These 10 companies accurately predicted the way the economy and culture would change, and how your needs would change with them to create products and services that make you think, “Oh yeah…I do need that!”
Splunk
Splunk creates software that perform real-time and historical statistical analysis of machine-generated large data. Splunk takes this analysis and creates reports, graphs, alerts, dashboards and visualizations so companies can quickly plan their next marketing/financial/staffing what-have-you step, without having to sit down and tediously go over months and years of information by hand.
Fab
Fab is an e-commerce site that delivers its users with daily designs spanning almost all budgets and products. Users must create an account to use Fab, but then members can upload their own designs to the “Inspiration Wall” (think designs to be put on mugs, T-shirts, couches). Users have access to discounts that Fab gets exclusively through its relationships with retailers.
Uber
Uber is a start-up company that created an app connecting users with luxury car service, all through their phones. Uber drivers drive cars such as Cadillac Escalades, Lincoln Town Cars and BMW 7 Series. The app identifies the user’s location, keeps all credit card information on file, and books appointments directly through the phone.
Sproxil
Sproxil helps medical consumers identify counterfeit drugs. Sproxil places a scratch-off label on your medication, after which the consumer scratches it to reveal a unique code. The consumer then texts this code to a country-specific number, and almost immediately receives a reply letting him know if the product is authentic.
Rovio
Best known for creating the mobile game Angry Birds, Rovio is a Finnish video game developer founded by three college students from Helsinki. Rovio put out the first ever commercial real-time multiplayer mobile game.
DrogA5
DrogA5 is a Manhattan-based advertising agency best known for its campaigns for UNICEF, the United Nations and the 2008 Barack Obama presidential campaign. DrogA5 is what creates the first big buzz for its burgeoning client companies.
BitTorrent
If you’ve ever transferred a massive file to someone over the Internet, you can almost bet BitTorrent was involved. The company facilitates peer-to-peer file sharing and in February 2013, was responsible for 3.35 percent of all bandwidth across the world.
Nest
Otherwise known as Nest Lab, this company develops and sells sensor-driven, Wi-Fi-activated, intuitive, programmable thermostats. The self-learning thermostat optimizes the heating- and cooling-system efficiency of your home or business by learning your patterns and needs.
Dexcom
If you or a loved one has diabetes, Dexcom will (if it hasn’t already) changed your life. The company produces systems that continuously monitor blood sugar levels and are implanted directly onto the body. The monitor alerts users when glucose levels are above or below a healthy level, gives trend arrows to show the direction of glucose and even produces trend graphs.
Landwasher
Landwasher has developed one of the world’s first all-natural toilets. The company develops environmentally conscious toilets that function on a water-free system. Not only do they conserve resources but they also improve sanitation in rural communities by reducing water contamination. How does it work? Basically, it makes use of number one to flush number two.