Introduction
I am Violetta Bonenkamp, founder of the F/MS Startup Game, and this is part ten of our series answering 1,000 real "how to" questions that founders in our game have asked us over the years. These questions come from European and mostly bootstrapped entrepreneurs who are building practical, revenue-focused startups, often as women and first-time founders.
In this final part we focus entirely on 2026: what's coming, how to prepare, and where the real opportunities are. We cover agentic AI, hyper-personalization, vertical SaaS, femtech and women's health, climate tech, creator economy shifts, voice search, and the rise of community-driven loyalty. Use this as your 2026 playbook: scan for trends that match your vision, validate early, and start building while others are still deciding.
Check out the Complete "How to" Series:
🔗 1000 Startup How-To Questions Part 1: Startup Strategy, Funding and Business Fundamentals
🔗 1000 Startup How-To Questions Part 2: SEO, Naming, and Competitive Analysis
🔗 1000 Startup How-To Questions Part 3: Content, Business Models, and Growth
🔗 1000 Startup How-To Questions Part 4: Finding Customers, Funding, and Keywords
🔗 1000 Startup How-To Questions Part 5: Backlinks, Funding, Growth, and AI Visibility
🔗 1000 Startup How-To Questions Part 6: Launching, Naming, Tools, and Fundraising
🔗 1000 Startup How-To Questions Part 7: Costs, Funding, Naming, and Starting Up
🔗 1000 Startup How-To Questions Part 8: Tech Startups, Tools, AI, and Keyword Research
🔗 1000 Startup How-To Questions Part 9: SEO Tools, Schema Markup, and AI Optimization
🔗 1000 Startup How-To Questions Part 10: 2026 Trends, AI, and Future Opportunities
How to prepare your business for agentic ai in 2026
Map your most repetitive workflows and identify tasks where AI agents could save hours weekly, then start experimenting with autonomous agents through tools like Make.com or n8n. Plan to free up your team's time for strategic work instead of trying to replace people.
How to build an ai copilot for your specific industry
Start by identifying the most frequent questions or repetitive tasks in your target industry, then use existing LLMs like Claude or GPT-4 to build the logic, and wrap it in a simple interface. Launch to a small group of beta users in your niche and refine based on feedback.
How to position your business ahead of 2026 seo changes
Start optimizing for AI Overviews and conversational search by creating FAQ sections and direct answer content, ensure your technical SEO foundation is solid with fast page speed and mobile responsiveness, and focus on topical authority rather than individual keyword targeting.
How to adapt your content strategy for generative engine optimization
Create authoritative, people-first content that AI engines want to cite, structure content with clear headers and direct answers to common questions, and build deep topical authority so AI systems trust your expertise. Focus on answering the user's actual question instead of trying to game algorithms.
How to optimize for voice search and conversational queries in 2026
Write naturally conversational content that mirrors how people actually speak, optimize for long-tail question phrases, and implement schema markup for FAQ and HowTo content. Voice search optimization requires natural language, not keyword density.
How to build a vertical SaaS startup in 2026
Choose a specific industry with clear pain points and high willingness to pay, build software that handles the entire workflow for that niche, and avoid trying to serve multiple industries. Vertical SaaS companies command premium pricing and higher retention than horizontal platforms.
How to identify underserved vertical SaaS niches
Talk to 20 professionals in an industry about their tools and frustrations, research which industries are still using legacy software or manual processes, and look for overlap between fragmented solutions and specialized needs. Industries like construction, hospitality, and niche services have huge opportunities.
How to start a femtech business in 2026
Choose a specific women's health problem like menopause, fertility, or postpartum recovery where existing solutions are limited, validate the problem with real conversations and waitlists, and understand that femtech requires both medical knowledge and deep empathy. Femtech is a $45-51 billion market in 2025.
How to build community as your core business model in 2026
Create a community around a shared outcome or identity rather than a product, deliver consistent value through workshops, challenges, and peer connections, and measure success by contribution frequency not purchase frequency. Community-led loyalty costs less to maintain than traditional marketing.
How to implement hyper-personalization without creeping out customers
Use predictive intent signals like behavior patterns and micro-interactions, be transparent about what data you collect and how you use it, and always give customers control over their personalization settings. Transparency builds trust; opacity builds fear.
