The Brutal Truth: Startup Ideas You Should Kill Immediately

When You Love Burning Money: The Startup Ideas That Should Stay on Paper

Imagine submitting your idea to DontBuildThis.com, thinking you've nailed the next big thing, and then reading the feedback: 44/100. Ouch. You're not alone though. A jaw-dropping 75% of startup ideas are like that kid in the school play who forgets their lines: well-meaning, but doomed to fail. Let's dive into the delusional ideas that make even your grandmother's knitting group more viable.

The 'Nice-to-Have' Trap

Having a noble cause is great, but if your startup is more of a weekend hobby project than a business, you're in trouble. Take the idea of creating an app to refer ethical scores for clothing brands. J'ai pour projet de créer une application scored 44/100. It's a well-meaning concept, sure, but it's going nowhere fast. As the verdict says, it's a feature, not a business. Real money lies where brands must prove their supply chain ethics, not where they get judged.

The Fix Framework

• The Metric to Watch: If less than 5% of users are repeat visitors in the first week, it's a goner.
• The Feature to Cut: Drop the direct-to-consumer model.
• The One Thing to Build: Create a B2B ESG compliance tool for fashion brands.

Your Bar Isn't a Startup

You'll find this harsh but true: if your venture is as basic as a shisha bar in Split, Croatia, you're not starting a startup, you're opening a lifestyle business. Shisha Bar in Split, Croatia scored a 23/100. Unless you plan to infuse the shisha with AI or automate hookah pipes with IoT, you're pitching a local tourism spot, not a growth company.

The Fix Framework

• The Metric to Watch: If tourist footfalls don't exceed 200 per week, rethink the strategy.
• The Feature to Cut: Remove the non-digital hookah offerings.
• The One Thing to Build: Add a tech-enabled experience, be it digital loyalty or AI-driven menu.

The Airbnb Clone Syndrome

Here's a riddle: how many Airbnbs does the world need? The answer: less than you think. New Airbnb in Ethiopia got a paltry 28/100 because cloning a giant without any local innovation is a startup sin. Marketplaces require liquidity, trust, and local nuance, none of which you have.

The Fix Framework

• The Metric to Watch: If you can't onboard 100 hosts in local dialects within a month, kill it.
• The Feature to Cut: Eliminate the global look-and-feel; go hyper-local.
• The One Thing to Build: Tackle a specific Ethiopian travel issue that Airbnb ignores.

The Overdone Crypto Wallet

Launching a stablecoin wallet in 2026 is like bringing a flashlight to a sunlit park. Wallet for Stablecoins scored 36/100 because it’s a universal feature, not your business ticket. MetaMask and Coinbase Wall have already eaten this lunch.

The Fix Framework

• The Metric to Watch: If compliance costs exceed 25% of revenue, abort.
• The Feature to Cut: Get rid of general payment options.
• The One Thing to Build: Develop a compliance-first wallet for high-risk merchants.

Barcode Scanners: A Million Features in Search of a Startup

The pitch to scan food barcodes for safety info sounds like a mom's dream. Barcode Food Scanner scored 38/100, proving it's less a startup and more another app feature. Competing with MyFitnessPal and Yuka? Good luck.

The Fix Framework

• The Metric to Watch: If user churn >50% in 30 days, this will not fly.
• The Feature to Cut: Forget about generic ingredient lists.
• The One Thing to Build: Real-time allergy risk detection tool.

Anti-Aging Serums: The Oldest Startup Myth

If you're thinking of launching another anti-aging serum, just stop. Anti-Aging Serum scored 32/100. It's not innovative when everyone claims to slow aging. You're more likely to hit TikTok trends than Clinical Trials.

The Fix Framework

• The Metric to Watch: If product returns exceed 15%, it's over.
• The Feature to Cut: Axe the influencer-driven marketing.
• The One Thing to Build: A clinical-grade, AI-driven platform for anti-aging regimens.

Fast Food: Not a Plan, Just a Phrase

Submitting 'Fast Food' with no context or innovation gets you a 5/100. It's a noun, not a business. Unless you're revamping the industry with AI fries, you've got nothing but a street sign proposal.

The Fix Framework

• The Metric to Watch: If your labor costs exceed 20% of revenue, rethink.
• The Feature to Cut: Traditional order systems.
• The One Thing to Build: Automation tech for Quick Service Restaurants.

Ambitious But Service-Heavy: The Beholdbar Dilemma

Beholdbar scored a respectable 67/100 because the business plan is clear: Make repair the norm. But there's a catch: it's more service than software. Scaling will be brutal without turning pure SaaS.

The Fix Framework

• The Metric to Watch: If customer acquisition cost doesn't drop by 30%, you're sunk.
• The Feature to Cut: In-house repair logistics.
• The One Thing to Build: License your software to existing repair shops.

EdTech Typos: Planning to Open a School at 'Camodia'

When you submit 'School at Camodia,' typos shouldn't be your sole differentiator. The idea gets a 12/100. Even if you fix the spelling, the concept is still a blank slate.

The Fix Framework

• The Metric to Watch: If graduation rates aren't above 85%, there's no buy-in.
• The Feature to Cut: Eliminating traditional teaching models.
• The One Thing to Build: A tech-enabled solution for scalable, quality education.

The Ambitious Nuance AI: A Future with Headaches

Nuance AI is as ambitious as they come, scoring an 81/100. You're not just selling software, you're promising workforce automation. To succeed, start as an ATS overlay.

The Fix Framework

• The Metric to Watch: If recruiter feedback doesn't hit 80% positivity within a quarter, rethink.
• The Feature to Cut: Avoid full autonomy in the early stages.
• The One Thing to Build: A compelling reasoning engine and transparency overlays.

When Tech Meets Mediocrity

When we sift through these ideas, patterns emerge like flies on a summer picnic. These startups often:

• Confuse features for businesses. Barcode scanners, and anti-aging serums, don't need a book launch, just a good marketing flyer.
• Underestimate the importance of a competitive edge. If your idea could be outsourced to interns, you're not building a company; you're designing a cringe-worthy PowerPoint.
• Overrate market familiarity. Knowing a sector isn't enough; you need a unique wedge within that market.

Don't Build This, Build That: Actionable Warnings

Here’s what you should do, not do:

• Don't clone giants. Unless you have a regulatory edge or hyper-local fix, your Airbnb clone is just another lost cause.
• Don't go broad when niche is needed. Narrow your focus to a specific audience that lacks a real solution.
• Don't ignore the tech edge. If you can't build a moat, you're just treading water.

Conclusion: Kill Your Darlings

The startup world doesn't need your half-baked app ideas or generic service concepts. It needs solutions to messy, expensive problems. If your idea isn't saving someone $10k or 10 hours a week, don't build it.

Written by David Arnoux. Connect with them on LinkedIn: Check LinkedIn Profile