On-demand nap bars, dog-friendly cafes and ice cream delivery services are among some of the top August 2017 start-up ideas that are causing change across different industries.
Although select shoppers are drawn to the high price points of luxury items, a growing number of budget-conscious consumers are responding to brands that offer fair price points. Examples of this include Miss A, which prices all of its cosmetics at $1, Twickets, which resells tickets at face value and Brandless, which sells a variety of consumers goods for just $3.
Some of the well-established companies that are offering the ingenuity of small companies include Amazon, which recently launched a variety of new products and services, KFC launching K Pro and brands like London Drugs and Sephora launching small-format retail shops.
Top 70 Start-Up Concepts in August
70
All-Day Nap Bars
'Siesta & Go' Rents Beds and Rooms for Catching Up on Sleep
69
Fast Food Salad Shops
KFC's K Pro is a Healthy Remix on the Famous Fast Food Restaurant
68
Female-Funded Investment Firms
'Female Funders' is a Platform Helping Women Pursue Angel Investing
67
Privacy Laptop Cases
Alcove’s Laptop Case Unfolds into a Private Workstation
66
Muted Streetwear Releases
Maylee's Debut Collection Features Refined Silhouettes & Neutral Colors
65
Entrepreneur-Specific Subscription Services
The FEoNA Box is a Service for Female Entrepreneurs
64
In-Car Vending Machines
Cargo Lets Uber Drivers Earn Extra Money Selling In-Car Essentials
63
Vegan Meal Vending Machines
leCupboard Offers a Healthy, Plant-Based Vending Machine for Food
62
Urban Camping Services
Campspace Lets Users Rent Campgrounds in Urban Environments
61
Moving TV T-Shirts
The T-shirt TV Acts as an Unconventional Advertising Medium
60
Bespoke Workout Supplement Platforms
The Scoop Service Lets Users Buy Customizable Supplements
59
Luxury Short-Term Rental Services
Airbnb Lux Will be the Firm's New Ultra-Premium Tier
58
Luxury Furniture Rental Platforms
This Rental Service is Targeted Towards First-Time Homeowners
57
Custom Salad Shops
Vancouver's 'Verdura' is a Fast-Casual Independent Restaurant
56
Female-Focused Entrepreneurial Subscriptions
The 'Leader Ship Box' is Made for Professional Women
55
Affordable Subscription Meals
Dinnerly by Marley Spoon is an Affordable Alternative Meal Kit
54
Robotic Lawn-Mowing Startups
HomeVP Installs Lawn-Mowing Robots In Your Home For a Monthly Fee
53
Rescued Food Restaurants
The Newly Opened Rice Bar Turns Food Waste into Delicious Creations
52
$1 Cosmetic Retailers
'Miss A' Offers All Beauty Products on Its Site for Just One Dollar
51
Small-Footprint Beauty Retailers
'Sephora Studio' is a New Store with Same-Day Ordering
50
Architectural Home Rentals
BoutiqueHomes Offers Holiday Rentals in Design-Focused Homes
49
Inclusive Doll Wheelchairs
The Lammily Wheelchair Sets a New Standard for Inclusivity in Toys
48
Exclusive eCommerce Kidswear
'Simple Joys by Carter's' Was Created Just for Amazon Prime
47
Community Dog Cafes
Boris & Horton Hosts Dogs for Coffee and Community Events
46
Liquid Nitrogen Ice Creameries
'Lab Sense' is Toronto's Newest Spot for Nitrogen-Infused Treats
45
