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FuturistU > Innovation & Change > Opportunity Hunting > Module 1 / 4

Intro to Opportunity Hunting

Instructor: Jeremy Gutsche
Innovation and strategic advantage hinge on the ability to anticipate trends and identify the next big thing. By casting a wide net and clustering ideas, you can filter through chaos to identify
patterns of opportunity.

This course breaks opportunity hunting into a number of key steps Trend Hunter has identified in our work on more than 10,000 custom trend projects and over 400,000 published articles.
Attend Future Festival

Insights by Trend Hunter AI

Decorative Fridge
Influencers are decorating the inside of their fridges for 'Fridgescaping'
Trend - Decorating the inside of one's fridge is a trend called 'Fridgescaping' that is gaining popularity on social media platforms. Fridgescaping involves neatly sorting all fridge contents while adding decor in empty spaces, such as photos or fake plants.
Workshop Question - How could your brand adjust its products or services to meet a certain demographic based on social media trends?
8
Score
Popularity
Activity
Freshness
Patterns
Megatrends
Upcycled Microfiber
Brands introduce tools to capture laundry microfibers for upcycling
Trend - Brands are launching new devices and tools to transform laundry microfibers into new products, contributing to sustainability efforts in the textile industry. By redelivering these textiles back to manufacturers, they can be repurposed to benefit multiple industries and applications.
Workshop Question - How can your brand reduce consumer waste and production costs?
6.5
Score
Popularity
Activity
Freshness
Patterns
Megatrends
Absorbent Package
Businesses are using moisture-reducing packaging without desiccant packets
Trend - Businesses are using custom packaging that reduces moisture levels with custom materials that do not require desiccant packets. These packaging materials are more sustainable and cost-effective than traditional plastic packages while having active moisture-reducing qualities that protect contents.
Workshop Question - How could your brand improve its operations' sustainability by focusing on packaging innovations?
7.2
Score
Popularity
Activity
Freshness
Patterns
Megatrends
AI Brainstorm
Brands are launching AI tools that foster creativity and collaborative ideation
Trend - Startups are launching artificial intelligence (AI)-powered tools that automatically expand on and connect rough ideas. These tools are designed to foster creativity and enhance the value of brainstorming sessions—quickening the process of turning ideas into actionable plans.
Workshop Question - Where could your business implement AI-powered tools to improve its day-to-day operations?
6.3
Score
Popularity
Activity
Freshness
Patterns
Megatrends
Daily Automation
Advanced robots are being used to automate simple to complex tasks
Trend - Robotics companies are launching advanced robots capable of automating tasks in the workplace and the home. These robots have dexterous limbs, precision accuracy, and reliable problem-solving skills. Businesses are using these to automate simple and menial to complex jobs in the workplace.
Workshop Question - How could your brand benefit from access to advanced robotic workers?
6
Score
Popularity
Activity
Freshness
Patterns
Megatrends
Planned Microcation
Modern consumers are taking microcations to save time and money
Trend - Travel agencies are offering 'microcation' packages that include short-duration, event-packed getaways. These vacation are more affordable and are easier to plan than vacations, making them fit for customers of all ages. Microcations can also be taken in quick succession for versatility.
Workshop Question - How could your brand adjust its products or services knowing that the modern consumer takes less vacation time each year?
4.7
Score
Popularity
Activity
Freshness
Patterns
Megatrends
Custom Chatbot
Brands are launching services that enable fast creation of personalized chatbots
Trend - Businesses offer tools enabling clients to build fully-functional chatbots quickly. These bots are trained on custom datasets, making them suitable for internal, consumer-facing, or consulting purposes. Businesses across numerous industries can benefit from personalized low-cost chatbots.
Workshop Question - How can your brand leverage personalized chatbot technology to enhance customer service or streamline workflow?
5.7
Score
Popularity
Activity
Freshness
Patterns
Megatrends
Automated Chef
Brands are releasing AI-powered cooking devices for the home kitchen
Trend - Just a few years after AI-powered chefs debuted in numerous restaurant pilots, brands are now adapting this technology to the home kitchen. These cooking devices help ensure consistency in cooking while making the process more efficient due to their advanced AI.
Workshop Question - How could your brand repurpose industrial AI tools for the benefit of the home consumer?
5.8
Score
Popularity
Activity
Freshness
Patterns
Megatrends
Personalized Aromatherapy
Brands are launching custom home care scents for customer preferences
Trend - Brands are launching essential oil blends, candles, and pods with customizable scents tailored to customers' needs. These products reduce stresses and anxieties while boosting the mood of the customers by offering them their favorite scents and ingredients in pre-made products.
Workshop Question - How does your brand cater to different consumers' preferences with its products or services?
5.7
Score
Popularity
Activity
Freshness
Patterns
Megatrends
Evolved Education
Post-secondary institutions offer courses specific to Gen Z's hobbies and habits
Trend - Schools are targeting the skills and industries that Gen Z is making influential. In order to maintain their relevance in a rapidly evolving learning environment, honing in on students' personal hobbies and the skills they're self-taught in keeps these institutions evolving with their target market.
Workshop Question - How is your brand evolving with the cultural changes that Gen Z's influence has caused?
2.9
Score
Popularity
Activity
Freshness
Patterns
Megatrends