Western business ideas – what can you borrow?

The best idea for a startup is to open a direction that does not yet exist in the Russian Federation. It goes without saying that the idea should be in demand, otherwise you can simply “burn out” as experienced entrepreneurs say.

Next, let’s talk about what interesting business ideas there are that are not in Russia, and also consider which of them will be in demand in our country and how to start a business in one direction or another.

Features of the culture of doing business abroad in Russia

Small business in Europe is difficult to compare with what is in Russia if only because in the same America optimal conditions are created for the development of small business – legal support, subsidies, issuing loans on optimal terms, consulting support.

In general, small and medium-sized European businesses are seen as one of the most important sources of economic growth. Actually, that is why the stake is being placed in this direction.

One of the main problems in the CIS is the lack of a legal framework. So the entrepreneur compensates for most of the work with his activity, striving to create something of his own.

To be convincing, we will simply resort to dry statistics: the GDP of small businesses in Europe is 70%, in the USA it is 40%, but in the Russian Federation it is only 23.6%. Perhaps in the context of the country, this is a pretty good indicator, but globally, the picture is not rosy. So that this area should be developed and developed, and then we will consider what Western business ideas can take root in our country and bring good income.

7 foreign ideas that are not yet in Russia

Even if at first glance they seem absurd, this does not mean that such ideas for business from abroad will not be in demand. We will consider the most popular ones below.

Server water heating

The pioneer in Europe is the company Nerdalize – it was they who proposed to heat the water in the house using servers. Something similar was proposed by a German company, but there they had to pay for a server installation costing $ 15,000. But Nerdaliz does it for free, simply by taking a monthly fee.

What is the essence of the idea? All ingenious is simple:

• A special heater receives energy from the cooling system (in this case, the computer acts as such).
• This principle of heating water allows you to save about 40% of energy, and therefore reduce costs.

In addition, it is environmentally friendly – the choice of carbon dioxide is significantly reduced.

It should also be noted that the subscription fee for using such a system can be even more profitable than paying for electricity.

Car service aggregator

Aggregators are sites that collect information in a specific niche or direction from all over the Internet. For example, you are interested in-home delivery. An aggregator site in this area collects data from all sites that provide such services on their site. You don’t need to open a dozen tabs of different portals in order to familiarize yourself with the offer and choose what you need – all in one place.

Therefore, such online services can be considered as the start of your business. The car service aggregator is one of them, as there is no alternative yet. You can get started using one of the following options:

• Create your own website and conclude an agreement with car services for placement.
• Buying a franchise. But, in this case, do not forget that you will need to give a certain percentage of sales to partners every month for a certain time.

Since the idea is fresh, and taking into account the number of car owners in Russia, it is also relevant – you will definitely not be left without profit, provided you have a competent approach to business.

Key duplicating machine

Another business idea that does not yet exist in Russia is a key duplicate machine. By the way, this will be the best option for novice entrepreneurs, since you only need to install a special machine, the cost of which is about 200,000 rubles.

But, given the cost of the finished product, that is, the key (100-250 rubles), the payback will be a long process. In addition, you need to choose the correct installation location so that the device does not stand idle.

In Europe, such machines are the same as our vending machines with coffee – in the mall, in other public places, and even just on the streets.

VR broadcast of sports matches

Virtual reality is already quite popular today – while sitting at home, you can feel yourself in the thick of events that take place on the screen. Therefore, broadcasting matches in a virtual reality system will be an excellent option – especially for male fans.

Investments here are minimal, you need:

• Several pairs of virtual reality glasses.
• A system for broadcasting matches.
• Premises.
• Comfortable furniture.

In addition, you can sell drinks and snacks – to watch matches, that’s it.

Considering the average check and the fact that such an idea will definitely be in demand among the population, the profitability of such a business idea is not even discussed, and will definitely bring good profit.

Cybersport children’s camp

In most Western countries, esports is viewed as a full-fledged sport, and programs for its development often have the status of state ones, with appropriate subsidies.

It goes without saying that in our country they are somewhat wary of this type of development, but nevertheless this is the case, which means that such a Western business idea can be considered as your own startup.