Shoppable Storytelling Services
'Amazon Spark' is an Inspirational, Shoppable Platform
44
Working Woman Subscriptions
The 'Mogul Box' is Curated for Female Entrepreneurs
43
Sustenance-Dispensing Fridges
Foodles is a Connected Refrigerator and Vending Machine in One
42
Booze-Infused Jams
'Drunk Jelly' Wine-Infused Jam Elevates Any PB & J Sandwich
41
Vehicle-Branded Bike Sharing
The Ford Gobikes Offer a New Bike Share Program to the Bay Area
40
Ultra-Condensed Pharmacy Shops
London Drugs is Opening a Small Store Called 'LDExpress'
39
Football Stadium Screenings
Pittodrie Events is Hosting Corporate Clients for Outdoor Movie Nights
38
Geothermal Heating Start-Ups
Google's 'Dandelion' Will Use the Earth to Heat and Cool Homes
37
One-Hour Grocery Deliveries
Tesco Now Promises to Deliver Groceries to Your Door Within One Hour
36
Millennial-Focused Pizza Apps
Pizza Hut's Loyalty App Was Designed to Appeal to a Younger Market
35
Artisanal Sandwich Eateries
'PBJ.LA' is a Destination for Crust-Free, Gourmet PB&J Sandwiches
34
Consumer-Led Beauty Product Pitches
Sephora Lets Consumers Pitch Their Own Beauty Product Ideas
33
Codeless Chatbot Software
SaaS Startup HelloBOT Makes it Easier to Connect With Your Customers
32
Spouse-Spying Rental Services
'Ginza Ladis 1' Hires Actors to Stop Your Partner from Cheating
31
Instantaneous Mobile Payments
The 'PayNow' Service Lets Singaporeans Transfer Money Through Phones
30
Retro Alcohol-Infused Sodas
The Pop Shoppe Has Introduced 2 New Alcoholic Flavors
29
Loyalty-Based Coffee Chain Apps
Caffè Nero is the First UK Chain to Offer Straight-Through Payment
28
Universally Priced CPGs
Brandless Offers Common Household Goods Priced at $3 Each
27
Predictive Model-Building Platforms
Machine Learning Platform MLJAR Uses AI for Prototyping
26
Ice Cream Delivery Services
Baskin-Robbins Will Now Deliver Through a Service Called DoorDash
25
Customizable Eye Shadow Palettes
You Can Build Your Own Eye Shadow Palettes with Bleach London
24
App Review Startups
Telescope Notifies You in Real Time of Your Latest Mobile App Reviews
23
Customized Forms Services
Formester Helps You Create Personalized Forms for Marketing Purposes
22
Collaborative Team Tools
New Visual Project Management Tool Atlaz is for Tech-Focused Firms
21
Baggage Drop-Off Services
'Knock Knock' Offers Secure Storage for NYC Tourists' Bags
20
Bus-Battery Swapping Startups
This Indian Startup Makes Electric Buses More Convenient To Operate
19
SaaS Spreadsheets Startups
Spreadsheets.site Makes it Easier to Manage and Create Websites
18
Branded Ice Cream E-Shops
Consumers May Now Purchase Ben & Jerry's Online via the Official Store
17
Employee-Focused Travel Platforms
'GoBumpFree' Helps Airline Employees Evade Cancellation Fees
16
Online Automation Builders
New SaaS Venture Omlyx Helps You Build and Manage Automated Bots
15
Healing Herbal Tonics
WanKu's Blend of 20 Herbs is Known as the Andes Mountains Healing Water
14
Trailblazing Weather Forecasting Startups
ClimaCell Offers Ultra-Precise Weather-Tracking Services
13
Revitalizing Hangover Cures
'Morning Recovery' is Based on a South Korean Hangover Cure
12
VR Service Training Programs
