The most popular December 2021 new ventures include gamified virtual reality therapy modalities, selfie-based metaverses and lab-like futuristic restaurants focused on experimentation.
Companies across all industries are getting in on the NFT craze and unique new platforms are being created to support an ever-growing community of collectors. While Curios sets itself apart as a hybrid platform that offers both smart contracts and off-chain bidding technologies, others are launching NFTs that give owners access to exclusive memberships and clubs. And in New York City, Coffee Bros. is crowdfunding support for a first-of-its-kind cafe with non-fungible tokens.
With new kinds of features to support users monetarily, social media platforms are preparing for Web 3.0 and the rise of the creator economy.
Top 50 New Ventures Trends in December
49
Consumer-Run Supermarkets
The Hyperburgers Inconvenience Store Directly Serves Communities
48
Luxury Space-Themed Timepieces
Zenith Unveils Ultra-Exclusive Luxury 'Zero-G' Watches
47
Metaverse-Focused Entrepreneurial Events
Metapreneurs Aims Disrupt the NFT Ecosystem
46
Futuristic Dumpling Restaurants
'Dumpling Lab' is a new Futuristic Dumpling Restaurant in New York
45
Celeb-Owned Chicken Wing Restaurants
DJ Khaled Launches Virtual Chicken Wing Shop, Another Wing
44
Selfie-Based Metaverse Platforms
Dreamium Labs Launches NFT Avatars Morphed From Human DNA
43
Weather-Resistant Fitted Caps
New Era Teams Up with Polartec for New Winter-Ready 59FIFTY Caps
42
Innovative Camera Carriers
The 'SPINN CP.02' Camera Carrying System Solves Weight Balancing Issues
41
Luxury Fashion Company NFTs
Givenchy Has Debuted Its First-Ever NFT Art Collection
40
Metaverse Startup Hubs
Meta Partners with YellowHead to Help Startups with Digital Marketing
39
Wine Subscription Services
Postino is Launching 'Wine Cult', a Subscription for Connoisseurs
38
Online Culinary Marketplaces
Network Startup 'Foody' Allows Culinary Creatives to Share Recipes
37
Legal Cannabis Clones
'Pure Options' is the First Retailer to Offer Legal Alternatives to Cannabis
36
Climate-Positive Subscription Services
'Climeworks' Offers an Easy Way to Permanently Remove CO2
35
Crypto-Branded Sports Stadiums
The Staples Center Will Be Renamed the Crypto.com Arena This Xmas
34
Collaborative Influencer NFTs
Original Penguin Teams Up with TikTok Stars to Launch Exclusive NFTs
33
Globally Expanding Fashion Brands
Scotch & Soda Announces Expansion Including Tmall Partnership
32
Innovative Compact Smartphones
Appliance Company 'BALMUDA' Unveiled New Compact Smartphone
31
NFT-Funded Cafes
Coffee Bros. is Crowdfunding Support for Its First NYC Cafe with NFTs
30
Gamified VR Therapy Solutions
BehaVR and Sumitomo Look to Help Patients Beat Anxiety with VR
29
Multipurpose Super Apps
'Gojek' Has Evolved To a One-Stop-Shop for Mobile Needs
28
Branded Single-Use Plastic Bans
7-eleven Will Phase Out All Single-Use Plastic Packaging in Taiwan
27
Robot Convenience Store Deliveries
7-Eleven and Nuro Launch Autonomous Delivery Service
26
Colorful Kombucha Branding
'Kombrewcha' Remodels Its Signature Cans with Vibrant, Sporty Colors
25
All-In-One Asian Super Apps
Grab, Asia's "Everyday Everything" App, Aims to Become a Virtual Bank
24
Gamified Home Rowing Machines
Aviron Active Has Launched a Connected and Gamified Workout Machine
23
Multi-Currency Super App Startups
Contoxia Unveils a New All-In-One, User-Friendly Fintech App
22
QSR Rewards Programs
MyMcDonald's is an Improved Consumer Loyalty Rewards Program
21
International Currency Solutions
The 'Wise card' Allows for Spending and Sending Across Countries
20
Universal Payment Wallets
Facebook Finally Launches Novi, Its "Next Generation Digital Wallet”
19
Hybrid NFT Auction Platforms
Curios New NFT Platform Combines On-Chain and Off-Chain Technologies
18
All-Inclusive Financial Super Apps
The New 'Douugh' App Will Offer Consolidated Financial Services
17
Construction Material Marketplaces
OFFLOADIT Unveils Free Buy/Sell App For Construction Workers
16
Exclusive NFT Clubs
Mempo Launched an NFT Line that Grants Access to an Exclusive In-Person Club
15
Neobank-Backed Super Apps
Aspire Raises $158 Million Towards Developing All-In-One Fintech App
14
Craft Cocktail Mixology Destinations
Side Bar is Ogden's Own Distillery's New On-Site Bar
13
IoT-Based Robotics Services
AWS Launches New Tool For Robot Fleet Management Called RoboRunner
12
Shop Anywhere Super Apps
Klarna Makes Move to Become End-To-End Shopping Hub with New App Launch
11
Fermented Pet Foods
'Hill's Pet Nutrition' Pursues Fermented Protein Formulas with 'Bond Inc.'
