4 technology ideas newbie startups can leverage to become successful

Africa is quickly becoming a hub for startups offering ingenious products and services across many verticals. What’s most interesting is that technology is leading this revolution. That’s why many countries are constructing smart cities to provide the growing interest in technology with ample room for growth. 

People can buy goods with their internet bundles, patients can schedule virtual appointments with their doctors using their phones, and university degrees can be acquired remotely.

As technology advances, more and more ideas emerge for businesses to capitalize on. While it may seem like Africa’s startup space, especially the fintech corner, is already overwhelmed with players, several areas haven’t been spotlighted yet. This means you can still venture into the highly competitive startup market, but one thing is certain. You need an idea that hasn’t been experimented with by many brands. 

For your convenience, we compiled a list of four hot tech ideas your new startup should use to penetrate the market. In general, these ideas aren’t exactly novel, but we’ll provide you with tips on how to maximize them the way others aren’t.

Read also: Want to launch a tech startup in Africa? Here are 5 ideas to consider 

Drone technology as a service 

Sure, drones are commonly used for getting aerial shots in African movies, but they can be used for other purposes on the continent. Zipline – the national drone service provider for Rwanda – is substantial proof that drone technology can solve real-world problems like medical supply delivery to underserved areas. 

But then, drone technology goes beyond the delivery of medicine or even food. Your startup can develop drones that will be used by a diverse clientele with varying needs. For instance, you can sell drones capable of security surveillance.  This kind of drone can take multiple photos and videos of a property which it can instantly relay to a smartphone or computer. Being security conscious is unlikely to wane anytime soon, so it might make sense to make drones that can promise future buyers enhanced safety. 

Already popular in the U.S. thanks to Amazon, your startup can also build drones that e-commerce businesses in Africa can use to deliver packages. Last year, Jumia partnered with Zipline to bring package delivery by drone to its customers on the continent. If it picks up, other e-commerce players will want to jump on the trend. This will be good for you. 

Consumer health devices 

Gone are the days when specific innovations were deemed exclusive to a particular region. Post-Covid, healthcare has undergone a significant transformation. Nowadays,  telemedicine enables patients to access basic healthcare without the need for a physical visit. Also worth mentioning is the wave of health-based devices ranging from fitness trackers to blood pressure monitors. 

It’s easy to limit the instances of consumer health gadgets to the above, but there’s a vast market filled with products that newbie startups can begin producing.  They include snore-silencing pillows which encourage sound rest, an eye-tracking sleep mask that could help users detect problems with their sleep patterns, urine scanners, and many more. 

It’s worth noting that startups venturing into medical devices will need to have them approved by the country’s food and drug agency before they can be sold. So ensure you have that in mind while considering this idea. 

Software as a service solutions 

Software as a service (SaaS) is a growing innovation that has revolutionized areas like payroll management and human resource management. Among its prominent features are the use of a subscription model and the fact that the software is hosted by external, not internal, servers. Some famous examples are Netflix, Zoom, and Slack. Since Saas technology is in demand, your startup should strongly consider building SaaS tools that solve modern-day problems. 

It’s worth mentioning that many verticals are already populated, so you should try the areas with low attention in Africa. You can build SaaS tools based on one or more of the following business ideas: 

• E-invoicing 
• Content planning 
• Employee engagement 
• Appointment management  
• Virtual assistants 
• CV Generator 

Chatbots 

The success of ChatGPT, Open AI’s highly intelligent tool, and other chatbots demonstrate the possibilities of conversational AI technology.  Chatbots have also been heavily used by e-commerce sites, healthcare, and other sectors to improve service delivery. As such, it’s okay to question our decision to include this idea in the list. Here’s why we feel chatbots can still help newbie startups actualize novel business ideas.

Consider the healthcare industry. You can build a chatbot where users can discuss their mental health with. Beyond responding to mental health issues with a cliché word of motivation, the bot can be programmed to play soothing sounds. This can help the user during meditation or sleep. You can also develop a chatbot that reminds people to take their medication. This will greatly benefit patients,  especially those with chronic conditions. 

You can also create a chatbot that, when integrated with the power company, notifies users about future maintenance times and blackouts. The bot should also be trained to assist with everyday queries like available bill payment channels, meter application/activation,  whistleblowing, etc.