smartphone with the nello app and the locking device via secure cloud-based wireless interfaces. If desired, a person can, using a mobile device, let a friend or visiting relative come to his apartment.

Working business: portable scales as a mobile accessory

Business: YuScale (Germany)

For a European, it is in the order of things to zealously monitor your diet and habits that are associated with food intake. An important aspect of this attitude to food is its regular weighing. It allows a person to control whether the norm in the consumption of a particular product is not exceeded (or vice versa, whether it is fulfilled - if required).

At the same time, the scales sometimes have to be used often. Thus, the world-famous diet program, in which a person reduces the consumption of a favorite and at the same time harmful product (for example, sweets) at an extremely slow pace - by 0.1-0.2 percent per day or even per week, requires literally weighing every sandwich you eat, or even a canapé.

The German startup YuScale came up with an interesting solution – an ultra-portable scale the size of an average smartphone, connected to it as a mobile accessory that, like the main gadget, you can always carry with you and use when you need it.

But this is far from the full functionality of the YouScale platform. The user can take a picture of the food located on the plate, after which, by highlighting the main ingredients of the dish in the picture and noting their nutritional value (according to the classifier built into the application), calculate the calorie content of their breakfast, lunch or dinner.

Working business: "free" restaurant

Business: Der Wiener Deewan (Austria)

Traditional European restaurants have been making money for hundreds of years in the same way: adjusting the pricing policy for each dish to the cent and doing everything to make the client generous with a tip. The Austrian institution Der Wiener Deewan, opened by Pakistani migrants, offers Europe a business idea: to start a different, postmodern approach to winning customer loyalty: in the restaurant in question, none of the dishes sold have a price, that is, formally the institution is free. The client can, having come there, eat as much as he wants - and pay for what he eats as much as he sees fit.

The concept of interaction with consumers, implemented by Austrians of Pakistani origin, is not new (for example, a similar restaurant Pay As You Please previously operated in Ireland), however, it is not widespread enough to form a full-fledged market segment. But this is within the power of European restaurateurs.

When looking for working business ideas, aspiring entrepreneurs often turn to someone else's experience. One of the most popular ways to find a business idea is to look at what's going on overseas.

But it is worth considering that the markets of different countries are still very different from each other. It is one thing for advanced economies like the United States and Singapore to be head and shoulders above other countries in terms of development, and quite another for Iran and Bangladesh to develop at a rapid pace but only follow global trends, not set them.

Already today on the Russian market you can find a lot of ideas peeped abroad. They differ only in the degree of borrowing. You can simply copy someone else's idea and expect it to "shoot" due to the lack of competitors. “Success abroad does not always mean success in Russia. Couponers and some sharing services were not so lucky, ”says Mark Kapchits, founder of the service for managing courier delivery Bringo.

This once again indicates that even the most fashionable and creative foreign idea may not be in demand in Russia. And the thing is that it is simply uninteresting to the local population. In addition, you need to understand that a Western startup and a Russian startup are two different things, and take into account the specifics of your country: a different level of bureaucracy, state support, legislation, and even the mentality of the population.

Blindly copying a foreign idea is not worth it. But it still makes sense to be inspired by examples from other countries, and then adapt them to the Russian market. We offer you to get acquainted with business ideas from abroad, which promise to become especially popular in 2016.

Booking Platforms

We are all somehow familiar with the Airbnb service, which allows you to rent an apartment in another city or country while sitting at your computer at home. However, when it first appeared in 2008, the service itself was new. Now this market is actively developing, and Airbnb analogues appear in other industries.

Services like Airbnb, aimed at vacationers and travelers, are already successfully mastering the market, but services aimed at business owners and allowing you to rent space for a short time to work are just beginning to appear.

At the same time, the workspace refers not only to the usual offices and conference rooms, but also, for example, places for yoga classes.

At the same time, there are many other areas where online booking platforms could be created. Currently, the most attractive and vacant niche in terms of profit is platforms for booking venues for events (birthdays, corporate parties, weddings). Such a service can bring good income if you manage to attract a sufficiently large number of site owners and potential customers to cooperation.

This is proved by the example of the Russian service for booking venues for holding parties BASH!Today, which in just 7 months of operation conducted transactions for more than 11 million rubles.

It is worth mentioning right away that the service was not copied from abroad.

Mikael Saakyants

Founder of BASH!Today

The business idea was born after the decision to hold a party one Sunday evening. The desire to gather guests and have a good time ran into one obstacle: the lack of a suitable venue. In the end, I managed to find it, but in the process of searching, I realized that I was far from the only one who was faced with the problem of the lack of a suitable venue for events.

I did not search for similar services in Russia or abroad until last autumn. But in our country until recently there were no such services.

I can say that there is no strong player in this area in the world yet, such as Airbnb. The niche is not yet occupied, especially in Russia.

Today, the BASH!Today service works only in Moscow so far, and it is planned to expand it to the whole country soon.

However, you still have time to open something similar in your city. Or master a slightly narrower niche, for example, the selection of venues for weddings. Projects with a broad focus only partially cover the theme of wedding events, but a service aimed strictly at places where you can have a wedding can become very popular.

