Apps are the key to entertainment and infotainment for gen-x. Today, we live in an era of uber-connectivity where tech devices, applications, and cell phones have become indispensible part of our lives. Start-ups are nowadays trying to bring in a fresh wave of disruptive technological progression across the nation. While India’s rendezvous with the digital transformation is set to continue for another decade or so, realization has come already that new age start-ups require advance solutions to improve accessibility and experience for their users. And in this context, the advent of progressive web apps has served as an ultimate solution.
A start-up ecosystem is mainly made up of five different components—namely Entrepreneurs, Investors, Talent, Bigger companies, and Accelerators & Incubators. The role of web applications here can be defined in terms of how a web application (or web technology in general) interacts with the different existing components of a start-up ecosystem.
Web Applications and Entrepreneurs
The tragic hero (as the journalists like to call her), entrepreneurs are the indispensable part of the start-up ecosystem, without which none of other components can work. Most entrepreneurs in today’s world are those who grew up reading success stories of inspiring leaders like Steve Jobs and Bill Gates. Entrepreneurs must possess the ability to adapt to changing environments, and web applications have made information more accessible for entrepreneurs, enabling them to do so.
Nowadays, entrepreneurs can also build on or refine ideas developed other entrepreneurs by leveraging on the capabilities of web applications. Also, the emergence of some web applications have made acquiring specific skill sets easier than before with the integration of online learning platforms and ed-tech tools.
Web Applications and Investors
With the demand for emerging technologies burgeoning in the start-up arena, investors just can’t stay away from tech-driven utilities anymore. Till date, investors’ interaction with web application managers has mainly been about their business investments, but to some extent, web applications are now also helping investors in the process of investing.
For instance, tools like Angel List and Gust are nowadays connecting start-ups with an array of potential investors across the globe, and providing investors instant access to powerful management tools in a secure, online environment. Predictive analysis with AI on the other hand is helping demystify the investment process for new investors, both in terms of web and mobile app development.
Web Applications and Talent
With the meaningful use of web applications, millennial start-up companies have been able to develop talent on their own, without much external support or resources. Nowadays, there are many web applications available online where one can easily see and learn new skills—something extremely crucial to stay relevant in the international start-up ecosystem.
Besides, creative individuals can also showcase their talent comprehensively using web applications such as Github and Behance, and can even land up on their dream job based on their talent portfolio featured on social platforms like LinkedIn. Hence, it can be said with confidence that web application technologies have bridged the gap intensely between employable candidates and organizations looking to hire them.
Web Applications and Bigger Companies
Many promising start-ups follow a B2B model of revenue today. In this context, the use of web applications have not only helped big companies to outsource business processes by making good use of micro services from other start-ups, but also helped them boost their own performance with the use of minimum resources.
Currently, large MNCs and corporate are using web applications like MailChimp and hunter.io to simplify business or create innovative and accessible products with a global impact. Start-ups building web apps for bigger companies also possess the opportunity to understand and evaluate cyber security threats of an organizations via technology-embedded risk assessment. Add to this, advanced features such as in-house customization is making some of the web apps more dynamic to fulfill business and sales automation needs of large corporate bodies.
Web Applications and Incubators & Accelerators
Not everyone in the start-up ecosystem can start big from the beginning; therefore it is important to have incubators and accelerators, which help small scale tech companies to scale up. A business incubator’s goal is usually to grow small businesses, duly supporting them with required technical or financial assistance. Even big tech players like Microsoft and Google have their own accelerators in place today.
Web applications of the 21st century have helped incubators and accelerators to be more accessible to start-ups. For instance, Y Combinator, an American accelerator, uses web to promote its programs and become more accessible to start-ups across the globe. Much other web technology based giant incubator and accelerator labs are nowadays also coming to the aid of new start-ups, providing assistance in launching their products in the market at minimum costs.
The Way Forward
Responsive, easy-to-customize web applications are currently solving real-time customer problems, and are regarded no less useful than hardcore mobile apps. The app development scenario is ever-changing, and hence one needs to keep pace with industry trends constantly. When seriously into the business, one should develop the ability to understand client requirements, change specifications promptly and last but not the least, sell his/her product.
With web applications now promising higher Returns on Investments and boosting productivity in almost every industry sector, time is ripe for the start-up ecosystem to focus greater attention to the usefulness of these apps, and indulge them beyond the commonly known application scenarios such as online retail sales, online auctions, and instant messaging.
By: Gaurav Gupta, Founder and Director, SquareBoat-Solutions
