I am taking an online class in Stanford University. The class is named Technology Entrepreneurship, and it is about how we can take an idea and develop it into a real venture.
I am not good at new ideas, or to be more specific I am not good at entrepreneurial ideas, but for the purpose of the class I had to come up with a good idea.
So I came up with this portal, which it is now in Beta Version, (really a prototype), not fully functioning, but having some functionality.
It is called Web4Applications, and what it really does is to connect small business owners who have a need for an application running on the cloud for their business, with new applications developers who need their application to be promoted.
My first thought was that every small businesses can have a great benefit and maximize their opportunities by the use of internet. Day to day operations can be facilitated by cloud applications, opportunities can be maximized by making new cooperations abroad, greater promotion of products and services can be achieved. But small businesses usually run by one or two persons, who may not have the time or even the knowledge to use internet for their benefit. Also the cost of hiring extra personnel for the internet is preventing. So I came up with a service doing just that, receiving a specific request from a customer, and through searching (googling) coming up with a proposal and eventually a solution. eg I want a list of companies in Texas that have the same product as our company has.
I want the appropriate for my business online application to keep my daily costs.
I want to renew my desks. Search for styles, prizes, etc.
This service will be paid by hour, and definetely it is cheaper than having permanent personnel, or using your existing personel that they are hired for another position, to surf the net.
That was the first idea. However, I found out that it is not "difficult" to come up with an idea. The most difficult part is, as always, communication and promotion. Talk with people about your idea and get feedback. And of course give feedback ... to their feedback by taking action and making the neccessary changes to your initial thought.
So if it is difficult for me to make my idea known, may be difficult to someone else too. If by "googling" someone does not get a good rank to their product, and stays behind, may be they need a boost. Many nice new web applications do not stand out from the crowd, because developers are not marketing persons and they do not know how to promote them. Also they may have not the money for google ads, to pay SEO people, etc. From a survey I run, most of developers use facebook, but is it the right environment for them?
There are of course many places to submit someone their work. But what if there was one main portal, that web developers put their new product and someone can easily search and find what is needed?
So I came up with Web4Applications .
It is still a prototype and not fully fuctioning. What is mostly needed is a nice search. And of course a form where developers or other web professional can submit their products, which is not yet done. They can register though, and send us their web applications by mail, and so we can propose them to our clients who look for a relative application.
Developers have to pay nothing for registration and submition of their work. We will get our money from ads, when the portal become ... famous and we have many visitors who are searching. But until then, be patient!
And of course I would like to have your feedback.