"Smart" technology

For decades, people have dreamed of a future where refrigerators would self-order groceries that were about to run out. But for the time being, most of us, in the old fashioned way, take a leaflet with a list of products with us to the store. At the same time, today most of the devices can be monitored in one way or another using a smartphone.

But for now, we're just skimming the surface: most of us don't get beyond using Fit Bit. That is why the creation of "smart products" is a great business opportunity.

To make a device “smart”, it is often enough to just add a sensor and the ability to transfer data via Bluetooth. And the example of various fitness accessories that allow you to monitor your heartbeat, breathing, the number of steps taken per day proves that making almost every accessory "smart" is profitable.

So many today track their activity and performance using watches, headphones, clothes and shoes.

A Quick Look at the Crowdfunding Platform Kickstarter, which can be used to determine which startups are generating the most interest, shows that many new "smart" devices are about to take over the market. Among them, for example, a luggage bag Neit trackable via GPS and device WiFithing, remotely monitoring the heating and lighting in your apartment.

In the near future, the number of devices that will allow customers to improve the kitchen without spending a lot of money will increase. Among these inventions Smarter Mat- a rubberized mat that can be put in a refrigerator or cupboard, and with its help you can find out which products placed on it are about to run out. With your permission, this device can even order these products from the online store.

Another similar device The Fridge Cam- can be built into any refrigerator. It takes a picture of what's in the fridge with the date and sends it to a special app on your smartphone. And finally, Smarter Detect- a device that responds to signals from your oven, microwave or dishwasher and sends a notification to your smartphone.

Natural and organic cosmetics

Consumers increasingly prefer natural and organic cosmetics. According to the British marketing agency Mintel natural beauty products are used by 42% of buyers. The British believe that organic products are better for the environment.

And besides, today, more than ever, it is important for buyers what exactly is included in their cosmetics. To be convinced of this, it is enough to visit the exhibition, which presents natural, organic, ethical (not tested on animals) beauty products from around the world. In February 2016, 33 thousand visitors came to it.

Obviously, natural and organic products are a key trend in the development of the beauty industry in the coming years. At the same time, the number of products that look like they were just made right in the kitchen, but at the same time reflect the latest cosmetic trends, is growing.

The easiest way is to start your home production of natural cosmetics

Many people do this, for example, by making soap with their own hands and selling it at various markets and specialized stores. But the competition among soap makers is great, and you can not get so much for one product.

Another interesting and much less expensive way to build an organic business is to create a subscription service for organic cosmetics. A visitor comes to your site, subscribes for a certain period of time for a certain fee, and you send him a set of ingredients from which he can make cosmetics on his own.

You can work according to this scheme not only with components for home masks, but with ready-made products of foreign and Russian brands, which can not be bought in every store. For example, this is what the Russian service does Live Organic Box, whose subscribers receive six boxes of organic creams, oils, "household chemicals", products and even clothes per year.

The service began work shortly before the onset of 2016, although the very idea of ​​​​its creator Tatyana Mikhailenko appeared much earlier. Tatyana herself says that the idea was born from a long-standing passion for "organic", and was not spied on by foreign colleagues. This is probably true, but in the west, similar subscription services for organic cosmetics, such as Vegan Cuts Beauty Box, have been operating for more than a year. One way or another, in Russia this niche, one might say, is empty.

Business withInstagram

Fancy Bars

Ordinary bars and restaurants no longer satisfy millennials. An audience aged 25 to 34 is looking for more original ways to spend free time. Today, young people, who are most often spent on entertainment, are constantly trying to acquire some new experience.

You can play on such a penchant for novelty by opening an unusual institution. For example, a bar where everything from the bar to the glasses is made of ice. Such institutions first appeared in Finland in the late 80s, and then spread throughout the world. In Russia, however, ice bars did not take root: several of them opened in Moscow, but were closed.

But the cafe, where they eat in complete darkness, fell to the taste of the Russians. The first such institution called DansleNoir? opened in Paris in 2004. And in 2006, a similar restaurant opened in Moscow. Over time, the same establishments began to open in other Russian cities.

If such extremely unusual establishments do not seem like a good idea to you, you can do it easier and open a cafe with team sports games, such as ping-pong or darts. Or use modern technology, as the coffee chain did ITbar, where instead of the usual tables are interactive. With the help of such tables, you can familiarize yourself with the menu, and check your social network account and even watch a movie. In total, four such coffee houses have opened in Russia.

If you are thinking about opening your own unusual bar, keep in mind that Russian catering is going through a rather difficult situation today.

Due to the crisis, many establishments had to close. On the one hand, this is a big minus, because it is quite difficult to develop in a falling market. On the other hand, the fewer players on the market, the fewer competitors you have. If you offer customers an interesting way to spend their leisure time and affordable prices, then you have every chance to successfully implement the idea of ​​your unusual cafe.

Some of the identified trends will be relevant around the world, others may remain misunderstood. On the Russian market, you can find a lot of examples when successful business stories abroad failed or, on the contrary, “fired”.

One way or another, before embarking on the implementation of a foreign business idea, it is necessary to check its potential in your region. Find out whether it will be in demand, whether it will face legal restrictions, and then decide how exactly to adapt it to Russian reality and whether it is worth doing it at all.