This post has been migrated and imported into different systems over the years, I have not had a chance to format this post manually so it may be hard to read but I have left it here as a reference.

2013 has truly been a year of innovation and creativity for tons of new and interesting startups. Here are some of the fasted growing areas for these new startups and what entrepreneurs should be taking advantage of.

1. Education

Education is booming, learning is awesome and as more and more people are coming online so is the need to know. Many new startups have been created to fill the need of these consumers and there is a lot more room to grow. Simply take a look at Udemy for example where you will find both paid and free courses, some of which are from real universities. Another example is Noodle which helps both parents and students find schools, courses and activities near to where they live.

2. Automation

Next up is automation, people love things that makes their lives easier. Just consider Markupwand who created an easy to use platform which converts your Photoshop files to an instant website. Simple things like these can bring big profits for startups, perhaps you remember when car makers started selling cars that parked themselves.

3. Recycling

The environment is important to both consumers and businesses, recycling is an easy way to keep trash out of landfills. Planet Reuse is an excellent example where they often recycle entire houses and pass on the savings of cheaper material to the builders.

4. Renting

The economy is hitting a rough patch and it can be hard for consumers to afford the things they want. This is were renting makes more sense than buying sometimes. This has previously been done with movies but new startups are bringing great new ideas to the table. Just take a look at Rent The Runway where you can rent designer clothes online instead of paying for these high priced fashion items.

5. Social Media

Social media has revolutionized the internet and even though Facebook and Instagram have a big share of the users there is still room if you can find the right niche. Take Thumb for example, which is a mobile social network which let’s users instantly share their opinion or get feedback.

6. Hard to find

One of the great results of the internet is the ability for people all over the world to find things which they can share with others. People love sharing and finding things online. A startup called Storenvy has taken advantage of this perk and brings users truly unique items which are almost impossible to find anywhere else.

7. Analytics

The amount of information and data is constantly growing and people want to know what is going on. Many large platforms are being built as startups take advantage of this and try to find innovative and unique ways to present these ideas. Take Swipp which helps companies find and analyze feedback in social media or Anveto which analyzes website and mobile traffic and combines it with data from social media platforms.

8. Consumer Electronics – Motion Control

Motion control has been brought to the gaming market with innovations such as the Kinect for the Xbox 360 and the Playstation Move. However, new startups such as Leap Motion are bringing this to the desktop without the need for a controller, making for a truly unique experience.

9. Virtual Reality

Usually when you hear of Virtual Reality you automatically think of computer games. But not anymore, a new startup called Double Robotics let’s you go anywhere in the world without having to fly. New ideas such as these can truly open up mind altering opportunities.

10. Medicine

The health industry is falling behind and it’s hard to keep up with the massive amounts of data that’s needed to be handled. This creates new opportunities for entrepreneurs to solve these issues. Drchrono has gotten the ball rolling, this new startup makes it easier for the patients themselves to manage their health records in addition to keeping track of appointments and checkups.