Startup Predictions for 2022
Thanks for following me in 2021 and see you next year!
The end of the year is a natural time to look back upon accomplishments and learnings in the past year and look forward to the new year. In that spirit, I’m sharing three startup predictions for 2022.
Theme #1: Preschool
Square recently announced a rebrand to Block. It reminded me of when Google rebranded to Alphabet. What do these two names have in common? Both are solid pillars of the preschool experience. For the savvy entrepreneur looking to follow in the footsteps of these tech giants, look no further than the preschool curriculum. Next year’s biggest company could be “Counting” or “Crayon.”
Theme #2: Larger than Life
Another high profile rebrand in 2021 was Facebook changing to Meta. No longer just a social network, Meta is larger than life as the gateway to the metaverse. In a similar move, eShares rebranded to Carta in 2017 to reflect its expanded ambition to map the world of asset ownership. To hit it in 2022, go big with “Colossal” or invoke higher beings with “Purpose”.
Theme #3: Old Time
In technology, we’re always chasing the cutting edge. Health tech is no exception and there’s no better way to signal how cutting edge you are by adding “modern” into your company name. Take Modern Health and Modern Fertility, for example. But investors are always looking for a contrarian edge, so I predict the next wave of startups will hearken back to the bygone eras. Doesn’t “Old Fashioned Care” or “Old World Doctors” have a ring of craftsmanship to it? Evoke nostalgia and watch the VC dollars flow in.
If you’ve read this far, then hopefully you can tell that these predictions are created with a healthy dash of holiday merriment. But who knows? Maybe, just maybe they’ll come true. Have a great holidays, and I’ll see you back in the new year!
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