This Week’s Best In Beta
Which startup is going to be the next big thing? Investors, bloggers, job seekers, and inspiring entrepreneurs everywhere are dying to know. Hundreds of startups enter private beta each month, and that’s far too many for any one person to keep up with. Fret not! Each week, I share some of the hottest new startups in this column, Best In Beta. Let’s discover the next big thing together!
1. Campr
I grew up in a family that went camping a lot. A love for the outdoors led me to Alaska, where I lived for 11 years and camped in some of the most majestic surroundings you’ll find on the planet. A three month stay in Italy, working the wine harvest, was made possible by a sympathetic hotelier letting me set up camp in the property’s garden.
There are amazing adventures to be had outside, and Campr might be a great way for people to provide and find them. Campr “is an online social platform that offers unique camping experiences to travelers and hosts.” Essentially it’s an AirBnB for the great outdoors.
Probably this comes with some logistical headaches, but it’s easy for me to imagine the startup also facilitating singular life experiences. Besides, could anything be worse than trying to take on NYC’s housing regulations and legal industry?
Unique city stays, extraordinary island locations and otherwise inaccessible properties, no doubt colorful hosts… I look forward to seeing if the platform gains traction. After an amazing year of covering startups, spent mostly at an indoor desk, Campr reminds me it’s high time to fall asleep reeking of campfire.
Trek over to gocampr.com to learn more and to sign up for early access.
2. Prepperoni
Bwahahahahaha – what fun and delightful branding! Survival kits resembling pizza boxes. (Maybe I’ve had a look at more CRM solutions than any person should ever contemplate in one week, but I find this concept utterly refreshing.) Who says preparing for the apocalypse can’t be fun?
Prepperoni is a platform for assembling custom survival kits. You detail the calamity you aim to endure and set up preferences. Prepperoni then recommends tools and supplies, also taking into account user reviews. Shop for what you need and checkout, and you’re on your way to outlasting the next zombie takeover.
Seriously though, does anyone foresee the global population facing fewer natural disasters? Tornadoes, earthquakes, floods, hurricanes, volcanic eruptions… The Earth is one volatile place. Add some human insanity to the list of potential tragedies – power grid failures, terror attacks – and there’s no shortage of emergencies worth preparing for.
McDonald’s french fry shortages in Japan. The next polar vortex. What disaster might happen to you? Not to be overly morbid or glib, but a little forethought and planning can save a person a great deal of heartache.
Bunker down at prepperoni.com to get started assembling your very own personal survival kit.
