If the September 2015 new ventures are any indication, there are plenty of inspiring opportunities for budding entrepreneurs to capitalize on. Some of these new business ideas are boldly experimental, like Glambot taking in used consumer cosmetics, sterilizing them and putting them up for resale.
Other unusual examples include alcohol-free bars, online-only bakeries and subscription services that will provide shipments of oddly-shaped or ugly produce to consumers. Gleaning inspiration from these unusual endeavors, it's clear that there's plenty of room for even more unusual, niche business concepts well beyond just the food, drinks and beauty industries.
In the spirit of branching out and trying something new, Sephora recently introduced a beauty subscription box, while Tabasco has finally opened up its own spicy hot sauce-themed restaurant.
Top 40 New Venture Concepts in September
40
Entrepreneurial Advice Charts
This Entrepreneur Infographic Lists Things To Do and Not To Do
39
Automatic Bartenders
The Foxtender is an Alcohol Vending Machine with a Compatible Payment App
38
High-End Electric Motorcycles
Jans Shaplin Creates a Concept For a Tesla Motorbike
37
Apocalyptic Survival Kits
Battlbox Delivers Hardcore Survival Supplies to Subscribers' Doorsteps
36
Popular Peanut Butter Bars
Peanut Butter Brand Jif Has Expanded to Offer Pre-Packaged Granola Bars
35
Gourmet Dinner Deliveries
The 'Supper' Cars Aim to Deliver Gourmet-Quality Food Directly to Homes
34
Service-Requesting Apps
NeedIn Asks What Requested Business Ventures Would Benefit Their Area
33
Luxury Aircraft Services
Aviation Platform JetMe Functions Like Uber But For Privately Owned Jets
32
Imperfect Produce Subscriptions
The Startup Imperfect Repurposes Perfectly Edible Misshaped Food
31
Beauty Lifestyle Boxes
The 'Play! by Sephora' Makeup Subscriptions Come with Music & More
30
Used Makeup Retailers
Glambot Santizes Shoppers' Old Makeup and Resells It at Discounted Prices
29
Simplified Internet Routers
Google's OnHub System is Set to Simplify Wi-Fi Connections
28
Luxury Pet Plane Cabins
These Designated Cabins Make Flying with a Pet Classy on American Airlines
27
Luggage Collection Services
This Service Will Collect a Customer's Airport Luggage for Them
26
Visual Vodka-Recognition Apps
Select Absolut Vodka Bottles Feature Shazam to Unlock New Content
25
Natural Hair Drybars
This Quick Service Salon Specializes in Beautiful Natural Styles
24
Floating Fast Food Barges
A&W Creates a Floating Restaurant with a Water Accessible Drive Thru
23
Luxury Canine-Subscription Services
This Subscription Service Delivers High-Quality Pet Food
22
Sustainable Swimwear
Speedo & Aquafil Created the World's First Swimwear Recycling Program
21
Hot Sauce-Themed Restaurants
This Fiery New Restaurant is the Perfect Option for Spice Fans
20
Alternative Hotel Searches
This Room Finder Compares All Types of Accommodation Options
19
On-Demand Locksmith Apps
This Service Allows Customers to Request a Locksmith at a Fixed Price
18
Alcohol-Free Cocktail Bars
This New London Restaurant Only Serves Alcohol-Free Drinks
17
Spiritual Subscription Services
Gabby Bernstein's 'Get More Gabby' Has Tools for Self-Improvement
16
Model-Booking Apps
This Modeling App Lets Companies Book Models Directly Without Agencies
15
Split Hospitality Programs
Hyatt and Onefinestay Developed a Unique Travel Sharing Partnership
14
Crowdfunded Gaming Sites
This Platform Allows Users to Finance New Computer Games
13
App Data-Analyzing Platforms
Sensor Data Management Startup Sense360 Helps Developers Serve Better
12
Gourmet Online Bakeries
This Online Bakery Delivers Exquisite Pastries All Over the U.S.