10
Food-Ordering Super App Expansions
Fave Acquires Two Food Apps in Effort to Become Go-To Super App
9
Integrated Alcohol Delivery Services
Uber and Olo Partner to Integrate Uber Direct into Dispatch
8
Music App Discovery Features
Spotify Launched TikTok-Inspired 'Spotify Discover' Feature
7
Australian Telehealth Startups
Packapill Expands Offerings to Include Teleconsultation Services
6
Social Media Tipping Features
Twitter Releases its In-App Tipping Feature on Android
5
Vegan QSR Franchise Expansions
Odd Burger Announces Plans for a New Ottawa Location
4
Super App Transit Expansions
Paytm Launches All-In-One Transit Card That Connects to Paytm Wallet
3
Emerging Payments Super Apps
Expensify Goes Public with Aims to Become "Financial Social Network"
2
AI-Powered Cloud Software
'DataRobot's' New AI Cloud is a Data Solutions Tool for Many Industries
1
Airline-Owned Super Apps
AirAsia Launches Parcel Delivery Service, AirAsia Xpress
Related Ideas
Vibe Coding Campaigns
A No-Code Love Story by Fiverr Highlights the Need for Human Know-How
Fashion-Focused AI Production Studios
Vyking Debuts an AI-Driven Content Creation Module
Group-Centric Social Media Platforms
Chatter Social Has Unveiled Its Version 2 Platform
Mixed-Reality Theme Parks
DreamPark is Capturing the Attention of Digital Adventurers
Small-Space VR Platforms
Snack VR Operates in Just Five Square Meters
Social Media-Inspired Retail Apps
Depop Outfits Lets Users Create Moodboards and Collages
VR Creation Platforms
Chop Reality Lets Users Create and Share Personalized VR Worlds Easily
Metaverse-Powered Watch Campaigns
Casio's G-SHOCK Watch Line Partners with The Sandbox
AI-Driven Shoppable Catwalks
Topshop and THG Studios are Hosting a Next-Gen Fashion Experience
Luxury Eyewear Pop-Ups
Prada Opens an Immersive Eyewear Boutique at The Grove
Experiential Brand Cafés
Nutella Reimagines Its Chicago Café with Digital Ordering and a New Menu
Nightlife Fashion Collabs
UNVRS and Off‑White Launch Capsule in Time for Ibiza’s Peak Season
Fashion-Branded Café Experiences
Vogue Blends Retail with Immersive Hospitality Spaces
Autonomous Smart Store Installations
VenHub Global and Circa Introduced the VenHub Smart Store
Fashion-Forward Cultural Infrastructure Initiatives
THE FASH APP Debuts Founding Benefactor Circle
Fandom Culture Retail Experiences
EB Games x Vibrant Marketing Launch an 'EB Trends' Store Concept
Social AI Video Lenses
Snapchat Brings Photo-To-Video AI to Lens Studio
Music Competition Cafes
Hard Rock and Coca-Cola launch a global artist competition
Live Social Shopping Expansions
QVC® Announces New Brands That Will Join Its Roster in 2026
Global Chinese Streetwear Platforms
Psylos1 Launched a Curated Retailer for Chinese Niche Labels
Rewards-Based Beauty Devices
Sephora Expanded its Rewards Catalog With High Tech Skincare Tools
Blockchain Learning Tools
Web3 Quest Platforms Helps Founders Engage Users and Reward Learning
Ai-Powered Metaverse Collaborations
Futureverse Strengthens Its Reebok Impact Collaboration
Immersive Video Shopping Experiences
ASOS Live Blends Creator-Led Content with Real-Time Shopping
Festival Beauty Activations
Medicube Brings Skincare Tech and Experiences to Coachella
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
Experiential Brand Stores
New Era Creates Interactive Retail Space With Custom Cap Design
Playable Brand Universes
