▲ ▼ Find your customers by the problem you are solving
This post explains why we should focus on validation, how needgap platform helps with it and how startup community can gain from this platform.
Startup Ideas
A successful startup idea has two main parts, a problem which needs to be solved
and a solution good enough that people having the problem would pay for it.
Underestimating the need to validate the problem and its solution is the top
most reason for a startup to fail, as they end up building something which
nobody wants.
The primary reason being, overestimating a personal idea as a startup idea without clear understanding of a problem due to cognitive biases i.e. finding a problem to fit to what we think is a great startup idea; very often it is not.
This problem is very prevalent, contributing to startup failures at a phenomenal rate yet there is no viable solution for this need-gap. Hence I am creating a platform aptly named needgap for anyone to post their need-gap for finding or creating solutions which could become viable startup products.
What does it do
The needgap platform provides a way for consumers, entrepreneurs and startups to collaborate in validating problems and solve them by executing startup ideas.
How does it work
A consumer, can submit a problem which
does not have a solution for them and hence there exists a need-gap. They can come to needgap by searching for a solution to their problem on any search engines. Consumers who
face that problem or know an existing solution for that problem can vote for the
problem and discuss about it in the comments. They can click on 'I WILL PAY FOR THAT' for startup ideas or MVP in the comments to validate it.
A startup, can respond to a problem for which it has a solution or is building a
solution. A startup can validate its solution to a problem by interacting
directly with those who are facing the problem. A startup can find need-gaps in its own products directly from its customers and fulfill it before someone else do.
Insights through subscription provides number of visits for a particular problem, top 3 countries which tells us how many are looking for a solution and where they are from. Statistics for 'I WILL PAY FOR THAT' is shown besides the comments. Monthly insights can also be received through email.
Validation cannot happen overnight, So needgap gives you all the necessary tools for you to determine whether your problem, startup idea or MVP is validated.
Design Philosophy
The needgap platform is designed with following philosophies ,
- Minimalist, needgap is as easy to use like a note pad. Idea is that the user can submit a problem as and when they face it, without any friction.
- Performant, needgap is extremely fast. It uses fraction of the data needed to load a single image on most social networks for loading the entire application.
- Flexible, needgap can be used by people of different walks of life. The need-gaps across different domains can be discussed on this platform seamlessly.
- Cognitive, needgap is a place for robust intellectual discussions which results in practical rewards. Though needgap is not a low attention-span, instant gratification platform; it is designed to be engaging without wasting time or numbing the mind. It has a robust karma system, with upvote and downvote point system to enable this.
- Private, privacy and security are of utmost importance in needgap. Even email id is optional in the needgap platform. Passwords are encrypted, hashed and so no one other than you know your password.
Problems, not startup ideas are the first class citizen
By focusing on problems as the primary subject of discussion we are trying to eliminate the cognitive biases associated with discussing the startup ideas alone. Yet, the objective of needgap is for creating validated startup ideas to solve existing need-gaps and create startups for executing it.
Etymology
The name 'needgap' is derived from need-gap analysis or gap analysis, which is a marketing/business term for an approach to identifying the unmet needs of the customers.
In this platform, 'needgap' indicates the platform itself and when used as two separate words 'need gap' or 'need-gap' signifies the term used for defining the existing gap which a startup could fulfill.
In this platform, 'need-gap' is when a problem doesn't have viable solution. So, when a user submits a problem which doesn't have a solution yet; it is a need-gap. When a solution is created in comments, it has potential to become a startup idea.
How do I start
I have a problem, I wish a startup should solve : Search whether the need gap has already been listed and submit a need-gap. Make sure you add needgap to your home screen for using it as and when you find a need-gap.
I will pay for that solution posted in the comments: Click on 'I WILL PAY FOR THAT' besides that comment.
I have a problem, for which I wish to build a solution: Validate the problem by
submitting it.
I am facing a problem, which another needgap user has submitted: Vote on that need-gap and comment your opinion. You need karma to vote, contribute via comments on some existing need-gaps to gain karma(read submission guidelines for more information).
I found a comment on the needgap, which accurately offers a solution to the problem: Click on 'I WILL PAY FOR THAT' for that comment. Vote on that comment and reply your opinion. But you would need karma to vote, please read the previous point.
I have a solution for a need-gap: Use the search feature to locate the need-gap and comment your solution to validate it.
I know a startup with solution for a need-gap: Comment about the startup and its solution to the problem.
I found a need-gap in the wild, how to participate in it: You might
see a need-gap in the wild when someone shares a need-gap from the needgap platform
online. You can either click on it to participate or scan the QR code in the
featured image with your favorite QR code scanner on your smart phone for
accessing it in mobile.