How to leverage agentic ai for hyper-personalization at scale
Deploy AI agents to track user micro-signals like hover behavior and scroll depth, use that data to predict intent and dynamically adjust experiences, and test different personalization levels to find what converts without feeling invasive. Real-time adaptation beats static recommendations.
How to build a creator-first business in 2026
Treat creators as co-founders and creative directors, not just media line items on a spreadsheet, share revenue and decision-making authority, and invest in long-term partnerships instead of one-off campaigns. Creators now drive ROI comparable to traditional media.
How to start a creator community platform in 2026
Focus on a specific creator niche like health coaches or indie SaaS founders, offer tools to manage subscriptions and sell digital products directly, and build community features that creators value. Creator economy is growing 30 percent annually.
How to tap the influencer economy shift in 2026
Move away from vanity metrics like follower count and focus on micro-influencers with authentic engagement, negotiate performance-based deals tied to actual conversions, and invest in long-term relationships with creators in your niche. Small, engaged audiences outperform large, inactive ones.
How to build community-driven loyalty instead of discount-based programs
Create exclusive experiences, challenges, and peer connections for community members, measure loyalty by contribution and engagement not purchase frequency, and offer flexible rewards that members actually want. Discount-based loyalty does not build defensibility.
How to prepare your marketing for the privacy-first 2026
Invest in first-party data collection through email lists, customer surveys, and owned communities, use privacy-compliant CDP platforms for small businesses, and build consent management into all your data practices. Third-party tracking will continue to decline.
How to use first-party data effectively in 2026 marketing
Build email lists and owned communities where customers choose to hear from you, use customer data to personalize experiences across touchpoints, and respect opt-out and data deletion requests promptly. First-party data is your competitive advantage in 2026.
How to implement marketing automation workflows in 2026
Map your customer journey, identify the key decision points and triggers, use platforms like HubSpot or Make to automate multi-step workflows, and test different sequences to find what converts best. Automation multiplies your team's efficiency.
How to integrate ai agents into your marketing automation
Use AI to analyze customer behavior and automatically suggest next best actions, deploy agents to handle routine tasks like lead scoring and nurturing, and let AI optimize send times and personalization rules. AI-powered automation converts better than rule-based automation.
How to start a d2c brand with hyper-personalization in 2026
Collect zero-party data through interactive quizzes or preference centers, use that data to personalize product recommendations and email content, and build community where customers feel heard. Personalized commerce converts 20 percent higher than generic commerce.
How to build an ai-powered content platform for 2026
Use AI to generate content outlines and first drafts at scale, ensure every piece of generated content has your authentic voice and original insights, and publish consistently across multiple channels. AI accelerates content production but humans must add credibility.
How to optimize your website for google experience optimization in 2026
Prioritize user experience across desktop, tablet, and mobile with fast load times and intuitive navigation, add interactive elements that engage users, and use dynamic content that adapts to user intent. Experience optimization matters more than keyword density.
How to implement schema markup for ai visibility in 2026
Add structured data for products, FAQs, how-to content, and organizations on every page, use the Google Rich Results tester to validate your markup, and update schema as your content changes. Schema helps AI engines understand and cite your content.
How to build brand authority for ai search engines
Create comprehensive, authoritative content on your core topics, cite reputable sources and build backlinks from high-authority sites, and demonstrate expertise through original research or unique insights. EEAT signals tell AI systems whether to trust your content.
How to start a climate tech business in 2026
Identify a specific sustainability problem like carbon accounting or circular supply chains, build software that helps businesses measure and reduce environmental impact, and price to help companies reduce costs while improving their ESG metrics. Climate tech gets ESG-aligned funding.
How to pitch climate tech to impact investors in 2026
Lead with the environmental impact and measurable outcomes, then show the financial returns, include data on how your solution reduces costs or creates new revenue, and explain your go-to-market strategy. Impact investors want both purpose and profit.
How to leverage the femtech funding boom in 2026
Validate your femtech idea with women experiencing the problem, build an MVP and get paying customers, and then pitch to female-focused funds or gender-lens investors. Femtech is one of the fastest-growing funding categories.
How to build an ai-first productivity tool startup
Identify a specific repetitive task that knowledge workers spend hours on weekly, build an AI agent that can handle 80 percent of that task autonomously, and integrate with tools people already use. AI-first tools must save time or money to gain adoption.
