It is safe to assume that Google has the majority when it comes to the search engine market. However, even Google had humble beginnings. What searchers may not realize is that the search industry is still growing. Not only that, startups are working to tip the balance.
Search Engine Startups: An Overview
The concept that competing against Google is wasting time is a misconception. Crunchbase lists an impressive 728 companies, working now, which are seeding and funding to change the world of search engines. Some funding rounds for search startups have already launched in 2021 thus far. DIMDATA, for example, are in pre-seed at the time of writing this article.
In this industry, other promising ventures include News Break, a brand heading to Series C. Zuoyebang, too, announced Series E funding before the New Year. Furthermore, it may help you to consider Crunchbase's total funding calculations for the industry.
Estimates show that, at present, funding for search ventures weighs in at just over $8.5 billion. Therefore, we need to consider what it is that's driving so much investor interest.
Search Case Studies
ArsTechnica observes a handful of search companies willing to 'change the game' and compete directly against Google. On the whole, it seems that there is a significant push for privacy. With Google's data consumption and retention coming under scrutiny, some search ventures are keen to buck this worrying trend.
For example, Neeva is a young venture that's split from Google. ArsTechnica observes that this engine's primary focus is on running ad-free. That, at least, is based on CEO Sridhar Ramaswamy's experiences, who was once in charge of ads at Google.
Beyond Neeva, a further example in Startpage, attempts to give privacy back to the people. Robert EG Beens, the CEO, runs his venture on the grounds of offering ads, but non-personalized. However, Beens is critical of Neeva's apparent retention policies.
We must also consider BrightEdge. BrightEdge is a search venture that provides SEO (search engine optimization) tools to web marketers and their clients. It's said to be worth at least $62 million.
Therefore, from these studies alone, it is clear search starters revolve around tweaks to the Google model or specific niches.
In the realm of search startups, tour operator SEO is also emerging as a promising niche. As investors seek alternatives to Google's data-driven dominance, these startups are exploring innovative ways to optimize search experiences for tour operators, aiming to provide a more private and less intrusive approach to search engine optimization.
However, what can we expect from search engines in the years to come?
Pivots to Come
Above all, Google remains the primary search engine – to the point where 'to Google' is now a recognizable verb. However, there are audiences and markets of people who are less than comfortable with the company's data crunching.
Therefore, it is not taxing to see why investors of a certain mindset make their voices heard. Google has the search monopoly to the extent that SEO revolves around many of its algorithms.
However, that will not stop search engine startups looking for new ways to pivot around search. Whether this means making it more private or less intrusive, investors can find growing ventures through databases such as Fundz.
SOURCES
https://tracxn.com/d/trending-themes/Startups-in-Search-Engine-Optimization
