These ten popular startups are helping people get through the tough times of being blocked by Covid-19. Here are the Top 10 startups that have grown strongly during the coronavirus crisis, have attracted investments and are in demand among users, especially in European countries that have been hit hard by the pandemic. These services have made tremendous progress in the global startup scene in 2020.
Zoom
Zoom's video conferencing service has risen to the top amid a new culture of group communication and social distancing during the pandemic. Millions of people around the world use the video conferencing app to keep in touch with family and friends, and to work remotely.
Users get creative with virtual chatting with quizzes at home and in accessible public places, and they have happy hours with birthday parties via Zoom.
The company claims that in March the number of users grew to 200 million per day, up from 10 million in December. Politicians also use video services, for example, Prime Minister Boris Johnson used Zoom to communicate, along with Twitter.
Babylon
Babylon Health startup provides a general practitioner service, the service allows you to video chat with a doctor. With many surgical procedures closed due to the Covid-19 outbreak, Babylon offers people the opportunity to see a doctor and consult from their own home.
A British digital health startup unicorn has also created an app to track coronavirus symptoms. In early March, a Care Assistant was launched to check and track Covid-19 symptoms, which offers NHS-approved information via a free app.
Founder and CEO Dr. Ali Parsa explains that this helps patients determine if they really need to talk to a doctor. The app currently has ten thousand AI interactions every day, and Babylon is making sure the platform can handle the increased demand. Before the coronavirus, Babylon could handle 3,000 concurrent AI consultations; this number has since risen to an incredible 250,000.
Gousto
During the coronavirus period, food supplies rose sharply as people were isolated. Gousto, a London food service provider, has seen tremendous growth, reporting a 28% increase in family boxes.
With eating out, there was no longer a choice, many turned to food delivered to provide healthy and delicious meals. Gousto offers over 50 recipes per week for packaging and door-to-door delivery at an average price of £ 2.98 per meal per person.
The company said it currently delivers 4 million meals a month across the UK and will surpass the 400 million unit mark by 2025. The startup received a £ 33m investment as the business thrives on lockdown. The round of funding was conducted by Perwyn with BGF, MMC and Joe Wicks in April.
Gousto has also worked with the UK Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs to provide food kits for vulnerable people, donating 6,000 food items. He also took steps to ensure that NHS staff had priority access to the platform when the system was full.
Echo
Echo is a free iOS and Android app that allows people to order repeat NHS prescriptions for delivery to your door. At a time when many Brits are unable to leave their homes during the coronavirus pandemic, Echo is facing massive user growth.
Echo works with the NHS to ship and deliver medications prescribed by your healthcare provider. The easy-to-use app also sends reminders when people need to take medication and alerts when it is over. There is no additional service charge, users only pay the standard NHS prescription rate.
During this challenging time, Echo redesigned all drug supplies to arrive the next day and hired additional staff to meet demand. Chief Pharmacist Alistair Murray said, “Our pharmacy team is working all night, three shifts, to support our patients.”
Futurelearn
Futurelearn is one of the many MOOC platforms that people turn to during isolation. The digital education platform is jointly owned by the Open University and SEEK Ltd and offers a wide range of free online courses. The startup's popularity has grown with other ed-tech platforms such as Coursera, EdX, and Udemy.
Joining Futurelearn is completely free, and most of the courses offered are also free. There are a variety of training courses: engineering, psychology, nutrition, marketing, and much more. However, there will be an additional fee for users who wish to receive a certificate at the end of the training course.
Unmind
Unmind is a London-based wellness platform that provides free access to its digital resources for all NHS staff. The startup was founded by three doctors-Nick Taylor, Ray Morgan and Steve Peraltabhopes-to help employees cope with the demands and pressures of working in the current coronacrisis.
The app offers a tool and interactive content based on the practice of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy( CBT), positive psychology, neuroscience, and mindfulness.
Customers include John Lewis Partnership and British Airways, and 89 percent of employees report improvements. The startup's founders hope that 1.5 million NHS staff will benefit from using the platform to proactively manage their mental health during and after the crisis, and they promise to continue providing support until the end of the year.
The Unmind team also creates the specified content to support the health of other users in the context of the Covid-19 pandemic. In the coming weeks, specialized topics will be added to the platform, including managing health anxiety, keeping in touch with meaning and values, and issues of isolation and uncertainty.
If users do not work for the NHS and do not have access to Unmind, numerous alternative mental health apps can provide support. Headspace, a meditation app, has introduced the "Weathering The Storm" collection, which is free for everyone and includes meditations, and sleep exercises.
Hopin
Hopin is an online platform for remote meetings, a solution that is in the spotlight during the coronavirus. The all-in-one online event platform, founded in 2019, allows organizers to create, host, and manage live events for 100,000 people.
In February, there were 10,000 organizers on the Hopin waiting list. But now that number has increased to 100,000. Companies on the waiting list include Dell, NBC, Google, Facebook, Wall Street Journal, CEX, and Product Hunt.
The Hopin startup sees the importance of allowing people to meet other people at these conferences, rather than just watch presentations. CEO Johnny Bufarhat explains: "That's why people go to events, it's not for streaming, you're physically communicating with people. And that's what we decide."
Bevy
Bevy is an on-demand mobile app that delivers alcohol, groceries, and specialty goods delivered by their "Bevy Butlers" network. The London Delivery Service is an affordable way to get your favorite wine, champagne and more from the comfort of your home during lockdown.
The app allows users to view products based on their location and order an assortment of drinks and snacks. The goods are then delivered directly to the door within 30-45 minutes.
Users can also track the order progress to see when your favorite drinks will arrive. The startup will undoubtedly help many Englishmen survive the lockdown period, as alcohol sales have increased by 31.4% since the outbreak. Moreover, the service is open and operates seven days a week and until late at night.
Trouva
Online marketplace Trouva has kept hundreds of independent stores across Britain in trade during the lockdown restrictions. The London-based startup, founded in 2013, provides online shopping for boutiques and home goods.
Trouva works with more than 900 independent boutiques in 300 cities across Europe. The company said 75 percent of its independent UK boutique chain continued to trade during the coronavirus lockdown.
E-commerce plays a vital role in enabling retailers to continue to generate revenue in these challenging and unprecedented circumstances.
CEO Alex Loizu said :" Our boutiques rely on Trouva as a powerful source of revenue. Now these online sales offer them a lifeline in this difficult time." Trouva provides customers who spend more time at home with access to these unique products from independent boutiques.
Singa
Singa is a digital karaoke service offering entertainment for those at home. The startup provides apps for iOS, Android, Web, Apple TV, and SmartTV that provide easy access to more than 80,000 songs. As people around the world abide by the rules of isolation, home karaoke is booming, and the Singa app has increased the number of registered users by 700%.
A company representative said: "The growth in subscribers shows that consumers are turning to music and choosing to sing at this hectic and uncertain time. This phenomenon, which illustrates the importance of music and singing, has also been demonstrated in the form of videos distributed on the Internet, where people sing from their balconies in Italy and elsewhere."