This Fast-Casual Restaurant Training Leverages Google Daydream
11
Modular Dart Defense Systems
'Blaster Boards' Click Together to Make a Custom Nerf War Bunker
10
Female-Focused Rideshare Services
The Pink Car Service Caters to Women, Seniors and the Disabled
9
Streamlined App Development Platforms
The 'Cloudflare Apps' Service Helps Boost Market Exposure
8
AI-Fueled Medical Startups
The 'Qrativ' Startup Uses Smart Technology to Find Disease Treatments
7
Private Online Language Lessons
Rype Offers Users Private Virtual Language Teachers
6
eCommerce Messaging Apps
Amazon Anytime Offers Voice and Video Calling, Plus Filters and More
5
Company Password Management Services
Web Dev Startup Passwork is a Password Manager for Teams
4
Face-Value Ticket Resellers
Twickets Caps the Price of Resold Tickets at Face Value
3
Automated Messaging Community Invitations
Startup Community Inviter is for Slack Communities
2
Female-Focused Homesharing Communities
Overnight's 'Girls LOVE Travel' Group Emphasizes Safety
1
Online Invoicing Software
Pi.TEAM Provides Small Business Invoicing and Accounting Services
Related Ideas
Playful Toy-Inspired Pop-Ups
The Jellycat Café Pops Up at Shanghai’s Plaza 66 to Revive Traffic
Personalized Pet-Inspired Handbags
Marc Jacobs Introduces the 'Bark Jacobs' Experience
Wellness Swap Pop-Ups
Bragg's Trendy Trade-In Helped People Exchange Fads for ACV
Celebrity Coffee Machines
Ninja Launched Its David Beckham Limited-Edition Luxe Café Pro
Nature-Inspired Coffee Boutiques
Nespresso Opens a Retail Location in Yorkdale Shopping Centre
Trend-Aligned Menu Launches
Jamba's New Summer Bundles are Inspired by Gen Z and Millenial Trends
Grocery-Inspired Beauty Pop-Ups
The Markup Marché by The Ordinary Challenges Industry Buzzwords
Limited-Time QSR Summer Menus
Starbucks' Summer Menu Revives Seasonal Favorites and Adds New Items
Fan-Created Menu Items
Creative Customer Orders Inspired the Taco Bell Fan Style Menu
Sauce-Proof Shirts
Shake Shack Created Disposable Fashion Inspired by Tray Liners
Springtime Cafe-Inspired Coffee Products
Starbucks Spring Grocery Range Embraces Lighter Flavors
Snackable Frozen Appetizers
TAST!EZ's New Products Bring Restaurant-Quality Snacks Home
Gen Z-Influenced Drink Menus
These New McDonald’s CosMc Drinks are Headed to Over 500 Locations
Ambitious Burger Month Promotion
Red Robin Runs an Ambitious Promotion for Loyal and New Customers
AI Startup Planning Tools
Startup Strategy Hub Provides AI-Driven Insights And Strategic Guidance
Multisensory Gourmand Pop-Ups
Lush's Café Gourmand Pop-Up Immerses Visitors in Cozy Scents
Functionally Focused Dog Campaigns
The Honest Kitchen's Inflatable Dogs Challenge Beauty Standards
One-Stop Wellness Marketplaces
The Market Place by Laird Superfood Curates Active Living Solutions
Reward-Based QSR Promotions
SONIC Launches the 'Snacky Hour' Promotion for Summer Dining
Social-First Local Shopping Schemes
Shop Local by Tiktok Shop Makes Homegrown Goods Accessible
Affordable Pet Products
Target Adds New Items to its Affordable Pet Brand for National Pet Month
Dog-Focused Retail Experiences
Le Bon Marché Rive Gauche is Running 'I Love You Like a Dog!'