True, it should be noted that a lot of investments are required, since in addition to organizing the camp itself in its classic form: food, rooms for living, organizing children’s leisure, you will need to purchase expensive equipment and furniture for it. So if the development budget is very limited, you can conclude an agreement with the existing camps – in this case, you can save a lot, but you also need to realize that this will be a partnership, not a personal business.

Electronic coffee pass system

Coffee is the drink that many of us drink every day, starting in the morning, during breaks at work and just during a walk. If we calculate, then it is likely that we spend quite a lot of money on this a day, and therefore buying a subscription will be a profitable decision – a novelty of business in Europe in Russia has practically no competitors – only one coffee cup system has been implemented.

The advantage of such a Western business idea, as exemplified by the Coffee Cup, is as follows:

• The owner of the subscription saves about 60%.
• It is enough to show the code in the application to the seller or the waiter from the institution that takes part in the program.
• Additional earnings for those who will distribute the subscription – in the “Coffee cup” they pay 25 rubles for one cup.
• For cafes and restaurants, this can become additional advertising and a way to attract customers, and therefore increase income.

You can start such a business without investment if you start a partnership with an existing system. But, you can go along a more complicated, but no less interesting way – to develop your own network and start competing with the same “Coffee cup”. Healthy competition only stimulates business development.

Wedding Gift Aggregator

Several identical teapots, a couple of sets, bed linen, and so on and so forth, which is unlikely to be useful for the newlyweds in the future. And the eternal: “what to give? – the one that you do not need anything, come just like that. ” Sound familiar? And how. Therefore, Social Capital decided to create a service for the selection of wedding gifts.

The bottom line is this: the newlyweds choose what they really need, and the guests go through the list and buy what they can afford. And everyone is happy.

In Russia, such a Western business idea has not yet been implemented, so you can be a pioneer. By the way, it doesn’t have to be an aggregator of exactly wedding gifts – according to the same scheme, you can create a service for the selection of gifts for a birthday, housewarming, and so on.

American business ideas

Due to the fact that in America there is comprehensive support for the development of small businesses, new business ideas appear there like mushrooms after a rain. Some of them may well be adapted for implementation in Russia.

Aggregator of cafes and restaurants with delivery

Aggregators are one of the few types of directions that came to us from Europe and are rapidly developing here.

Such an idea for a business from abroad is quite simple to implement and does not require large start-up investments:

• A website is being created that will host the menu of restaurants and cafes. The more choice the better.
• A person places an order, an employee transfers it to a restaurant / cafe and picks up the finished order.
• He takes the order to the person, gets the money.

Everything is simple and unambiguous, it will be in demand, since, due to the high employment, people often simply do not have time to cook something for dinner or for the arrival of guests.

Salad constructor

The slogan “collect it yourself!” can now be applied not only to furniture from IKEA – in the USA they have created a service for collecting salads, but in Russia there is no such thing yet.

The essence of such a business idea from the west is as follows:

• The cafe provides individual ingredients to choose from. Each of them has its own price.
• The visitor picks his own salad – picks up the ingredients and chooses the dressing.
• The cost of the salad will depend on the cost of its ingredients.

This is not to say that this is the most budgetary business idea, but still not more expensive than the implementation of an ordinary cafe. To start, if you rent a room for a cafe, you will need about 500,000 rubles.

Street phone charging

Not the most successful business idea from the west, but if you are for the development of social projects, then this option can be considered. So, in the United States and New York, this is quite an ordinary thing, and there are such places not only on the street but also on buses.

The difficulties of implementing such an idea from the west are that:

• You need to get permission from local authorities to install the appropriate equipment.
• There will be no paid chargers, so the profit will be based on government subsidies and the promotion of its own brand.
• High risk of damage to systems – street vandalism thrives in our country better than any business from the west.

And given that many people just carry a portable charger with them, it is not a fact that the business will be profitable. But, and considering such an idea of ​​American business, which does not exist in Russia as a means of full-fledged earnings, is probably not worth it – it is rather an interesting social project with a small profit.

Interactive lunch and grill

This idea for a business from abroad is somewhat similar to the one described above about salads. The essence of such an interactive lunch is that the visitor prepares food for himself – he fries/steams/bakes right on the spot and eats it right there.