adidas and Brawl Stars Connect Gaming, Apparel and Live Fan Experiences
Shoppable AR Villages
The Snapchat Winter Village Has Three Immersive Luxury Brand Boutiques
Interactive Digital QSR Experiences
McDonald's Launches 'McDonaldland VR'
Girl Dinner Experiences
Waverly Kitchen + Bar Curates Shareable Comfort Food Plates
Virtual Live-TV Experiences
DIRECTV Launches Its DIRECTV on Meta Quest Viewing
GenAI Fashion Try-Ons
Perfect Corp. Fashion APIs Help Shoppers Visualize Scarves, Hats & More
Mobile Beauty Pop-Ups
Henkel’s göt2b Debuts a Citywide Mobile Beauty Experience
High-Profile Home Improvement Pop-Ups
VEVOR Celebrates Black Friday at Times Square
Comprehensive Fast Food Reports
Yum! Brands, Inc. Explores Food Trends Influencing the Industry
Renaissance-Inspired Curated Beauty Marketplaces
Rennaï Has Launched an E-Commerce Website
No‑And‑Low Venture Builders
Liquid Ventures Officially Launches Its Liquid Insight Lab
Social Commerce Supplements
youtheory Expands Wellness Sales Through TikTok Shop
Themed Beverage Universes
Dutch Bros Launches Planet Dutch with Cosmic Drink Creations
Streamlined Wedding-Focused Retail Experiences
The Knot Worldwide Boasts New WeddingPro Features
Anti-Algorithm Social Platforms
Buzzfeed’s Branch Office Creates Interactive AI-Powered Apps
Entrepreneurship Adventure Platforms
Lemonade Lab Lets Kid-Run Businesses Accept Tap Payments
Next-Gen Consumer Goods Technologies
Unilever and Google Cloud Partner to Produce Strong Products
Curated Discovery Stores
The Shelf Spotlights Emerging Food, Drink and Wellness Brands
Black-Focused Social Hubs
Brand New: a Collective Debuts the Residency on Martha's Vineyard
Feedless Social Platforms
Bond Eliminates Feeds to Focus on Real-Life Experiences
AI-Centric Publication Podcasts
VentureBeat Announced a New AI Podcast Alongside its Research
Strategic Web3 Ecosystem Expansions
HTX Ventures and HTX DAO Attended Consensus Hong Kong 2026
Social-First Retail Commerce
Shoezone expands TikTok Shop through creator-led shopping
Blockchain-Native AI Economies
Splendor Labs Creates Decentralized Economic System for AI
Next-Gen Crowdfunding Platforms
Indiegogo Introduced Advanced Creators Tools, Verification & More
Community-Centric E-Commerce Initiatives
MyCommunity.Today Delivers Accessible Digital Tools
Curated Resale Experiences
Poshmark Blends Community Curation with Personalized Shopping
Curated Grocery Platforms Rise
FirstClub Launches Its Curated Grocery Platform
Offline Dating Experiences
Beyond Debuts Social Club Prioritizing In Person Connections
Experience-Enhancing POS Retail Apps
MomentScience Reveals MomentApps
Lightweight Restaurant Apps
Curate Boosts Restaurant Loyalty with No-Download Apple App Clips
Digital Game Distribution Platforms
Sony Innovation Fund & London Venture Partners Support VaultN
Video-Centric World Models
Runway Launches Its First World Model
Science-Backed Adventure Collaborations
Toyota, AllGear Digital & Immersion Neuroscience Partner
Shoppable Reel Features
Meta Expands Reels with Product Tagging on Instagram and Facebook
Super App Travel Features
Uber Added Hotel Bookings & Travel Tools at Its Go-Get Product Event
Video-First Food Ordering Experiences
CookUnity Acquired flavrs to Enhance Its Meal Service
Creator-Led Toys
Bonkers Toys Transforms Toys and Colors into a Retail Toy Line
Shoppable Microdramas