Inclusive Pet Promotion Campaigns
Tractor Supply Company Debuts Its Purina Days Event
Experiential Student Activations
Just Eat's Hey U Up Campaign Coincides with Freshers’ Week
Human-Grade Dog Food Partnerships
The Farmer's Dog Partners with Walmart in April 2026
Customizable Cafe Drink Menus
The Official Starbucks Secret Menu is Available on the Brand's App
AI Startup Resources
AI Startup Offers 400+ Curated Tools and Guides for Founders
Business Idea Generators
Crazy Business Idea Generator Lets Users Vote and Share Ideas Socially
Competitive Cost-Conscious QSR Menus
McDonald's Under $4 McValue Menu is Arriving for Summer
Expansive Summertime Cafe Menus
Scooter’s Coffee’s Summer Menu Has Sweet and Indulgent Options
Fresh Pet Foods
Blue Buffalo is Expanding into Fresh Pet Food with Love Made Fresh
Chef-Led Meal Subscriptions
CookUnity Delivers Restaurant-Quality Meals by A-List Chefs
Crafted Fast Food Beverages
McDonald’s Expands into Refreshers, Dirty Sodas and Energy Drinks
Limited-Run QSR Releases
Weekly Wingstop Drops Share a Taste of Drop Culture
Small Business Retail Spaces
IKEA Valencia Strives to Support Small Businesses with Free Space
Compact IKEA Retail Spaces
IKEA Launches Smaller Stores Focused on Quick Visits and Essentials
Comprehensive Fast Food Reports
Yum! Brands, Inc. Explores Food Trends Influencing the Industry
Interactive Juice Boxes
Suntop's Mega Back to School Campaign Integrates Connected Packaging
Autumnal At-Home Cafe Products
The Starbucks Fall Coffee Products are Heading to Retailers Now
Dog-Friendly Dining Events
Cesar Restaurant Weekend 2025 Inspires Bonding Over Mealtime
Airport Burger Spots
Shake Shack Expands Into Multiple U.S. Airports with New Delta Air Lines Deal
Consumer-Driven Grocery Stores
The Waitrose Home of Food Lovers Concept Store is in Newbury
Aussie-Style Hot Dog Trucks
Tourism Australia is Bringing a G'day Dogs Food Truck to NYC
Experiential Grocery Campaigns
No Name launches a multi-city grocery goss campaign
Multi-Revenue Fashion Platforms
Rent the Runway expands into resale, ads and cleaning services
Custom Painted Handbag Events
Bark Jacobs by Marc Jacobs Kicked Off with an Exclusive Soiree
Luxury Travel-Ready Summer Programming
Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts Debuts New Offerings
Creator Economy-Focused Marketplaces
Teespring Marketplace Relaunches Under Parent Company Amaze
Restaurant-to-Retail Expansions
Little Sesame Secured $8.5M to Scale Its Manufacturing Operations
Throwback Grocery Campaigns
Economic Nostalgia Inspired Instacart's Summer Like It’s ‘99
Curated Discovery Stores
The Shelf Spotlights Emerging Food, Drink and Wellness Brands
Health-Conscious Kidult Meals
Café Gratitude’s $100 Happy Healthy Meal Comes with a Labubu
AI-Powered Grocery Apps
Tre'dish's Transparent Pricing Offers Real-Time, Geo-Targeted Comparisons
Plant-Based Dessert Expansions
Over the Moo Emphasizes Indulgence & Health-Conscious Recipes
Canine-Focused Wintertime Wellness Campaigns
PetSmart Marks National Walk Your Dog Month
Operator Franchise Structure Models
Dog Haus Introduced Its Operator Partnership Program
Nutritious Ready-To-Drink Coffee Lines
Javvy Coffee is Launching in Sprouts Farmers Market
Boutique Jewelry Concepts
Rocksbox is Expanding Its Presence in Metropolitan Areas
Lightweight Restaurant Apps
Curate Boosts Restaurant Loyalty with No-Download Apple App Clips
Celebrity-Supported Chef-Crafted Restaurant Concepts
goop kitchen is Expanding to New York City
Founder Marketing Networks
Startup Growth Syndicate Offers Free Marketing Tools and Community