There are already such cafes/restaurants in Russia, but the idea itself is still not enough and widespread, so everything is in your hands.

Profit is not limited here, but at the start, you need to invest a fairly large amount of funds:

• Premises and its preparation for functioning.
• Purchase of equipment and furniture.
• Purchase of dishes, food, consumables.
• Documentation of the business, obtaining all necessary permits.
• Salary for employees, rent of premises.

On average, start-up costs will require about $ 5,000, and the main item of expenses here will be exactly the purchase of equipment.

Flower hostel

The flower hostel fully lives up to its name – not only pets, but also flowers need to be cared for during the departure period. It should be noted that similar ideas for business have already been implemented in Russia, but this is mainly the capital, and the regions, which is quite predictable, are somewhat lagging behind. But, for a novice entrepreneur, this is even a plus – there are a lot of ideas for starting a business.

Speaking about the nuances of such a European business, the following can be noted:

• The income is small, but start-up investments are practically not required – you just need to find a suitable premises.
• The average bill on the market is from 2 to 5 rubles per flower per day.
• One square meter can accommodate about 40 medium pots, so a large room is not required.
• You need to have at least minimal skills in floristry in order to properly care for your “guests”.

Advertising costs must be included in the articles of the business plan since without it it will be quite difficult to acquire clients.

It is rather difficult to predict income in this area of ​​business – everything will depend on the number of flowers, workload, as well as the rate for a daily stay.

Selling bags with speakers

Selling bags or backpacks with built-in speakers is one of the most common Western business ideas, and the target audience here is teenagers, students since it is among them that such devices are in demand.

The price for such a bag will depend on the quality of the built-in speakers – from 2,000 to 10,000 rubles.

You can buy bags and speakers in same China – at wholesale warehouses, the price will be minimal. And then resell the finished product in your online store. You can also sell these bags offline. The start-up capital starts from 100,000 rubles and more – depending on the quality of the raw materials, the place of sale, and so on. Approximate profit per month – 30,000-50,000 rubles.

Plant phytowalls

Vertical gardening or decorating walls with plants is a fairly common idea in the west. Moreover, such a system is ideal for both home and office.

Such European business begins to develop only in the capital, so there are practically no competitors in the regions. Features of such a business idea from Europe:

• Business requires quite large investments – phytomodules cost from 10,000 to 30,000 rubles per square meter.
• The best option for customers is large shopping centers, office buildings, business centers.
• In a month, you can make a profit of 50,000 rubles and more – there is no border.

It is imperative to have knowledge in the field of floristry, landscape design. It will be difficult to conduct such a business effectively without special knowledge.

Renting a car for vacation

Car rental is not a new idea, but here we are talking about something else. The bottom line is to rent out the cars of those who are away. In fact, while the owner is away, the car is idle, and you may have to pay additionally for being in the parking lot. And with the availability of such a service, you can additionally receive income.

At the moment, there are no analogues of such a service in Russia, so there is quite an option to occupy a niche. But, pay attention to the fact that you need to work out the legal side of the issue well – both from your side and from the side of the car owner.

European business ideas that are not yet in Russia

Small business is flourishing in Europe, and therefore there are plenty of interesting ideas that have no analogs in Russia. We will consider the most interesting and adaptable to our country further.

Bicycle cafe

If you are for an active lifestyle and you are not interested in dining in restaurants and cafes, then here is a good idea for your business – creating a bicycle cafe.

The essence of such a place is that a visitor can go there directly on his bike and have a snack in the same position. This is not only convenient for the vehicle owners themselves, but also unloads parking spaces, and also prevents theft of bicycles.

Due to the fact that in our country there are few parking lots for bicycles, such an idea will be in demand. To start a business, you will need about 500,000 rubles and a permit from the municipality is required. You can reach full payback in six months.

Shop with a selection of food recipes

This is one of the best ideas, which for some reason has not yet found its implementation in our country. The essence of such a new business idea from Europe is that the store sells not just groceries, but ready-made sets – for example, for a certain type of soup, salad, side dish, second course and even a third course.

It is beneficial for a person, because:

• You don’t have to search through the list, and there is no risk of forgetting something.
• There are no products in excess – for example, you only need to make 1 serving of salad, and it is impossible to buy products strictly in such a set.