Crocs and SuperOrdinary Turn TikTok Storytelling Into Shopping Experiences
AR Virtual Space Hangouts
Meta Hyperscape Capture Now Supports Communal Hangouts Anywhere
AI-Created Video Feeds
Meta Introduces Vibes as a Social Platform Driven by AI-Generated Posts
Nutrition Ecosystem Restaurants
Fork to Fit Kitchen links meals, fitness, and wellness tracking
Multi-Revenue Fashion Platforms
Rent the Runway expands into resale, ads and cleaning services
Curated Resale Storefronts
eBay's The NYC Edit Storefront Shares Tastemaker Selections
Social Travel Booking Platforms
TikTok GO Turns Creator Travel Videos Into Bookable Trips
Pet Social Platforms
Bark Baee Builds A Dedicated Social Network For Pet Owners
Fandom Retail Experiences
TOUS les JOURS Transforms Bakery Cafés into BTS Fan Destinations
Retail-Style Hotel Commerce
Aven Hospitality Embeds E-Commerce Features into Hotel Journeys
Personalized Telehealth Service Platforms
Enhanced Reports Success of the Inaugural Enhanced Games
Extraordinary Rentable Venues
Peerspace Announces Its 2026 Open Door Awards
Pet Community Hubs
PetDiary Lets Users Capture And Share Their Pet’s Journey In One Place
Expanded Tech Marketplaces
Best Buy Unveils a Digital Marketplace with New Possibilities
Content-First Shopping Experiences
Gopuff and SpaceXAI Launched Go, a Personal Shopping Genius
Personalized Neuroaesthetic Experiences
113 Spring's Emergence Service Supports Creative Expansion
Gamified Destination Tourism
Connecticut Launches Rewards Platform for Local Exploration
Shared Reality Entertainment
Sony Pictures invests in Cosm to expand Shared Reality entertainment
Digital Journaling Platforms
Moments Helps Users Reflect, Track, and Journal for Personal Growth
Employer-Focused Therapy Platforms
Grow Therapy Launches an Employer and Health System Offering
Conversational Video Discovery
Youtube Introduces AI-Powered Search with Interactive Responses
Experiential Tabletop Launches
MindWare Brings Immersive Game Demos to Gen Con 2026
Parental AI Insights Features
Meta Launches Its Insights Tab For Meta AI
Social Networking Hubs
Internet Social Café Lets Users Explore Cafés and Build Online Connections
Circular Fashion Platforms
eBay Acquired Depop to Grow Its Fashion Resale Ecosystem
Attention Economy Agencies
VaynerX Launches Tamara Group to Drive Social-First Brand Relevance
Social Food Delivery Apps
The 'Zesty' App from DoorDash Helps Users Find New Restaurants
Proximity-First Friendship Apps
Friending Launched the Friending App to Foster Friendships
Personalised Immersive Wellness
Emergence at 113 Spring is a New Multi-Sensorial Wellness Curation
Spatial Commerce Platforms
Curie Shop Brings Interactive Product Exploration To Sneaker Shopping
Ad-Friendly Vertical Video Feeds
Instacart Debuts the Immersive Feed Feature on Its Platform
City-Focused Influencer Platforms
Storytime Launches Storytime Marketplace in Cities
Social-to-Outdoor Campaigns
Tribesigns Extends TikTok's Super Wish Campaign to Times Square
Prescriptive VR Therapy Platforms
VA Rolls Out Mynd Immersive MyndXR Across 45 Centers
Women-Focused Curated Pop-Up Experiences
tm:rw Introduces the Bloom Pop-Up Concept Until April 15
Generative AI Creative Platforms
Dentsu Launched Idea Builder Built Natively on Google Cloud
AI-Native Wellness Venture Studios
Rocapine Successfully Funds Its Operations
AI Launch Pad Programs
