Startups To Watch in 2011

The most successful startups are able to stay a step ahead of their competition by analyzing the current trends to predict the next hot application that will captivate the public.

One way to get a few ideas of where to go with your new business venture is to take a look at recent successes. Here are some examples of recent startups that stayed in touch with the average user to create exceptionally usable products:

Easy Photo Sharing with Instagr.am

The ability to share photos is almost as popular as the ability to share music online. However, it can be a pain to post those cute baby pictures on a host of social networks and check each site for comments.

With Instagr.am, you can take pictures, apply filters, and publish them all over the net. Instagr.am is quickly going viral as it attracts about 100,000 new users each week.

The User Submission Site ‘This or That’

This or That is a totally user-centric submission site where you can compare pretty much anything you want to. The ToTs (This or Thats) encourage users to share their votes and they’re also able to see who is winning and who is losing.

Not to mention, the ToTs go up quick. I was just on there a second ago and Lady GaGa already had a ToT up for her crazy egg costume.

Recently, they’ve been on the lookout for bloggers to join them in keeping up with the latest news and “watercooler talk” on their blog, and they’ve also hit close to 2 million impressions (or more since last I heard) for the month of January, so this submission site is definitely one to keep your eyes on.

Rapportive Replaces Ads with Useful Info

Imagine how great it would be to remove those irritating ads that we ignore anyway from our e-mail pages. Already sold? Now imagine how useful it would be to replace those ads with information about the person you’re corresponding with.

Although Rapportive only works with Gmail at this point, it’s still a very new product. This plugin connects your e-mail with social data to provide background information on the same screen as the message with pictures, job titles, recent Twitter messages, and more!

Storific Ends the Wait

Although European startups get a bad rap from US developers as being out of touch, Storific definitely has a finger on our … palates. This French startup may just change a big part of the restaurant experience. Instead of waiting on the wait staff, a Storific user can simply pull up the restaurant’s menu and place their order when they’re ready.

This little app is definitely a win-win for both the restaurant industry and the diner. Customers won’t be frustrated by a busy restaurant, and the establishment can cut costs and have a more satisfied clientele. While this app is being tested in a very small number of restaurants, expect to see it in a local eatery near you before long.

SuperMarmite Takes it Home

Another French foodie startup, SuperMarmite is an app that diners might love, but the restaurant industry … not so much. Ever wished you had a great, home-cooked meal, but didn’t want to bother with it yourself?

Instead, you probably headed out to the local drive-thru for a value-meal. With SuperMarmite, you would been able to purchase a healthy meal from a neighbor! This app lets you see what’s cooking in your area along with the price, number of available portions, and when the dinner bell will be ringing! This app could also lead to a new cottage industry for the many cooks who tend to make enough for a small army.

An app that speaks to our basic, everyday needs is a surefire way for a new startup to find success! What tips do you have to make startups successful? Use the comments to let us know.