11
Kid-Made Cosmetics
The First-Graders at Elm Street Elementary School Make and Sell Sugar Scrubs
10
International Student Housing Sites
'Nestpick' Matches Students with Their European Homes
9
Home Business Apps
Ishippo Provides Business Owners With Logistical Solutions
8
Refreshment-Gifting Apps
'Guusto' is an Social Gifting App That Sends Food or Drinks in Real-Time
7
Shared-Viewing Streaming Extensions
The Showgoers Extension Lets You Link Your Netflix Accounts
6
Home-Delivered Cobbler Services
Cobbler Concierge Provides Shoe Repair Without Leaving the House
5
Simplified Tax Apps
The 'Sensibill' App Takes the Stress Out of Doing Taxes
4
Experiential Gifting Apps
GiftCaddies Makes It Easy to Send a Gift Activity Seamlessly
3
Renter Tattletale Services
Building Snitch Helps Landlords Uncover Illegal Rentals on Airbnb
2
Marijuana-Locating Apps
'Blaze Now' Helps Users Rate and Find Marijuana Dispensaries
1
Financial Advisor Apps
'Even' is a Virtual Financial Manager for Stressless Money Management
Related Ideas
Batman-Themed Kitchen Appliances
Paul Parsons Creates Themed Kitchen Appliance Concepts
Upcycled Vintage Sub-Brands
Beyond Retro Founders Unveil New Sub-Label 'Beyond Remade'
Affordable Skincare Holiday Collections
Burt's Bees Launches a Series of Giftable Bundles
Rave-Inspired At-Home Manicures
Rave Nailz Boasts a Variety of Eye-Catching Nail Designs
Experimental Shoe Collections
CAMPERLAB Releases Highly Irregular Footwear Designs
Gen Z-Focused Fashion Labels
The 'MIXT' Label Caters to Youthful Fashion-Forward Indian Consumers
Refillable Beauty Launches
The Body Shop Debuts Refillable Makeup Packaging with Recycled Aluminum
Autumn-Inspired Face Mask Collections
ESW Beauty Introduces the Autumn Glow Up Capsule
Nostalgia-Inspired Fast Food Concepts
McDonald’s CosMc’s Concept Officially Opens in Texas
Eco-Friendly Bath Essentials
Bebo Seeks to Reimagine the Packaging of Kid's Bath Products
Virtual Beauty Storefronts
The Clinique Lab is a Next-Gen Digital Retail Concept
Emerging Technology Publications
New Society Has Launched Its Inaugural Book About Technology
Empowering Cosmetics Campaigns
Sephora Canada Launched a New Campaign for Lunar New Year 2024
Cosmetic Delivery Services
DoorDash, Sally Beauty and Mac Cosmetics Unite for New Delivery Options
Ninja-Inspired Curated Snack Boxes
Tokyotreat Embraces the Taste of Japan with a Ninja Theme
Digital-First Beauty Brands
Bakeup Explores the Blurred Lines Between Real Life & the Metaverse
Colorful Back-to-School Collections
Sprayground Released Over 100 New Designs & Collaborations
Playful Entrepreneurial Metaverses
e.l.f. UP! on Roblox Helps Gen Z & Gen Alpha Build Skills
Virtual Beauty Brand Ambassadors
Nars Cosmetics Unveiled a Trio of Meta-humans—the Power Players
In-Store Beauty Sampling Kiosks
Ulta Beauty and SOS are Partnering to Promote Product Discovery
Botanical Marketplace Concepts
Taylor Corzine's The Local Collective Emphasizes Community
Change-Making Bodycare Stores
The Body Shop's Workshop Concept Stores Inspire & Equip Activists
Immersive Beauty Pop-Ups
Cosmetica's Experiential Pop-Up Included a Face Mask Experience
Consumption-Inspired Fashion Capsules
LOUTRE snd Dover Street Market Work on a New Capsule
Brainstorming Business Idea Tools
IdeaMate is the Solution to Fighting Stale Business Ideas
Limited-Edition Spring-Inspired Cosmetic Products
Subtl Beauty Introduces the Spring Stak
Customizable Cosmetic Stacks