QSR-Branded Food Truck Tours
Shake Shack Canada is Embarking on Its First-Ever Food Truck Tour
Radically Transparent Food Models
The Open Food Company Launches a $3M Seed Round
All-Hours Micro Markets
Healthy Smart Mart is Enticing Entrepreneurs with Its New Model
Coffee-to-Go Retail Concepts
The Delice de France Café Delice Coffee Concept is Easy to Implement
Hot Dog QSR Promotions
SONIC Celebrates National Hot Dog Month with Exclusive App Deals
AI-Driven Pet Ecosystems
Pet Madness Revolutionizes the Way Pet Owners, Brands & Vets Connect
Ai-Powered Freshness-Monitoring Grocery Platforms
Afresh Expands Its Service Coverage
Donation-Based Menu Deals
Domino’s Turns Pizza Purchases into Donations for Kids with Illnesses
Trendy Private Label Launches
Kroger Unveils a Variety of Elevated Options for its Private Label
Idea Generation Tools
One Million Ideas Offers Endless Inspiration for Companies and Users
Curated Resale Storefronts
eBay's The NYC Edit Storefront Shares Tastemaker Selections
Plant-Based Foodservice Appetizers
The Tipiak Vegan Canapé Selection Has Global Inspiration
AI-Driven CX Platforms
British Startup 'Serve First' Launches Its AI CX Platform Expansion
Low-Cost Back-to-School Campaigns
Target Back-to-School-idays Offers Discounts Up to 30%
Pet-Centric Travel Platforms
Dog Owners Can Book Stays and Plan Trips in One Place
Branded Nutrition-Focused Challenges
Fresh Express is Launching the Fresh Start Challenge
AI Market Insights
IdeaApe Delivers Fast, AI-Powered Research for Business Validation
Accessible Design Campaigns
Canva's Really, Really Good Design Transformed a Sandwich Business
Restaurant-Supporting Loyalty Platforms
inKind Boasts Its Successes on Its 10-Year Anniversary
Menu Discovery Challenges
Original ChopShop's Feel Good Foodie Challenge Rewards Menu Exploration
Future-Facing Food Menus
Fura's Future Food Menu Explores the Impacts of Climate Change
Canine-Friendly Sporting Events
Mars, Incorporated Will Delight Pets and Their Owners This Summer
Drive-Thru Markets
Goods Offers Instant Grocery Pickup from an Underground Delivery System
Expanded Wellness Retail Assortments
Target Added 30% More Wellness Products to Its Shelves
Dog-Focused Food Trucks
Bab’in Spotlights the French Cuisine for Dogs at Central Park
Seasonal Grocery Aisle Launches
Sainsbury's 'Taste the Difference' Range Appeals to Summer Foodies
Local Food Discoveries
Streeats Helps You Find Hidden Street Food Gems Recommended By Locals
All-in-One Digital Dining Marketplaces
This OpenTable Marketplace is for Private and Group Dining
Nutrition-Focused Temporary Dining Menus
Ford's Garage Launches the Fuel-Efficient Fare Menu
Dairy-Free Ice Cream Campaigns
Over the Moo Taps Dog Cat & Mouse for a National Marketing Push
AI Ordering Assistants
Alexa+ Introduces Conversational Food Ordering
City-Focused Influencer Platforms
Storytime Launches Storytime Marketplace in Cities
AI Business Pitching
Shark Puddle Allows Entrepreneurs to Test Ideas with AI Sharks for Feedback
Pet-Pleasing Delivery Menus
Deliveroo and French Bandit Collaborated to Delight People & Pets
Seasonal Reservation Street Installations
Uber UK Launches 'Reserve' by Mother
Dog-Honoring Fundraising Campaigns
Universal Joint is Running Its Dogust Campaign in August
Dog Tax Credit Campaigns
Blue Buffalo Debuts a Dog Tax Credit Campaign
Dog Enrichment Camps
K9 Resorts Luxury Pet Hotel Launched an Eight-Week Summer Camp for Dogs
Large-Scale Adoption Initiatives
Pet Supplies Plus Runs Best Adoption Event Ever
Canadian Entrepreneur-Focused Marketplaces
Futurpreneur Marketplace Emerges as a Timely Initiative