How to start an ai services agency in 2026
Specialize in a specific use case like content creation or customer service automation, build proven workflows using existing AI platforms, and sell to small businesses unable to hire AI experts. Most AI agencies fail by trying to do everything.
How to leverage spatial computing opportunities in 2026
Start with content creation like AR training modules or virtual real estate showrooms, use affordable AR/VR platforms instead of building custom hardware, and focus on solving specific industry problems. Hardware is hard; content creation creates most jobs.
How to build a web3 or blockchain startup in 2026
Choose a real use case like tokenized real-world assets or decentralized infrastructure, build for regulatory compliance from day one, and validate customer willingness to adopt before over-engineering. Web3 hype is fading; actual utility is rising.
How to prepare for the depin revolution in 2026
Understand decentralized physical infrastructure networks and how incentive tokens work, identify infrastructure problems like bandwidth or compute where community contribution makes sense, and design tokenomics carefully. DePIN tokens are growing fast but require complex design.
How to build an edge computing or iot business in 2026
Focus on solving problems where cloud computing creates latency or cost issues, use edge computing to process data locally for faster decisions, and integrate with existing industrial or consumer systems. Edge computing matters more as IoT device numbers explode.
How to start an ai-powered customer support automation business
Build chatbots and support agents that handle routine customer questions, integrate with existing support platforms and knowledge bases, and measure success by customer satisfaction not just ticket deflection. Good support automation improves CX, not just reduces costs.
How to leverage the shift from tools to agents in 2026
Start building agentic systems instead of static tools, focus on autonomous decision-making with human oversight, and price based on time saved or revenue generated. Agents are the natural evolution of SaaS.
How to position yourself in the ai copilot gold rush
Choose a specific industry with clear pain points and high-value workflows, build deep industry knowledge alongside AI expertise, and launch copilots that feel essential to daily work. Most copilot opportunities are in underserved verticals.
How to build loyalty through micro-moments and real-time marketing in 2026
Respond to customer needs in real-time through mobile notifications and dynamic website experiences, create exclusive offers tied to specific moments or behaviors, and use location and time-of-day data to stay relevant. Real-time marketing beats scheduled campaigns.
How to implement predictive personalization in your product
Track user micro-signals like hover behavior and hesitation patterns, use predictive models to anticipate what users need before they ask, and test different predictions to find what increases engagement. Predictive beats reactive personalization.
How to build trust in an ai-first world
Be transparent about when you use AI and how you use customer data, implement strong data privacy and security practices, and give customers control over how AI is used with them. Transparency is the trust currency in 2026.
How to adapt your pricing strategy for 2026
Move toward outcome-based or value-based pricing instead of fixed tiers, use dynamic pricing that adjusts to customer segment or usage, and test different models until you find what maximizes revenue and retention. One-size-fits-all pricing leaves money on the table.
How to build a subscription business that retains in 2026
Focus on delivering measurable outcomes not features, communicate regularly and transparently about progress, and make cancellation easy but subscription valuable enough to keep. High retention comes from consistent value delivery.
How to create content that ai engines want to cite
Write with specificity and clarity so AI systems understand your exact claims, back up assertions with data, studies, or examples, and structure content with direct answers at the beginning. AI systems cite sources that give clear, authoritative answers.
How to leverage user-generated content at scale in 2026
Build systems where customers naturally contribute content and reviews, use that content as social proof in your marketing, and reward contributors with recognition or exclusive access. UGC creates authenticity and reduces content creation costs.
How to build a private community platform in 2026
Focus on solving a specific problem or serving a specific identity, use simple tools like Slack, Circle, or Mighty Networks, and emphasize value delivery and peer connection over constant engagement. Quality communities beat large, inactive ones.
How to partner with creators as a brand in 2026
Invite creators into your strategy early instead of briefing them at the end, give them creative freedom and profit sharing, and measure success by brand growth and sales not just engagement metrics. Creator partnerships work when they feel authentic.
How to prepare your content calendar for ai search optimization
Audit current content for AI citability and update weak pieces, plan new content specifically for AI answers like FAQs and how-to guides, and organize content into topic clusters that demonstrate authority. Intentional AI optimization beats hoping for citations.
