Somewhere in the foundation of business startups is the idea that one of the best foundations of a good startup is actual customer need. Somebody needs or wants something, and you figure out how to get it to them or do it for them. One of the strong principles of business success.
With that in mind, here are a couple lists of things people need or want. One of them is for Web 2.0 offerings, the other for mobile tech offerings:
- Talk about great ideas. Starting with Rafe Needleman, who came up with this one on CNET. He asked the world for Web 2.0 ideas, offering a free pass to Web 2.0 2009 conference. And that produced a really interesting list. People wrote in suggesting things they’d like to see. And that’s a great way to start a business–with something somebody wants.
- The other is a collection of Windows Mobile ideas, posted here. They are presentations in video, nicely done. It gives me the impression that Microsoft has money to spend on this.
So if you’re in the tech world and have capabilities, here are some ideas. Offered to you free, which is, by the way, what an idea is worth. You add technology, management, capital, operations, marketing and getting it all done, and you have a business.
Tim Berry is the founder and chairman of Palo Alto Software and Bplans.com. Follow him on Twitter @Timberry.
