Startup idea list

#1

Post by duck » Tue, Sep 18, 2012, 1:24 PM UTC

Five years ago today this was the top item on HN (http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=55974): Post novel startup ideas as comments and see how many karma points it receives. Who knows, one might be developed and you can take credit for thinking of the idea first.. It had some interesting ideas, some of which are solved or obsolete. Thought it might be fun to do this again.

(I run Wayback Letter, so that is how I know this odd bit of information - http://www.waybackletter.com/archive/daily/09-18-2012.html).

Re: Startup idea list

#2

Post by cryptoz » Tue, Sep 18, 2012, 1:52 PM UTC

Here's a few I've been thinking about:

- Remote aid delivery by drone: build and send small robotic aircraft to remote areas and drop aid, preferably starting with medicine (lightweight and very useful). Small helicopters (quadrotor drone copters as you see at TED/MIT) could land and accept return packages if necessary. Trips could be made to hazardous places where human-driven aid drops can't venture. Additionally, all aid drops could be done cheaper and more efficiently. [The drones should be solar-powered?]

- Microwave oven with a solid, opaque door. On the door put a nice 1020p screen and inside put video cameras. You could microwave food, see a convincing video of it cook and not have to deal with harmful radiation or an unpleasant grilled screen.

- Pizza button. I had this idea about two years ago, someone in Dubai is currently executing (I think). You order a button, a physical red button (or an app with a big button, but that's not as cool). If you press the button, a pizza arrives at your location (tracked either by smartphone or by pre-set address). Default pizza arrives unless other instructions are set. I would insist on extreme simplicity: no options, no choices. Just "press button to receive pizza".

Re: Startup idea list

#3

Post by duck » Tue, Sep 18, 2012, 1:52 PM UTC

Clickable links: http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=55974 and http://www.waybackletter.com/archive/daily/09-18-2012.html

Re: Startup idea list

#4

Post by uptown » Tue, Sep 18, 2012, 1:57 PM UTC

cryptoz wrote: post #2

Here's a few I've been thinking about: - Remote aid delivery by drone: build and send small robotic aircraft to remote areas and drop aid, preferably starting with medicine (lightweight and very useful). Small helicopters (quadrotor drone copters as you see at TED/MIT) could land and accept return packages if necessary. Trips could be made to hazardous places where human-driven aid drops can't venture. Additionally,…

The pizza button info is here, but they're out of stock: http://www.redtomato.biz/magnet/

Re: Startup idea list

#5

Post by bkanber » Tue, Sep 18, 2012, 1:59 PM UTC

cryptoz wrote: post #2

Here's a few I've been thinking about: - Remote aid delivery by drone: build and send small robotic aircraft to remote areas and drop aid, preferably starting with medicine (lightweight and very useful). Small helicopters (quadrotor drone copters as you see at TED/MIT) could land and accept return packages if necessary. Trips could be made to hazardous places where human-driven aid drops can't venture. Additionally,…

The radiation from your microwave isn't harmful, but I will admit it's kinda hard to see what's going on through that mesh.

I really like your drone delivery idea.

Re: Startup idea list

#6

Post by filip01 » Tue, Sep 18, 2012, 2:00 PM UTC

cryptoz wrote: post #2

Here's a few I've been thinking about: - Remote aid delivery by drone: build and send small robotic aircraft to remote areas and drop aid, preferably starting with medicine (lightweight and very useful). Small helicopters (quadrotor drone copters as you see at TED/MIT) could land and accept return packages if necessary. Trips could be made to hazardous places where human-driven aid drops can't venture. Additionally,…

"Remote aid delivery by drone" is something I know Matternet, a Singularity University affiliated startup, is doing: http://matternet.us/our-vision/

Re: Startup idea list

#7

Post by ionwake » Tue, Sep 18, 2012, 2:00 PM UTC

bkanber wrote: post #5

cryptoz wrote: post #2

Here's a few I've been thinking about: - Remote aid delivery by drone: build and send small robotic aircraft to remote areas and drop aid, preferably starting with medicine (lightweight and very useful). Small helicopters (quadrotor drone copters as you see at TED/MIT) could land and accept return packages if necessary. Trips could be made to hazardous places where human-driven aid drops can't venture. Additionally,…

The radiation from your microwave isn't harmful, but I will admit it's kinda hard to see what's going on through that mesh. I really like your drone delivery idea.

i too like drone delivery idea

Re: Startup idea list

#8

Post by funsi » Tue, Sep 18, 2012, 2:04 PM UTC

cryptoz wrote: post #2

Here's a few I've been thinking about: - Remote aid delivery by drone: build and send small robotic aircraft to remote areas and drop aid, preferably starting with medicine (lightweight and very useful). Small helicopters (quadrotor drone copters as you see at TED/MIT) could land and accept return packages if necessary. Trips could be made to hazardous places where human-driven aid drops can't venture. Additionally,…

Not quite the remote aid delivery, but at least a Doner Kebab delivery is the goal of this start up (in German): http://www.doenercopter.de/

Re: Startup idea list

#9

Post by danielna » Tue, Sep 18, 2012, 2:09 PM UTC

Haven't thought this through very much, but it'd address some frustrations I've been having lately. If someone can come up with a means of getting around domain squatters, that'd be amazing. Kind of like a redirect service for legitimate businesses.

Re: Startup idea list

#10

Post by BryanB55 » Tue, Sep 18, 2012, 2:10 PM UTC

cryptoz wrote: post #2

Here's a few I've been thinking about: - Remote aid delivery by drone: build and send small robotic aircraft to remote areas and drop aid, preferably starting with medicine (lightweight and very useful). Small helicopters (quadrotor drone copters as you see at TED/MIT) could land and accept return packages if necessary. Trips could be made to hazardous places where human-driven aid drops can't venture. Additionally,…

I could see myself eating pizza way too much with that button. I hate cooking and the press of a button for food would be just too tempting... Just what our society needs.