How to build zero-party data collection into your business model
Create interactive experiences like quizzes, preference centers, and surveys where customers voluntarily share data, use that data to deliver personalized experiences, and be transparent about how you use it. Zero-party data is more accurate than inferred data.
How to implement customer data platforms for small teams in 2026
Use affordable CDP platforms like mParticle, Segment, or Tinybird designed for smaller companies, consolidate data from website, email, and product into a single system, and use that unified data for personalization. CDPs enable personalization without having to be a data expert.
How to leverage short-form video in 2026 without depending on algorithms
Build email lists and communities where you share long-form or behind-the-scenes content, use short-form video to drive traffic to owned channels, and monetize through direct sales not platform ad revenue. Short-form feeds traffic; owned channels create revenue.
How to build a podcast or audio content business in 2026
Choose a specific listener niche with clear interests and pain points, publish consistently so your audience knows when to expect new episodes, and grow by being a guest on other podcasts. Quality audio content builds loyal audiences.
How to start an online education or courses business in 2026
Focus on teaching one specific transformation or skill set instead of everything, deliver through video combined with workbooks and live community support, and iterate based on student feedback. Courses work when they solve a clear problem fast.
How to position yourself as a thought leader in 2026
Publish substantive content on your core topics regularly, share insights publicly on LinkedIn and through content, and participate in relevant industry conversations. Thought leadership requires consistent visibility over months and years.
How to leverage ai for seo content creation in 2026
Use AI to generate outlines and first drafts, validate facts and claims with manual research, and always add original insights and expertise. AI content that lacks credibility hurts rankings instead of helping.
How to optimize your sales process with ai in 2026
Use AI to score leads based on propensity to buy, automate initial follow-ups and qualification, and let sales focus on closing deals. AI-assisted sales closes faster and at higher conversion rates.
How to build a solopreneur business that scales with ai in 2026
Use AI agents to automate customer service, email marketing, and content creation, focus your time on sales and strategy, and hire contractors only for work AI cannot handle. AI multiplies one person's output.
How to stay ahead of 2026 startup trends as an early-stage founder
Track industry leaders and experts, follow funding trends and venture capital themes, and validate that what you are building aligns with real customer demand. Chasing trends without validating customer need wastes time.
How to validate a 2026 business idea before building
Talk to 20 potential customers about whether they would pay for your solution, create a landing page and measure interest, or pre-sell to a small group. Validation de-risks your idea before you invest heavily.
How to position your startup for 2026 funding discussions
Lead with traction, show real users or revenue, explain why you are the right team for this problem, and communicate clearly what you are building and for whom. Investors fund momentum more than ideas.
How to build a remote team that works well in 2026
Hire specialists instead of generalists, use async communication and clear written documentation, and set expectations around availability and deep work hours. Remote work requires more intentional communication than in-office.
How to stay motivated as a founder navigating 2026 uncertainty
Build peer groups of other founders, celebrate small milestones, and reconnect regularly with why you started. Entrepreneurship is a marathon; sustainable pace beats burnout.
How to differentiate your business in a crowded 2026 market
Find a specific niche or use case where you can be the best solution, develop defensibility through community, data, or technology, and resist the urge to be everything to everyone. Niche focus beats horizontal generalization.
How to leverage partnership and integration strategies in 2026
Build integrations with complementary tools your customers already use, partner with companies that serve your customer but are not competitors, and make it easy for partners to refer customers to you. Partnerships multiply your reach.
How to implement a sustainable pricing model for 2026
Understand your unit economics and ensure pricing covers costs plus healthy margin, experiment with different models like freemium, tiered, or value-based, and adjust based on customer segments and willingness to pay. Pricing requires testing and iteration.
How to build brand recognition without huge marketing budgets
Create valuable content your audience wants to share, engage authentically in communities where your audience hangs out, and leverage founder visibility on social platforms. Authentic brand building beats expensive ads.
How to plan your 2026 content marketing strategy
Map out the customer journey and key questions at each stage, plan content topics aligned with search demand, and commit to a publishing cadence you can sustain. Content marketing compounds when executed consistently over months.
How to leverage micro-communities for startup growth
Create small groups for specific use cases or customer segments, deliver exclusive value through these communities, and convert members to customers over time. Micro-communities build deeper loyalty than broadcast marketing.
