Startup Model — Wifi Sharing

The Model: A platform for creating uninterrupted wifi connectivity, with users sharing their personal hotspots. A user has to share his/her hotspot details with the platform. When a user is in a place where his/her network is weak, he/she can use the hotspot shared by other users in that area.

Startup Doing It: Instabridge (Swedish startup)

What I Like:

Core Idea — Building great wifi connectivity through user network sharing.

Ease of Use — Find a good network in any area and connect to it.

Big Problem Addressed — Connectivity issues are quite common in different areas, especially in developing countries. Network sharing is a great way to address this issue.

My Concerns:

Revenue Model — The startup is not monetizing currently. How they do is key in assessing the potential of this business. Some options they are considering are tie-ups with telecom operators, advertisements or a freemium model.

Security — Since users may be using other users’ network, security issues will deter some users from sharing their network.

Gamifying Users to Share — A user will be inclined to download the app when he/she wants to get wifi. Users will need to be incentivized to share their network first.