LuminDX, Kartra, + 2 more trends taking off

Exploding Topics scours the internet to find emerging trends before they take off.

Here are four of the latest developments, along with some insights and analysis to help you take advantage.

1. LuminDX

LuminDX is a startup that helps doctors diagnose skin problems using a mobile app.

According to the company, 2.3 billion people look for help with skin issues each year. But 50% of skin issues are misdiagnosed.

Plus, it can take weeks to see a dermatologist after getting a primary doctor’s referral.

LuminDX aims to solve this problem by helping general-care doctors diagnose skin issues themselves.

Specifically, users take 2 photos and answer questions in the app. These photos are then used to train LuminDX’s AI diagnostic model.

LuminDX has raised $2.4M in seed funding to date.

What’s next:

LuminDX is part of the growing “AI in healthcare” meta trend.

According to McKinsey, VC funding in health-care related startups reached an all-time high of $8.5B this year (up from $2.4B in 2018).

Examples of growing companies in this space include Your.md, Alivecor, and Freenome.

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2. Kartra

Kartra is a website building tool.

Unlike competing services (like Wix and Squarespace) Kartra contains a built-in suite of marketing features.

For example, Karta has features for funnels, membership portals, email, checkout, support ticketing, and live chat.

Kartra isn’t a great option for users with advanced customization needs. But its all-in-one feature set and pricing make Kartra an option for the “side hustle” community.

What’s next:

Kartra is part of the “side hustle software” meta trend.

Searches for “side hustle” have increased 19x over the last 5 years.

And we’re seeing a growing number of tools aimed squarely at this growing market.

Examples of startups riding this trend include Oberlo, Mangools, Teachable, and Substack.

3. Wellness Shots

Wellness shots are health food beverages in a small size (usually around 2 ounces).

And searches for “wellness shots” have increased 1300% over the past 5 years.

Because they’re dense in vitamins and nutrients, wellness shots are usually consumed for specific health benefits. Even if they don’t always taste great.

Examples of growing brands in this space include Vive Organic, Nuun Immunity, and Turmeric Time.

What’s next:

Wellness shots are a part of the functional supplement meta trend.

People are increasingly seeking supplements that promise a tangible benefit, like better sleep and healthier hair.

Examples of supplements in this category include sleep gummies, mushroom coffee, and vegan collagen.

4. Winc

Winc is Birchbox for wine.

In other words: it’s a monthly subscription service that sends customers a handful of wines each month.

Winc is one of many players in the growing alcohol subscription box category. Besides Winc, there’s also Firstleaf, Haus, and Bright Cellars.

What’s next:

Winc’s growth is in part due to two intersecting meta trends.

1. New wine product categories. Surging demand for wine is leading to a slew of new wine-related products. Examples of this meta trend include canned wine, Vivino, and Shaoxing wine.

2. Subscription boxes. This category is far from dead. In fact, 25% of people in the US subscribe to a subscription box service. And we’re seeing subscription boxes for perfume (Scentbird), exotic snacks (Universal Yums), and candles (Vellabox).

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