13 STARTUPS MAKING PRODUCTS & SERVICES THAT’LL MAKE YOUR LIFE MUCH EASIER THIS YEAR
Startups are like Nobel Prize-hungry scientists when it comes to artfully combining technology with practicality. Their teams tend to take things up a notch by putting on their proverbial “multiple hats” and refusing to remove them until they’ve created services, apps and devices that that’ll leave their users wanting more.
And because being an entrepreneur is all about innovation and passion, startups are usually hell bent on sharing their brainchildren with the world. Fortunately for us, our travels have given us exclusive insight into the hocus-pocus that goes on behind the doors of Europe’s most exciting startups.
From UK’s Silicon Fen to Berlin’s booming startup scene, we present to you 13 companies that we think will make people’s lives easier this year.
Before you dive in, we recommend putting on your most comfortable pants and carving out some additional time in your schedule, because you’re bound to wanna make space in your life for the tasty-looking products some of these companies are cooking up!
EasySize // Copenhagen, Denmark.
Adiós online shopping sprees from hell, and hello clothing that’s true to (your) size and actually fits your body! EasySize is a new fashion service through which everyone can define their clothing sizes easily and quickly!
Homegrown EasySize technology helps you truly define your size, whether it’s at ASOS, Zara or TopShop. All you need to do is type in your size for any one of your favourite brands and EasySize’ll wave a magic wand that converts it immediately into the right size for the brand you want to buy! We bid adieu to the hassle of returning packages of ill fitting clothes — we won’t be missing you.
HeyPlease // Madrid, Spain.
HeyPlease is hell bent on radically transforming your experience at bars, restaurants and even clubs. How? By making sure you no longer have to wrestle your way through to the bar for a beer, or hustle to get the attention of the waiter/waitress. HeyPlease takes care of all that so that you can focus on having more fun when you’re out with your pals. You can even skip the queue by ordering and paying faster through the HeyPlease app!
And because we all hate waiting, be sure to check out Amsterdam’s YES.TAP and enjoy these same perks.
Kovert Designs // London, UK.
Ladies, welcome to the future of jewelry design! Just like in a high-tech sci-fi flick, Kovert Designs is bringing you designer jewelry that connects to your smartphone via bluetooth. Choose your venom: necklaces, rings and bracelets will all connect to an app where you can filter out important notifications (like when your grandma calls or your boss sends you an e-mail on a Sunday) for which your Kovert jewelry will vibrate. Kovert Designs promises to preserve your relationships by removing the need for you to have your phone out in social situations or at dinners.
Kovert is all about empowering you to take a step away from your devices at certain points of the day, and remember how to live in the moment! It’s all about disconnecting from the noise of the world and reconnecting with yourself.
Locca // Vienna, Austria.
If you’ve ever experienced the emotional distress of losing your most prized belongings, it’s time you started living ‘La Vida Locca’. Locca is a precise in-and-outdoor locator for things, pets and children. You heard right. You can now locate anything, anywhere and at anytime and regain lost time spent searching for your sh*t, and avoid the distress of having your stuff (e.g. your bike) stolen.
Put your faith in this small and sophisticated tracking device and save yourself from worry wherever you are in the world. Amen.
fleex // Paris, France.
Who said learning a new language can’t be fun? And which language were they speaking when they said it? Whoever it was, tell them to beat it! fleex is a platform that teaches you English while you watch your favorite movies, shows, TED Talks and even Youtube videos.
Movie fans can connect their fleex to Netflix and Popcorn Time and learn away! Fleex’s integrated translator, dictionary and idiom explanation allows you to progress by using a mix of subtitles in English and your native language in the beginning. As time flies, not only will you become a pro at English, but you’ll probably end up casually dropping movie quotes into conversations like a boss!
mySugr // Vienna, Austria.
mySugr is an international diabetes health service that’s changing how people live with the condition. Just like a Swiss army Knife, mySugr offers a series of useful tools and apps, including Logbook, Importer, Quiz, and Junior. All of these are designed to help to take the sting out of living with diabetes.
Whyd // Paris, France.
Ask not who, what, when or where, but rather Why’d. Why’d is a free social music platform designed for audiophiles who like to keep, play, and share all of the music the internet has to offer. Why? Because all music lovers need their own platform that serves as a tool to organize and listen to the web, and a social network that is seamlessly integrated into the listening and curation experience.
BuyFresco // Madrid, Spain.
Whether you can’t cook or simply won’t cook, we’re afraid you might just have run out of excuses because, thanks to BuyFresco, cooking at home has never been more of a breeze. BuyFresco is a handy service where customers get a week’s worth of meal’s delivered directly to their doorsteps. Live out your chef dreams by ordering (weekly or bi-weekly) food basket stacked full of all the ingredients and recipes you need to fix yourself up a daily, hearty meal. Start your journey towards your first Michelin star, crushing mealtime haters and impressing all around en route.
Yippie! // Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Smarter shopping at the click of a button. Yippie! is a free browser add-on that automatically compares prices while you shop, saving you the time and effort. You simply activate the add-on once and you’re ready to shop smarter and enjoy the best deals. Shop as you normally would, but instead of wasting time on checking prices, you will have an instant overview of the same product at other online shops. Happy, smart shopping!
Babelverse // London, UK.
Never be lost for words again. Babelverse is the first (and only) human-powered universal translator. Used at top conferences and events, Babelverse is doing to language barriers what the airplane did to geographical barriers. And the best thing is that Babelverse will soon allow anybody to benefit from on-the-spot interpretation via their mobile device(s). So, leave your pocket translator at home, and enjoy communicating like a local when you’re abroad.
UniPlaces // Lisbon, Portugal
Leaving home is the most life changing student experience you’ll live through; multiply that sentiment when ‘the big step’ involves moving abroad. UniPlaces is helping millions of students around the world find and book their accommodation when going abroad. Whether you are going for a semester abroad, pursuing an internship, or working on a project in a different country, you can easily find and book a place to stay, allowing you to kick back a bit and just focus on the adventure ahead.
Volt // Copenhagen, Denmark.
Staying connected is not so much a nicety as a necessity these days. Volt aims to tackle that issue like a super-charged football player by delivering the best possible mobile recharging experience for smartphones at festivals and similar events where traditional power sources are not easily accessible for longer periods of time. Next time you go out, there’s no need to sweat about whether you’ll run out of juice.
YPlan // London, UK.
Because the best nights out are always the spontaneous ones. Imagine if you always had a plan in your palm and the city in your pocket… YPlan makes it incredibly easy to find, pay for, and attend the best events in the city. Browse through a curated shortlist of the best events in town every night and book in just two taps. Bonus: No need to print anything — it’s all 100% mobile!
This is just the beginning — stay tuned for more cool companies coming your way. We’re keen to know which startup product/service has changed your life this year. Drop us a comment below or just send us a good, ‘old fashioned’ message. Can’t wait to hear your insights!