Subtl's Stak 2.0 Makes a Whole Makeup Routine Palm-Sized
Open-Air Medi-Spa Services
The Scene Medical Beauty Bar Rides the Wave of the Beauty Market
Sneaker-Themed Glasses Frames
Concepts Recruits Oakley for a New 'Lobsterskins' Frame Collection
Mood-Boosting Cafe Pop-Ups
Skittles' House of Joy Brightens the Dark Days of February
Experiential Mental Well-Being Events
Batiste's Refresh & Reflect Events Connect & Uplift Students
Luxury Nail Salon Expansions
Townhouse Beverly Hills is Set to Open on Later This Month
Inclusive Skincare Branding
Featforskin's Packaging by GL*TCH Celebrates Our Differences
Cosmetic Sustainability Projects
LUSH Fresh Handmade Cosmetics Announces Sustainability Initiative
Limited-Edition Monthly Wine Capsules
Vinebox Announces Monthly Experiences with Its Product Line
Rejuvenating Springtime Cosmetics
The Tree Hut In Bloom Collection Has New and Returning Favorites
Festival-Inspired Japanese Snack Boxes
TokyoTreat's Subscription Box is Themed & Limited-Edition
Inaugural Fashion Brand Cosmetics
Celine Beauté Will Debut a Red Lipstick This Fall
Gamified Virtual Beauty Houses
Sephoria: Virtual House of Beauty is a Place to Explore Brands
Virtual Skincare Schools
Skincare Summer School Helps Beauty Lovers Expand Their Knowledge
E-Commerce Beauty Packaging
Aptar Beauty + Home's Redesigned Packaging is "E-Commerce Capable"
Inspiring Multi-Shop Pop-Ups
Pinterest's Possibility Place Immerses Guests in Inspiration
Expansive Halloween Retail Collections
Target Launched its 2022 Halloween Set with 100+ Products
High-Performance Beauty Lines
Varsity Beauty Shares Products Made by Athletes for Athletes
Anniversary App-Focused Apparel
Grab Releases a Nostalgic Anniversary Merchandise Collection
Secret Salon Campaigns
Salon X Lets Consumers Experience a Secret Product Line
Cardboard Cosmetics Refill Pouches
Freshly Refills Reduce Cosmetics Industry Waste
Refillable Beauty Brands
Maya's Thoughtfully Designed Cosmetics Combat Plastic Waste
Pre-Release Cosmetics Programs
Too Faced Launches an Exclusive Pre-Release Access Program
Opulent Beauty Product Expansions
The Prada Beauty Launch Brings the House into a New Realm
Tech Rebellion Campaigns
Lush is Continuing Its Big Tech Rebellion for Black Friday
Clean Neurocosmetic Skincare
Justhuman's Clean Products Deliver Results Fast
Bubble Wrap-Inspired Luxury Bags
Bottega Veneta's Cabat Bag is Extravagant and Cheeky
Virtual Body Care Stores
Tatcha Debuted a Virtual Store Powered by Emperia
Rejuvenated Retail Buildings
This Vietnamese Building Will Feature Lush Native Greenery
Personalized Cosmetic Printers
Color Jam Brings Customized Color Cosmetics to CES 2023
Beauty School Pop-Ups
Pinterest is Launching an In-Person Beauty School in London
Accessible Virtual Try-On Services
Perfect Corp. Launches 'Makeup Virtual Try-On Online Service'
Nostalgic Cosmetic Cases
Caboodles x Taste Beauty x Hershey's Collaborated on a Beauty Organizer
Birthday Beauty Gifts
Sephora's 2024 Birthday Gift Options Have Been Revealed
Mental Health Makeup Campaigns
The Make a Rare Impact Campaign Will Donate 100% of Sales
Metaverse Beauty Looks
L’Oréal Revealed Its First Virtual Beauty Styles for Web3
Beauty Brand Accelerator Programs
Walmart Start™ Returns to Discover Next Gen Beauty Brands
Beauty Brand Retail Debuts
Glossier will Debut its Products at Sephora Store Locations
Leisure Activity Grocery Stores
The FreshTake Concept Grocery Store Blends Experiences
