Start An Io T Startup - Business Ideas

Updated: September 15th, 2022
Start An Io T Startup

Please note that the data provided in this article are estimates and may vary depending on various factors, and should not be considered as perfect or definitive.

An IoT startup focuses on devices connected to the internet that can be accessed remotely through the internet or a connected application.

Research what is essential to the end users to start and build a successful IoT. Leverage what is available to make the application easy to use. Then, create working prototypes, test, and build the application around the clear essential purpose.

Starting an IoT startup requires a great deal of effort, dedication, and most importantly passion.

If you're interested in how to sell iot service, or selling iot service online, you can use this page as a guide for everything you'll need to know.

Want to learn more? You can check out our full guide on how to start an IoT startup ➜

Key Stats

market size
$761B
revenue (monthly)
$136K
starting costs
$16.8K
gross margin
95%
avg product price
$1
time to build
360 days
growth
Word of mouth
business model
E-Commerce
time investment
Side project
work from home?
Yes

Startup Costs

Min Startup Costs Max Startup Costs

Office Space Expenses

$0

$7,000

App Creation Costs

$1,099

$20,099

Software Expenses

$162

$2,894

Advertising & Marketing Costs

$0

$2,500

Website Costs

$13

$215

Training & Education Expenses

$0

$850

Total Startup Costs

$1,274

$33,558

Successful Businesses

Business URL Rank

Internet of Things (IoT) Summit at RWW2020

rww2020.iot.ieee.org

1,213

JDN : E-business, FinTech, Big Data & IoT

journaldunet.com

9,373

Tracxn

tracxn.com

10,181

Splunk

splunk.com

10,787

NXP Semiconductors

nxp.com

22,804

Sched

sched.com

27,093

Techstars

techstars.com

31,064

Built In LA

builtinla.com

32,491

Samsara

samsara.com

33,108

IoT For All

iotforall.com

56,375

CIOReviewIndia

cioreviewindia.com

60,765

Pros & Cons

Pros Description

Flexibility

You can put as much time into the business as you'd like. If you like the work and have some initial experience, you can start small and manage all aspects of the business on your own.

Ability to start your business from home

It's not necessary to have a physical storefront or office space to get your business started. You can do everything from the comfort of your own home, at least in the beginning!

Rewarding work

Starting a IoT startup can be really rewarding work. After all, you are solving an immediate issue for your customer and you're working on something you truly care about.

Scalable

With businesses and processes changing daily, there will always be demand for new features, products and services for your business. Additionally, there are several different business models and pricing tiers you can implement that will allow you to reach all types of customers.

Traffic to your website

A IoT startup gives people a reason to visit your website and to keep coming back to you!

No overhead costs

To get your IoT startup started, there are no costs associated with overhead, storage, packaging, etc. This will save you a lot of time and money!

Cons Description

Crowded Space

Competition is high when it comes to your IoT startup, so it's important that you spend a good amount of time analyzing the market and understanding where the demand lies.

Motivation of employees

If you plan to have a sales/content team on board, finding creative ways to motivate them can be a challenge. It's important that you're able to offer great incentives and a good work environment for your employees.

Longer Sales Process

A IoT startup can be a big time and money investment for your customer, so it's important you plan and predict a longer conversion funnel and stay in communication with potential customers.

Security Issues

With any Saas business, data loss and security issues may arise throughout your process of building your product. It's critical that you understand exactly what you're responsible for and how to avoid potential issues down the road.

Isolation

Often times, as a IoT startup, you typically work alone and do not have much face-to-face interaction with other team members.

Taxes

As a IoT startup, you typically pay self-employment taxes which can be quite high. It's important to understand what you will be paying in taxes each year so you can determine if the work you're taking on is worth it.

Marketing Ideas

  • 1

    Affiliate Program

    Affiliate marketing is a great way to bring in a new revenue stream, especially when you don't sell products or services.

    Simply put, an affiliate program is an agreement where a business pays another business or influencer ("the affiliate") a commission for sending traffic and/or sales their way.

    The affiliate typically gets a unique link where clicks and conversions can be tracked.

    Learn more about affiliate program ➜

  • 2

    Direct Sales

    Direct sales strategy implies a direct contact between a seller and a consumer without the involvement of any third party. Direct selling is popular in sectors where sellers communicate with their clientele personally. The sales technique occurs at non-store locations which include at home, work, or online.

    For direct selling to succeed, hire a few (or many) salespeople to support the sales conversion process. It's critical that you assign them specific roles and responsibilities to nurture the client and provide excellent support.

    Learn more about direct sales ➜

  • 3

    Word of mouth

    Word of mouth is when a consumers reflects their interest in a company’s product or service in their daily dialogues.

    Therefore, word of mouth advertising is essentially a free advertising triggered by the customers experience.

    According to Nielsen, 92% of people trust recommendations from friends and family.

    Therefore, in today’s hyper-connected world, a single recommendation through a word of mouth can have a huge impact to your business.

    Learn more about word of mouth ➜