The startup landscape is undergoing a fundamental shift. While the past two decades saw the rise of billion-dollar companies built on mobile apps—think Uber, Instagram, and Snapchat—the next generation of unicorns will take a different approach. Instead of focusing on standalone apps, these startups will create platforms that rebuild entire industries from the ground up.
As a startup leader and bestselling author of Lean AI, I’ve had a front-row seat to this evolution. This shift is being driven by advances in artificial intelligence (AI), cloud computing, and decentralized technologies, along with increasing consumer and enterprise demand for integrated, scalable solutions.
As traditional industries face disruption, the most successful startups will be the ones that reimagine how these industries operate—not just by improving efficiency, but by fundamentally transforming them.
Why Apps Are No Longer Enough
The Saturation of the App Economy
The app boom of the 2010s led to a flood of mobile applications, making it increasingly difficult for new apps to break through. Today, consumer attention is divided among a handful of dominant platforms—Facebook, TikTok, YouTube, and Instagram—leaving little room for new players to gain traction. App fatigue has set in, with users reluctant to download and engage with new applications unless they offer a truly unique value proposition.
Venture Capital Shifts Towards Industry Reinvention
Investors are also pivoting their focus. While early-stage venture capital once flowed freely to consumer-facing apps, there’s now greater interest in companies that solve systemic industry problems. According to CB Insights’ State of Venture Report, funding for enterprise AI and industry-specific platforms has surged in recent years, reflecting this broader shift.
The Power of Ecosystems Over Single-Function Apps
Apps that serve a single function have a ceiling on their growth potential. In contrast, platforms that create entire ecosystems—where multiple stakeholders interact and derive value—have the ability to scale exponentially. Andreessen Horowitz’s “Why Software Is Eating the World” helped popularize this shift, which we now see playing out across industries. Amazon transformed retail, Salesforce reinvented CRM, and Stripe redefined online payments. The next wave of unicorns will follow a similar trajectory by creating platforms that serve as foundational layers for industries in need of disruption.
Industries Ripe for Reinvention
1. Healthcare: From Digital Records to AI-Driven Care
The healthcare industry is notorious for inefficiencies, outdated technology, and fragmented patient data. While telemedicine apps like Teladoc improved access to care, they didn’t solve core industry challenges.
The next wave of healthcare startups will focus on:
- AI-powered diagnostics that reduce dependency on human specialists
- Interoperable patient data platforms that unify electronic health records (EHRs) across providers
- Decentralized clinical trials leveraging blockchain to streamline research
Companies like Tempus and Olive AI are already pioneering these changes, but there’s room for even larger platforms to emerge. The World Economic Forum outlines how AI is transforming care delivery at a systemic level.
2. Finance: Beyond Apps to Embedded Infrastructure
Fintech apps like Robinhood and Venmo revolutionized banking and investing, but they’re still built on legacy financial systems. The real transformation is happening at the infrastructure level, where platforms are being developed to replace traditional banking and lending models.
Key trends driving fintech reinvention:
- Decentralized finance (DeFi) platforms that remove middlemen from financial transactions
- Embedded finance solutions allowing non-financial companies to offer banking services
- AI-driven credit assessment to expand financial inclusion
Startups like Plaid, which acts as a bridge between fintech apps and banks, demonstrate the power of financial infrastructure over standalone applications.
3. Education: AI-Powered Personalized Learning
EdTech startups initially focused on digitizing traditional learning models—think Coursera and Duolingo. However, the next frontier is platforms that customize education at an individual level, leveraging AI to tailor learning experiences.
Future billion-dollar platforms in education will:
- Use AI tutors to provide one-on-one personalized instruction
- Create modular learning ecosystems where students can build custom curriculums
- Offer credentialing platforms that replace traditional degrees with skills-based certifications
Startups like Tynker and Synthesis are already experimenting with these ideas, but the next major player could reshape education as we know it.
4. Supply Chain & Logistics: Autonomous and Data-Driven Operations
The pandemic exposed critical vulnerabilities in global supply chains. While logistics apps have improved tracking and delivery, the real opportunity lies in platforms that optimize entire supply networks.
The next generation of supply chain startups will:
- Leverage AI to predict and mitigate disruptions
- Use blockchain for transparent and tamper-proof transactions
- Implement autonomous logistics systems, including drone and robotic delivery
Companies like Flexport and Project44 are already making headway, but the full industry transformation is just beginning.
Key Technologies Powering This Shift
Artificial Intelligence & Automation
AI is enabling startups to move beyond simple apps and create intelligent platforms capable of complex decision-making. In healthcare, AI-powered diagnostics can analyze medical images with higher accuracy than human doctors. In finance, AI models assess risk and prevent fraud in real-time. McKinsey’s research on the future of work highlights how AI and automation are reshaping industries at the infrastructure level.
Blockchain & Decentralization
Blockchain technology is decentralizing industries that rely on intermediaries. In supply chain management, blockchain ensures end-to-end transparency. In finance, decentralized lending platforms are challenging traditional banks.
APIs & Open Ecosystems
The rise of API-driven businesses means that the most successful platforms will act as infrastructure providers. Stripe didn’t just create a payments app—it built an API ecosystem that other companies integrate into their own platforms. Future unicorns will follow this model across industries.
What This Means for Founders and Investors
For Startup Founders
- Think beyond apps. The next big opportunities lie in reengineering industries, not just launching new features
- Build platforms, not products. Aim to create ecosystems where multiple stakeholders interact
- Leverage emerging technologies. AI, blockchain, and automation are critical enablers of industry-wide disruption
For Investors
- Prioritize long-term infrastructure plays. Platforms that rebuild industries offer higher scalability than single-function apps
- Look for defensibility. The strongest startups will have deep network effects and data advantages
- Bet on transformation, not iteration. Companies that challenge fundamental industry assumptions will yield the biggest returns
Conclusion
The era of billion-dollar apps is fading, making way for a new breed of startups that will transform entire industries. The companies that succeed won’t just offer incremental improvements—they’ll rethink how healthcare, finance, education, and logistics operate at their core.
For founders, the message is clear: don’t build an app—build the future of an industry. The next wave of unicorns will be defined not by downloads, but by the depth of the impact they make on the world’s most essential systems. For deeper insights into this platform shift, Harvard Business Review provides an excellent overview of how platform dynamics are reshaping business strategy globally.
FAQ: Platforms That Rebuild Industries
What does it mean to build a platform that rebuilds an industry?
It means creating a scalable, technology-driven foundation that transforms how an entire industry operates. Unlike traditional apps that solve a single problem, platforms integrate multiple solutions to disrupt workflows, data systems, and stakeholder interactions at scale.
Why are platforms more valuable than standalone apps?
Platforms offer greater scalability, deeper network effects, and recurring value across ecosystems. While apps often face user acquisition and retention challenges, platforms become infrastructure—making them harder to replace and more defensible over time.
Which industries are most likely to be rebuilt by platforms?
Industries with outdated infrastructure and inefficiencies—such as healthcare, education, finance, and logistics—are most ripe for disruption. Platforms that address core pain points in these sectors are attracting the most attention from investors and founders.
What technologies are driving this shift from apps to platforms?
Artificial intelligence, blockchain, automation, and open API ecosystems are enabling startups to create smarter, more integrated solutions. These technologies power the next generation of industry-changing platforms.
How can startup founders build platforms instead of apps?
Founders should focus on solving systemic industry problems, not just user experience. This means identifying value chains that can be improved or replaced, designing for multiple stakeholders, and leveraging emerging technologies to create defensible infrastructure.
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