Every year on July 4, Americans honor Independence Day, commemorating the Declaration of Independence of the United States in 1776. On this rather iconic national day, Americans celebrate their freedom with fireworks, family barbecues, picnics and parades.
Independence Day is also a time when many Americans reflect on their history and traditions. One trait that has been ingrained in the American psyche and culture is entrepreneurship. Americans have long worshiped entrepreneurs and been fascinated by the entrepreneurial journey. Rarely has this been more evident than in the current startup ecosystem in the US. In Silicon Valley, Silicon Alley and other hubs throughout the country, startup founders have developed concepts to disrupt everything from how Americans – and people around the world for that matter – shop to how they travel and connect with one another.
To celebrate the DCMN way, we took the occasion to ask our New York team about their predictions of the B2C US startups to watch right now. Here are their picks for companies who are disrupting industries and setting the stage for huge growth.
Aaptiv
Trying to stay fit without the help of a trainer, can be difficult and trying to do it while traveling can seem downright impossible. With audio-based workouts, Aaptiv has become one of the fastest-growing mobile fitness products on the US market. They’ve democratized personal fitness instruction and helped people embrace the routines that work best for them. Whether it be a morning run, a midday yoga session or a bedtime meditation, Aaptiv helps users reach their fitness goals without the hefty cost of a personal trainer.
Care/of
The wellness industry in the US is booming and what better way to stay healthy than with vitamins? Personalization is key and Care/of is the opposite of a one size fits all solution. Personalized vitamin packs are tailored to each individual customer based on diet and lifestyle and in addition to the recommended vitamins, customers are able to select which pills they keep or remove. The fact that the small pill packs are convenient for travel makes it even easier for users to remember to take their supplements.
Allbirds
At a time when sustainability is increasingly becoming a priority for brands across the globe, Allbirds came out of the gate with an environmentally friendly approach at the heart of its business model. The company created an entirely new category of comfortable shoes inspired by natural materials. In addition to its variety of sustainable footwear, the company has also reimagined shoe packaging and uses 90 percent post-consumer recycled cardboard, which serves as a shoebox, shopping bag and mailer.
LOLA
Born from the question “What’s in our tampons?”, LOLA is dedicated to providing women with an ever-expanding portfolio of trusted products and candid information so they can make deliberate and informed decisions about their reproductive health. Its subscription service allows customers to have tampons and other products delivered directly to their home and the company gives back to women in need by donating period products to charity partners.
Felix Gray
On a mission to make eyes happier in a digital world, Felix Gray reinvented computer glasses to be both beautiful and effective, while filtering blue light and eliminating glare. At the heart of the brand is a desire to educate consumers and make eyewear that is both affordable and high quality. The brand’s unisex frames work on a wide variety of face shapes and they offer free shipping and returns within 30 days of purchase. This way Felix Gray makes it easier for customers to buy and try without ever having to leave home.
If you feel like we’ve missed a company here that should be mentioned, let us know! If you want to know more about finding the best ways to grow your brand – on Independence Day and any other day of the year – then let’s talk! hello@dcmn.com