Shampoo Bar Concepts
The Shampoo Bar by Lush Offers Wash and Style Services
Cookie Tin Beauty Palettes
Kara Beauty's Creative Beauty Palette is Styled Like a Sewing Kit
Creative Side Hustle Platforms
The 'Rassa' Platform Helps Users with Creative Ventures
Dynamic Spring Luxe Fashion
Bottega Veneta Introduces its Latest Capsule for the SS23 Season
Spice-Infused Lip Balms
Tasty Bite's Spice Balms Highlight the Bold Flavors of Its Curries
Pink-Hued Cosmetic Lines
NARS Launches the Orgasm Collection—a Range of Limited-Edition Makeup
Meme-Inspired Sauces
Heinz's Limited-Edition Sauce Drops Revisit Fleeting Moments of Fame
Black Female-Identifying Entrepreneurs Grants
The Startup Collective by Aveeno is Now Live
Luxury Beauty Relaunches
Marc Jacobs Beauty is Relaunching on the Market with Coty
Accessible Superfood Beauty Brands
Goop Unveils a New Affordable Beauty Brand at Target and Amazon
Fall-Ready Makeup Collections
Elate Beauty Recently Released the Covet Collection
SaaS Startup Newsletters
The SaaS Start Up Guide is Written by Law, Finance, and Tech Experts
Monthly Mocktail Subscriptions
Raising the Bar Offers Sustainable Mocktail Kits On-Demand
Retail Sexual Wellness Expansions
Sexual Wellness Brand Tabu Launches at Sephora Stores
Playlist-Paired Candle Launches
Nose Best Offers Candles with Their Own Playlits and Cocktails
Food Entrepreneurship Programs
Nestle Launches Its New 'Youth Entrepreneurship Platform'
Web3 Start-Up Accelerators
L’Oréal and Meta are Set to Launch a Metaverse 'Startup Accelerator'
Product Exploration Retailer Tools
These New Instacart Discovery Tools Connect Brands to Retailers
Customizable White-Label Consumables
Printify Offers On-Demand Consumables for Brands & Businesses
Virtual Fitting Room Experiences
be Retail Social's 'beDynamic' Joins Up with Get Cutie
Post-Purchase E-Commerce Tools
Smartrr Launches New Post-Purchase Tools for DTC Shopify Brands
Sustainable Beauty Programs
NUDESTIX Partners with the Canopy Project to Reach Tree-Planting Goal
Reformulated Skincare Rebrands
Bath & Body Works Underwent a Large-scale Shift to Cleaner Products
Hybrid Beauty Events
SEPHORiA: House Of Beauty Can Be Experienced in Person & Virtually
Localized Beauty Marketplaces
Rinna Beauty Meets the Needs of Customers Across Different Regions
Accessible Clean Beauty Platforms
Clean Beauty at Walmart Features More Than 900 Products
Minimal Affordable Sub-Labels
Target Presents its Own No-Frills Brand with Minimal Design
Canadian Eco Packaging Expansions
The Body Shop Recently Expanded its Refill Program to Canada
Startup Name Generators
FindName Suggests Countless Ideas to Help Name Your New Business
Ketchup-Inspired Roulette Makeup
MSCHF and Fenty Beauty Join Forces on a New Gloss Series
Upgraded Stackable Makeup Lines
Subtl Beauty Introduces the Stak 2.0
Spicy Virtual Restaurants
The Hot Ones Pop-Up Restaurant Puts Taste Buds to the Test
Foodtech Support Initiatives
Rabobank is Accepting Applications for its 'FoodBytes!' Program
Cafe-Inspired Cosmetics Collections
The Tree Hut Café Collection Has a Range of Fall Themes
Savory Condiment Lip Glosses
Filipinta Beauty Makes Beauty Products Inspired by Pantry Staples
Candy-Inspired Gift Boxes
The Candy Club Offers a Range of Products to Satisfy One's Sweet Tooth
Upcycled Refillable Fragrances
La Bouche Rouge's Natural Fragrances are Luxe & Resource Efficient
Inclusive Beauty Brand Initiatives