Resealable Dog Food Tubs
Love Made Fresh's Scoop & Serve Tub Supports Flexible Feeding
Consumer Brand Launches
Labor Smart Announced Culturally-Driven Product Collaborations
Service-Backed Recommerce Platforms
Commonplace Launches Marketplace With Built-In Delivery
Real-World Business Ideas
People Problems Discovers Real Business Opportunities From Daily Needs
Ready-Made Brand Marketplaces
Brands Like These Sells One-Off, Agency-Quality Brand Kits
Regionally Flavored Meatless Foods
The Tofoo Co's Products are Perfect for Fans of Meatless Meals
Made-to-Order Retailer Burgers
The Nittany MinitMart Signature Burger Menu is Ready for Summer
Founder Marketing Resources
Better Marketing Blog Shares Practical Playbooks For Founders
Accelerated AI Funding Platforms
Franchise Now Speeds Up Lending and Onboarding with Automation
Prepackaged Vegan QSR Foods
The Odd Burger CPG Products Bring Plant-Based QSR Fare Home
Adventurous Summertime Retailer Promotions
The Maverik Summer Deals Prioritize Cost Savings
Market Demand Checks
Buildpad Helps Validate Business Ideas Using Real-World Reddit Data
Expansive Child Product Ranges
The Latest Target Baby Products Will Come in Many Options
Regionally Inspired Plant-Based Foods
These New The Tofoo Co. Products Come in Tw Options
Startup Deal Platforms
Discover Hidden Startup Gems With Micro Deals This Black Friday
Instant Branding Tools
Brandest Provides Exclusive Ready-Made Logos And Domains For Fast Launches
Curated Startup Pitches
Startup Pitch Videos Curates Top Startup Pitches From Global Accelerators
Strategic Reward-Focused Retail Campaigns
WeShop Launches 'Shopping Starts Here' Campaign
Commission-Free Food Marketplaces
Lunchbox & OPA! Deliver Alternative to Third-Party Marketplaces
Brandless Packaging Campaigns
McDonald’s Tested a Name-Free 'Famous Order' Promotion
Complimentary Order Aggregation Features
Lunchbox Helps Restaurants Grow Their Revenue
App Ideation Platforms
AppIdeaHub Helps You Discover and Validate Profitable App Ideas
Purpose-Led Emerging Brands Initiatives
7-Eleven Taps 27 Brands for Its 2026 Brands with Heart™
Dog-Friendly Patio Menus
Beertown Public House Unveils its New Dog Menu for the Summer Season
Multi-Brand Snack Boxes
Bobby’s Expands its Delivery Capabilities with the ‘Brand Box’ Service
Startup Name Generators
Bake Your Brand Uses AI to Create Unique Startup Names and Taglines
CPG-Focused Service-For-Equity Models
Crave Ventures Has Formally Commenced Operations
Contextual Analytics Platforms
PerceptInsight Delivers Actionable Analytics for Startup Growth
Summer-Celebrating Retailer Deals
The QuickChek Summer Menu Features Subwiches and More
Accessible Summertime Retailer Refreshments
The Latest Tesco Summer Food Range Has Over 230 Items
Autumnal Breakfast Dishes
Sunny Street Café is Launching Four Pumpkin-Inspired Items
Meal Delivery Brand Advantages
Clean Eatz Kitchen Signals to Its Advantages in the Market
Climate Tech Academies
Climestart Provides 105 Lessons To Launch A Climate Tech Venture
Elevated At-Home Dining Subscriptions
The Gousto Premium Range Features Three Tiers
Regional Noodle Restaurant Rollouts
Foodtastic Introduced the Noodlebox Expansion Plan
Startup Insight Platforms
App Stacks Reveals App Stories, Tech Stacks, And Builder Insights
Summer Barbecue-Themed Burger Menus
The Smashburger Summer of Smash Menu Features New Classics
Rapid Business Planning
I Have An Idea Delivers Business Plans, Customer Profiles, And Strategies
Startup Essentials Bundles
The App Tool-Kit Helps Digital Creators Launch with the Right Tools