NYC Economic Development Corporation Partners with Lightspeed
Mobile Creator Experiences
Nikon Connects Creators Through Interactive Multi-City Events
Neuroscience-Informed Creative Wellness Platforms
NoomaLooma Enables Early Access to Its App
Enterprise-Level Lifestyle Intelligence Platforms
January AI Boasts a New Enterprise-Level Service
Extended Platform Support Agreements
Unity and Meta Extend Their Multi‑Year Platform Agreement
Social Media-Inspired Streaming Apps
The Netflix App Feed Will Introduce a TikTok-Like Style
Expressive App Icons
The Instagram Teen Icons Deliver Vibrant Customization for Younger Users
Social Finance Ecosystems
Venmo blends payments, rewards, and social discovery features
Product Discovery Communities
MillionShip Turns Product Discovery Into A Playful Experiences
Decentralized Social Websites
Surf Enables Creator-Owned Platforms
Tokenized Real Estate Investments
Headway NOVA Lets You Invest in Accessible Dubai Real Estate
Service-Backed Recommerce Platforms
Commonplace Launches Marketplace With Built-In Delivery
Balanced Venture Bets
Nexus Venture Partners Splits $700M Fund Between AI and India Startups
App Launch Templates
Dating App Template Enables Fast Niche Dating App Launches
Founder Networking Platforms
Founders Match Uses AI And Analysis To Improve Co-Founder Discovery
AI Venture Studios
Making Science Recently Debuted AWAKE Venture Studio
Outdoor Engagement Apps
Nature Unlock Encourages Breaks From Screens Through Outdoor Activity
Data-Led Brand Creation
AS Watson Builds Brands Using Shopper Insights and Loyalty Data
Startup Deal Platforms
Discover Hidden Startup Gems With Micro Deals This Black Friday
Founder Networking Platforms
The Startup Club Connects Founders With Key People and Resources
Startup Revival Platforms
failedUps Lets Users Discover And Revive Abandoned Startup Opportunities
Purpose-Led Emerging Brands Initiatives
7-Eleven Taps 27 Brands for Its 2026 Brands with Heart™
AI Infrastructure Monitoring Tools
Transit Tech Lab Announces Its Cohort Including Cyvl & Delph
Creator Business Platforms
Vonza Helps You Launch, Run, and Scale Your Online Business Easily
Founder Ecosystem Hubs
Rev1 Ventures combines startup offices, mentorship, and investor access
Creative Networking Tools
Designer Hikes Builds Community By Connecting Designers Outdoors
Digital Sharing Platforms
Venture Vault Enables Innovators to Share Ideas and Collaborate
CPG-Focused Service-For-Equity Models
Crave Ventures Has Formally Commenced Operations
Marketing Resource Directories
Viral Marketing Lab Curates Growth Tools And Resources For Founders
Grant Discovery Platforms
Startup Grants Helps Founders Find and Apply For Non-Dilutive Funding
Ai-Native Enterprise Transformation Platforms
Novum Studio Gears Up to Launch Ahoy Project
AI Leasing Accelerator Programs
RET Ventures Launches RET Ventures AI Accelerator Program
High-Profile Festive Marketplace
Naturally New York Launches the Second Annual Holiday Bazaar
Product Discovery Maker Communities
JustGotFound Helps Independent Products Reach New Audiences
Startup Insight Platforms
App Stacks Reveals App Stories, Tech Stacks, And Builder Insights
Social Diary Platforms
Truuze Social Networking App Blends Personal Journaling With Social Sharing
Startup Essentials Bundles
The App Tool-Kit Helps Digital Creators Launch with the Right Tools