The Index

The repository’s all-time ranking of problems by demand. Arrows show movement over the last seven days. If you want a startup idea with proof people care, start at the top.

demand = votes + 2 × “I have this”
First-hand pain counts double. One person, one vote per kind, per problem.
#7dProblem+7dDemand
1NEWComparing data plans across mobile networks is impossible
Cities & transportPain 2 of 5up for grabs
+00
2NEWAPI keys and env vars are scattered across laptops and Slack DMs
DevelopersPain 3 of 5up for grabs
+00
3NEWI can't tell whether an online course is actually good before paying for it
EducationPain 2 of 5up for grabs
+00
4NEWSmall online stores can't absorb the cost of failed deliveries
Small businessPain 4 of 5up for grabs
+00
5NEWMeeting notes get written but the action items never get done
WorkPain 2 of 5up for grabs
+00
6NEWI lose the receipts I need for warranty claims and expense reports
MoneyPain 2 of 5up for grabs
+00
7NEWEvent check-in lines are slow because tickets are screenshots across five apps
Small businessPain 3 of 5up for grabs
+00
8NEWCreators can't tell which brand deals actually paid out and which are still pending
CreatorsPain 3 of 5up for grabs
+00
9NEWTraffic estimates are useless when it rains or roads flood
Cities & transportPain 3 of 5up for grabs
+00
10NEWBus routes in Lagos aren't on any map — you learn them by asking
Cities & transportPain 3 of 5up for grabs
+00
11NEWTeachers spend whole weekends grading handwritten essays
EducationPain 4 of 5up for grabs
+00
12NEWEvery SaaS tool sends invoices in a different format and my accountant hates me
Small businessPain 3 of 5up for grabs
+00
13NEWSmall restaurants lose track of ingredients that are about to expire
Small businessPain 4 of 5up for grabs
+00
14NEWPharmacies run out of my regular medication and I find out at the counter
HealthPain 4 of 5up for grabs
+00
15NEWJob applications vanish into a void — no status, no rejection
WorkPain 3 of 5up for grabs
+00
16NEWKids' school WhatsApp groups bury the one message that actually matters
FamilyPain 3 of 5up for grabs
+00
17NEWOnboarding to a new codebase takes weeks of tribal knowledge
DevelopersPain 3 of 5up for grabs
+00
18NEWI can't tell how much fuel my generator has left or when to buy more
Home & livingPain 3 of 5up for grabs
+00
19NEWSplitting shared household bills with flatmates always ends in an argument
MoneyPain 2 of 5up for grabs
+00
20NEWCross-border payouts to contractors in Africa lose 5–8% to fees and FX
MoneyPain 4 of 5up for grabs
+00
21NEWFinding a reliable plumber or electrician means asking five WhatsApp groups
Home & livingPain 3 of 5up for grabs
+00
22NEWElderly relatives living alone — nobody knows if they've had a fall
FamilyPain 5 of 5up for grabs
+00
23NEWI repeat my whole medical history at every new doctor or hospital
HealthPain 4 of 5up for grabs
+00
24NEWFlaky end-to-end tests block deploys and nobody owns fixing them
DevelopersPain 3 of 5up for grabs
+00
25NEWFreelancers chase clients for weeks to get paid for finished work
WorkPain 4 of 5up for grabs
+00
26NEWMy parents keep falling for scam messages and I only find out after the money's gone
FamilyPain 5 of 5up for grabs
+00
27NEWLandlords demand one to two years of rent upfront
Home & livingPain 5 of 5up for grabs
+00
28NEWFailed bank transfers take days to reverse and nobody tells you where the money is
MoneyPain 5 of 5up for grabs
+00