How to optimize your tech stack for 2026 startup operations
Choose boring, reliable tools with good integrations instead of shiny new platforms, consolidate vendors to reduce complexity, and automate data flows between systems. Your tech stack should enable growth, not distract from it.
How to implement data privacy practices into your startup culture
Get privacy compliance right from day one to avoid costly mistakes later, train your team on customer data handling, and be transparent with customers about how you use their data. Privacy is now a competitive advantage.
How to leverage ai to accelerate product development in 2026
Use AI to analyze customer feedback and find patterns, use generative AI to prototype and iterate faster, and implement AI-powered analytics to measure what features actually drive usage. AI accelerates learning cycles.
How to build strategic partnerships with larger companies in 2026
Identify a problem your startup solves that larger companies need but build internally, offer a simple integration path, and create clear mutual value for both sides. Strategic partnerships validate your product and accelerate growth.
How to fundraise effectively in a skeptical 2026 market
Show real traction with paying customers or engaged users, articulate your market opportunity with data, and build a credible founding team. Traction trumps pitch deck.
How to build a brand that resonates with gen z in 2026
Be authentic and transparent, take stands on values that matter, and engage in communities where your audience spends time. Gen Z rejects inauthenticity and corporate-speak.
How to leverage the opportunity in underserved international markets
Identify markets where global solutions are expensive or poorly localized, build for local payment methods and languages, and partner with local influencers or teams. International expansion multiplies addressable market.
How to implement customer feedback loops into your product roadmap
Collect feedback through surveys, interviews, and usage analytics, weight feedback by customer value and frequency, and communicate back to customers about what you are building and why. Customers who feel heard stay loyal.
How to avoid common startup mistakes in 2026
Do not chase every trend, do not over-hire before product-market fit, do not ignore customer feedback, and do not spend before revenue. Focus, discipline, and listening are more important than fancy ideas.
How to build a sustainable business model instead of a venture-dependent one
Start with revenue, prioritize unit economics over growth rate, and avoid spending faster than you are earning. Sustainable businesses survive downturns and give you options.
How to navigate the shift from move fast to build trusted in 2026
Implement strong data practices and privacy from day one, be transparent about your product's capabilities and limitations, and build community trust through consistent delivery. Trust is your moat in 2026.
How to position your startup as a climate or sustainability leader
Measure and communicate your actual environmental impact, build sustainability into core operations not just marketing, and partner with credible organizations that validate your claims. Greenwashing destroys brands.
How to leverage the demise of third-party cookies before 2026
Build first-party data channels like email lists and communities, use privacy-preserving analytics alternatives, and adjust your attribution model to account for less tracking data. Third-party cookie decline is now; prepare now.
How to build a brand that lasts beyond 2026
Focus on solving a real problem better than alternatives, build community around your solution, and stay true to your founding values as you scale. Lasting brands are built on substance, not hype.
About the Author
Violetta Bonenkamp, also known as MeanCEO, is an experienced startup founder with an impressive educational background including an MBA and four other higher education degrees. She has over 20 years of work experience across multiple countries, including 5 years as a solopreneur and serial entrepreneur. Throughout her startup experience she has applied for multiple startup grants at the EU level, in the Netherlands and Malta, and her startups received quite a few of those. She’s been living, studying and working in many countries around the globe and her extensive multicultural experience has influenced her immensely.
Violetta Bonenkamp's expertise in CAD sector, IP protection and blockchain
Violetta Bonenkamp is recognized as a multidisciplinary expert with significant achievements in the CAD sector, intellectual property (IP) protection, and blockchain technology.
CAD Sector:
- Violetta is the CEO and co-founder of CADChain, a deep tech startup focused on developing IP management software specifically for CAD (Computer-Aided Design) data. CADChain addresses the lack of industry standards for CAD data protection and sharing, using innovative technology to secure and manage design data.
- She has led the company since its inception in 2018, overseeing R&D, PR, and business development, and driving the creation of products for platforms such as Autodesk Inventor, Blender, and SolidWorks.
- Her leadership has been instrumental in scaling CADChain from a small team to a significant player in the deeptech space, with a diverse, international team.
IP Protection:
- Violetta has built deep expertise in intellectual property, combining academic training with practical startup experience. She has taken specialized courses in IP from institutions like WIPO and the EU IPO.
- She is known for sharing actionable strategies for startup IP protection, leveraging both legal and technological approaches, and has published guides and content on this topic for the entrepreneurial community.