The Updated Coty Company Purpose Embraces a New Phase
Pre-Loved Apparel Initatives
Ba&sh Launches its US-Based Second Hand Resale Platform with Archive
Imperfect Produce Subscriptions
Odd Bunch Delivers Oddly Shaped Produce to Consumers' Doors
Takeout Box-Themed Bags
Saint Laurent Launches Two Takeaway Box Bags in Black and Brown
Sneakerhead Mentoring Programs
eBay's Sneaker Academy Turns Sneakerheads Into Entrepreneurs
Sustainable Medication Expansions
Cabinet Health is Launching 14 Products at Target
Spring-Ready Fashion Editorials
The Garbstore Presents its New Campaign for the SS23 Season
Beauty Shop Deliveries
Uber and The Body Shop Expand Partnership to Include 75 New Storefronts
Smoothie-Inspired Nail Polishes
Jamba & Color Dept. Made a Limited-Edition Nail Polish Collection
Virtual Beauty-Focused Stores
Laura Mercier Debuts the Virtual ‘World of Beauty’ Store
Valentine’s Day Beauty Boxes
Glossybox Presents the 2023 Valentine's Day Beauty Box
Beauty Product Exploration Platforms
The Beautify.Tips Platform is for All Aspects of Beauty
Designer Mystery Boxes
Luxury Fashion Platform HEAT Introduces a New Contemporary Mystery Box
Customer-Crafted Beauty Products
KIKI World Presents a New Product Made by Consumers
Archive-Inspired Retro Luxe Fashion
Jean Paul Gautier PResents the TATTOO Collection
Science-Based Skincare Pop-Ups
RéVive's Pop-Up Series Educates Consumers on Bio-Renewal Technology
Solution-First Beauty Brands
Skincare-Beauty Brand Good Weird Launches its First Collection
Creator-Backed K-Beauty Brands
Influencer Risabae Launches Her Own Makeup Brand, TWO SLASH FOUR
Fashion Magazine Student Memberships
Vogue Business Launches a New Student Subscription
Nourishing Beauty Ranges
Barneys New York Partners with Gloent Group to Develop New Products
Fall-Inspired Beauty Capsules
Annabelle Cosmetics Unveils Autumn-Inspired Beauty Collection
Joy-Inspired Beauty Campaigns
Ulta Beauty Launches the Joy Project, a Ground-Breaking Study
Spooky Personal Care Products
The Bath & Body Works Halloween Collection Has Almost 100 Items
Colorful Cannabis Brand Expansions
Jetty Extracts Makes the Move East as Cannabis Market Opens Up
Stigma-Reducing Period Brands
August Relies on Playful and Wholesome Branding
Pink Sushi Boxes
Dept. Sushi Serves Up Sushi in Chic, Vibrant Boxes
Bold Limited Edition Palettes
Sephora's Mini Color Shifter Strange Botanicals Eyeshadow is Playful
Halloween-Inspired Retail Capsules
Target Debuts a New Private-Label Halloween Capsule for October
Tycoon-Style Beauty Games
e.l.f. Cosmetics Launches a Digital Tycoon World on Roblox
Post-Launch Entrepreneurial Newsletters
One Year Wiser Interviews People One Year After Launch
Vegan Lifestyle Lines
Tabitha Brown Launches a New Vegan Line for Target and Ulta
Hotel-Led Vintage Markets
The MOB Hôtel Hosted a Vintage Market, an Eco Conference and Workshops
Female-Centered Restaurant Concepts
Trust Bae Showcases the Culinary Perspectives of Female Chefs
Inclusive Try-On Programs
Perfect Corp. Connects Beauty Brands with Digital Beauty Innovation
Jerky Subscription Boxes
Jerky Snob Delivers Healthy and Artisan Jerky to the Masses
Low-Cost Cosmetic Retailer Expansions
Dollar General is Rolling Out a New Beauty Layout
Entrepreneurial Community Building
VenturePals Steps in to Help Solo Entrepreneurs Find Community
Chocolate Tasting Subscription Boxes
The Cocolectic Chocolate Subscription Box Offers Sweet Treats