True, this type of business cannot be called budgetary – to start, you will need at least a million rubles – for the purchase of products, consumables, as well as the selection and preparation of the premises itself, plus the documentation of the business.

Chocolate products constructor

The pioneer in the market is the French company, Sweet Play. The bottom line is that a person online can create their own kind of chocolate, and not only in terms of composition but also appearance.

The very process of creating chocolate gives positive emotions not only to children, but also to adults, so the service quickly gained popularity in France, and also quickly found its distribution in other countries.

Perhaps this is one of the few ideas for business from Europe that has taken root in Russia – there are not so few companies and small private workshops. But, since the service is just developing, it is possible to profitably occupy a niche.

Vending with goods for travelers

The vending business is just developing in Russia, and in most cases, we see vending machines with coffee and snacks. Less often with shoe covers, various consumables – for clinics, hospitals.

A great new business idea from Europe is vending goods for travelers. The best place to install is airports, train stations, bus stations.

Business features in this direction are as follows:

• It makes sense to sell small goods in the vending machine that a person can simply forget – headphones, hygiene items, small clothes, goods for comfort, and so on.
• The cost of such a machine starts at 150,000 rubles.
• It is not always possible to agree on renting a seat at the airport, but with a great desire, you can do anything you want.

There is no such direction of the vending business in Russia yet, so feel free to start your own business – it will definitely pay off.

Vending with the sale of rolls

Rolls, sushi, and other dishes of Japanese cuisine are no longer exotic for our country. So, in supermarkets they have been selling ready-made sets for a long time, the set can be assembled at will. And since the vending business is just developing in our country, selling rolls through such an automatic machine can be a very good idea.

It should be noted that a vending machine for selling food costs an order of magnitude more than conventional vending machines – the price starts at 250,000 rubles. Plus, the rolls themselves cost a lot – so you will need about 300,000 rubles to start, and this is the very minimum.

By the way, such machines are already being installed in the capital, but in the regions, of course, they are not yet available. So there is every chance to start a good business without competitors.

Healthy food restaurant

Calorie-counting healthy eating restaurants are another fresh business idea from Europe. Moreover, it will be relevant in our time, when you need to take care of your health and nutrition especially carefully.

The number of calories of consumed dishes is indicated not only in the menu, but also in the receipt for payment – so that the excess eaten will be clearly visible, including in material terms. By the way, there will be no particular difficulties in the implementation of such an idea – you just need to introduce a calorie counting system and offer visitors food that is good for health.

Construction of custom houses

The construction of non-standard houses is one of the most popular Western business ideas, but you cannot do without special education and a team of specialists.

In Europe, such architectural structures are in demand – minimalism, panoramic windows, individual design – all these are the requirements of a modern person. But, this is far from the simplest, one might even say a highly specialized type of business. To start, you will need at least 2 million rubles, the registration of a fairly large number of permits.

At the same time, it must be admitted that there are very few such companies in Russia now. So the direction is promising, it makes sense to work out this business idea carefully and start working on the project.

Taxi pass

YandexTaxi, Uber are those services that, we can confidently say, have made a breakthrough in the passenger transportation market. But, in Europe, they went further and introduced subscriptions for taxi rides – this provides a stable flow of customers to carrier companies, and gives customers the opportunity to save well.

This service makes it possible to “free” use a taxi for a certain amount of time or kilometers. But, such a “travel ticket” will be beneficial for those who often use taxi services.

In large cities of the Russian Federation, such services are already operating, but business in this direction is only developing, so this is an excellent idea for a startup. But, keep in mind that to start you will need at least 1.5 million rubles. You can save money if you conclude a partnership agreement with already operating shipping companies.

Let’s summarize

In fact, there are many more non-standard business ideas. Moreover, some do not yet exist in nature, and you may well come up with something of your own, which will soon be in great demand, and who knows, maybe even sold under a franchise.

All you need to start your successful entrepreneurial business is the confidence that everything will work out and careful preparation. If you want to start your own business, you can even without start-up investments – looking for investors, a loan for a well-developed business plan – there are options. The main thing is to start.