- Her work at CADChain directly addresses the need for robust IP protection in the engineering and design industries, integrating cybersecurity and compliance measures to safeguard digital assets.
Blockchain:
- Violetta’s entry into the blockchain sector began with the founding of CADChain, which uses blockchain as a core technology for securing and managing CAD data.
- She holds several certifications in blockchain and has participated in major hackathons and policy forums, such as the OECD Global Blockchain Policy Forum.
- Her expertise extends to applying blockchain for IP management, ensuring data integrity, traceability, and secure sharing in the CAD industry.
Violetta is a true multiple specialist who has built expertise in Linguistics, Education, Business Management, Blockchain, Entrepreneurship, Intellectual Property, Game Design, AI, SEO, Digital Marketing, cyber security and zero code automations. Her extensive educational journey includes a Master of Arts in Linguistics and Education, an Advanced Master in Linguistics from Belgium (2006-2007), an MBA from Blekinge Institute of Technology in Sweden (2006-2008), and an Erasmus Mundus joint program European Master of Higher Education from universities in Norway, Finland, and Portugal (2009).
She is the founder of Fe/male Switch, a startup game that encourages women to enter STEM fields, and also leads CADChain, and multiple other projects like the Directory of 1,000 Startup Cities with a proprietary MeanCEO Index that ranks cities for female entrepreneurs. Violetta created the "gamepreneurship" methodology, which forms the scientific basis of her startup game. She also builds a lot of SEO tools for startups. Her achievements include being named one of the top 100 women in Europe by EU Startups in 2022 and being nominated for Impact Person of the year at the Dutch Blockchain Week. She is an author with Sifted and a speaker at different Universities. Recently she published a book on Startup Idea Validation the right way: from zero to first customers and beyond, launched a Directory of 1,500+ websites for startups to list themselves in order to gain traction and build backlinks and is building MELA AI to help local restaurants in Malta get more visibility online.
For the past several years Violetta has been living between the Netherlands and Malta, while also regularly traveling to different destinations around the globe, usually due to her entrepreneurial activities. This has led her to start writing about different locations and amenities from the POV of an entrepreneur. Here’s her recent article about the best hotels in Italy to work from.
Violetta likes to write about Startup News in Europe, Best startups of the year, Latest Startup News, Building your first startup, Startup News for Female Founders in Europe, News for Female Entrepreneurs and Engineering News
About the Publication
Fe/male Switch is an innovative startup platform designed to empower women entrepreneurs through an immersive, game-like experience. Founded in 2020 during the pandemic "without any funding and without any code," this non-profit initiative has evolved into a comprehensive educational tool for aspiring female entrepreneurs.The platform was co-founded by Violetta Shishkina-Bonenkamp, who serves as CEO and one of the lead authors of the Startup News branch.
Mission and Purpose
Fe/male Switch Foundation was created to address the gender gap in the tech and entrepreneurship space. The platform aims to skill-up future female tech leaders and empower them to create resilient and innovative tech startups through what they call "gamepreneurship". By putting players in a virtual startup village where they must survive and thrive, the startup game allows women to test their entrepreneurial abilities without financial risk.
Key Features
The platform offers a unique blend of news, resources,learning, networking, and practical application within a supportive, female-focused environment:
- Skill Lab: Micro-modules covering essential startup skills
- Virtual Startup Building: Create or join startups and tackle real-world challenges
- AI Co-founder (PlayPal): Guides users through the startup process
- SANDBOX: A testing environment for idea validation before launch
- Wellness Integration: Virtual activities to balance work and self-care
- Marketplace: Buy or sell expert sessions and tutorials
Impact and Growth
Since its inception, Fe/male Switch has shown impressive growth:
- 5,000+ female entrepreneurs in the community
- 100+ startup tools built
- 5,000+ pieces of articles and news written
- 1,000 unique business ideas for women created
Partnerships
Fe/male Switch has formed strategic partnerships to enhance its offerings. In January 2022, it teamed up with global website builder Tilda to provide free access to website building tools and mentorship services for Fe/male Switch participants.
Recognition
Fe/male Switch has received media attention for its innovative approach to closing the gender gap in tech entrepreneurship. The platform has been featured in various publications highlighting its unique "play to learn and earn" model.
