Finding the Idea for Aventuvo – From Blank Page to a Clearer Vision

Starting a new project always comes with an initial challenge: What should I actually build? When I decided that I wanted to create a mobile app, I assumed the hardest part would be the technical implementation. But I quickly realized that finding a good idea was much harder than expected.

Drowning in Useless Advice

The internet is full of advice for aspiring founders. Communities on Reddit, Instagram, and LinkedIn are packed with posts labeled as "startup advice," but most of them are just founders promoting their own products rather than providing genuinely useful insights. The common advice—“Solve a problem you care about”—sounds great in theory, but when you’re actually searching for an idea, it feels like there are no obvious problems left that need solving.

The Illusion of an Untouched Niche

At first, I thought I had to find a completely unique, never-before-seen idea. But the deeper I looked, the more I realized how difficult that is. If an idea truly doesn’t exist yet, there’s usually a reason: either nobody needs it, or it’s simply too difficult to execute in a practical way.

After going through dozens of ideas and finding flaws in almost all of them, I started shifting my mindset: instead of trying to be the first person to invent something, I started looking at existing problems that could be solved better.

The First Failed Idea: Subscription-Based Free Time Activities

One of my early ideas was an app that would let people subscribe to different free-time activities in their area—a kind of “Netflix for hobbies.” The idea was that, instead of committing to a full membership at a gym, dance school, or art class, people could pay a monthly fee and freely switch between activities.

It sounded interesting, but as I thought it through, it became clear that it wasn’t practical:

1. Pricing would be a nightmare – Every service has different costs, and there’s no standard way to combine them into a single subscription model.
2. Too much bureaucracy – Handling payments, contracts, and agreements with multiple businesses would require a lot of administrative work.
3. High fluctuation – Many businesses frequently change their pricing, availability, or even shut down entirely. Keeping the app’s data accurate would be a constant challenge.

It became clear pretty quickly that this idea was not worth pursuing.

The Next Attempt: A Map for Free-Time Activities

Rather than dealing with complex subscriptions, I shifted to something much simpler: a map that shows free-time activities nearby. No payments, no bureaucracy—just a way for people to discover interesting things to do in their area.

This seemed more feasible, but it still felt too broad. There are already many generic location-based apps, and I wasn’t sure how to make mine stand out. That’s when I started thinking about who exactly this app should be for.

A More Defined Concept: Helping Parents Find Activities for Their Children

Eventually, I landed on a more specific version of the idea: an app specifically designed for parents who want to find fun and interesting activities for their children in their local area. Instead of just listing general places, the app would focus on:

• Age-appropriate activities
• Safety and family-friendliness
• Reviews from other parents
• Hidden gems that might not be well-marketed

At this stage, I felt like I had a strong foundation to work with. The idea seemed useful, the audience was clearly defined, and it was something that I hadn’t seen done well yet.

The Market Check: Finding Competitors and What That Really Means

Once I had this idea, I did something that every founder dreads: I checked the market to see if similar apps already existed.

And, of course, they did. I found two other apps with a similar concept.

At first, this was discouraging. Finding competitors can feel like discovering that someone else has already built your dream project. It made me wonder: Is there even room for another app like this?

But after thinking about it more, I started seeing the value in competition. Here’s why:

1. Competition Means There’s Demand

If multiple companies are already working on similar ideas, that means people actually want this service. The worst-case scenario for a founder isn’t competition—it’s discovering that nobody cares about your idea at all. If there are other apps in this space, that means there’s a market for it.

2. The Existing Solutions Aren’t Perfect

When I looked deeper into these competing apps, I noticed they weren’t doing everything right. There were clear areas where I could improve the user experience, offer better data, or focus more on community-driven content. Just because a concept already exists doesn’t mean it has been executed in the best way possible.

3. Many Markets Have Room for Multiple Players

Very few markets are won by a single company. Think about restaurants, streaming services, or even social media—there isn’t just one dominant option, but many alternatives with their own strengths. An existing market doesn’t mean there’s no space left. It just means I need to differentiate my app enough to make it a compelling choice.

4. Learning from Their Mistakes

Seeing how other apps approached the problem gave me insights into what works and what doesn’t. Instead of starting from scratch, I could analyze their mistakes and successes to refine my own approach.

After processing all of this, I actually felt more confident about pursuing the idea. The fact that similar apps existed wasn’t a dead end—it was proof that the idea had potential.

What’s Next?

With a clearer concept in mind, I’m now moving forward with the next steps:

✅ Refining the app’s core features
✅ Planning the technical implementation
✅ Thinking about how to position it in the market

There are still a lot of open questions, and I don’t expect everything to go smoothly. But after struggling to find an idea in the first place, it’s great to finally have a direction to explore.