The 5 Most Promising Tech Startups of 2012
The five most promising tech startups of 2012 offer innovative and creative solutions. You may already be familiar with visionary sites such as Pinterest, Kickstarter and Eventbrite. These startups are now catching fire with the public, while Teamie and Pawngo are in the primary stages of developing their audience. Many industry experts believe these five products have the greatest potential to become hits in 2012.
Teamie
Teamie is a secure social network for teachers, students, parents and school administrators. It allows everyone to collaborate on the educational process. Students use Teamie to formulate study groups, work on projects and complete assignments. Teachers can track grades, give feedback and upload assignments. Administrators and parents can monitor progress and attend virtual meetings. This start-up won the Penn Olson Startup Arena 2012 competition in Asia. Judges cited its ability to generate revenue and change the educational system. The company has offices in Singapore and India.
Eventbrite
By all indications, Eventbrite has a sunny future. This ticketing platform allows users to market their events, manage ticket sales, track attendees and create wait lists. Eventbrite also works well with search engines and PayPal. It can handle large or small events. Although it first hit the scene in 2006, Eventbrite is one of Mashable’s top startups to watch in 2012. The company is expanding to the UK, Ireland and Canada. It nearly doubled its sales in the past year. There is also speculation that Eventbrite could file an IPO in 2012
There is no denying Pinterest’s popularity. It has attracted 10 million users. This virtual corkboard lets you pin images to your web account. You can track and share your favorite fashions, celebrities, pictures or jokes. Many people use it as a tool to inspire themselves and others. Since the start of the year, the site has grown 145%. Cold Brew Labs, the company behind Pinterest, is adding features to their product, including apps and video capabilities. Experts believe there is financial potential in this social networking platform.
Kickstarter
Artists, filmmakers and developers can use Kickstarter as a way to raise funds for their projects. This site brings fundraising to a whole new level. It categorizes needs by cities, date launched, project size and type. Individuals or organizations can state the details of their project and funding goals. The site tracks the amount of money donated and the number of backers. Many people end up exceeding their financial goals by using this platform. Experts believe crowd funding is one of the most powerful fundraising techniques, as it builds a fan base while raising money. In 2012, this site has already set records for raising over a million dollars for projects such as an iPhone Elevation Dock and the Double Fine videogame studio. The World Economic Forum has cited Kickstart as a Technology Pioneer for 2012.
Pawngo
Rather than visiting a local pawnshop, many people are opting to use Pawngo to raise money. This site will help you trade your item for money. They will do an online assessment of your possession. After you receive an email offer, you can FedEx your possession to them at their expense. They will send you money through your bank account. When you pay back the loan, Pawngo will mail your item back to you. Some experts are predicting that this company will revolutionize the pawn industry.
