How companies like Crushpad will change our world
It is hard to become inspired in the world of web 2.0 these days. There seems to be so many copycat, cookie cutter business out there, that it is getting harder and harder to find the brilliant idea amongst the din of the social networking crowd. On one hand, the old guard of the web 1.0 world is trying to ajax up, and on the other hand, the new entrepreneurs are trying to make their mark to disrupt the slumbering giants.
Then there are those gems that are truly doing something unique and refreshing. A new idea with a decidedly different twist. One of those companies happens to be Crushpad...and Crushpad is at the forefront of changing how we will view our place in the industrial supply chain forever.
In case you aren't familiar with Crushpad, it is a company that leverages their knowledge, experience, and technology to help you make your dream come true of being a world-class winemaker.
From my own experience, I can tell you that even an entry level 2,000 case winery will cost you at least $500k. Add quality grapes at an average of $1200-$2000 a ton, and you're looking at making a case of wine for about $84 a case. Crushpad, on the other hand, allows you to participate in every level of the winemaking process. From picking your varietal to planning your wine, hands-on harvesting to blending as it ages, even designing your labels. You can be as involved as you like...or simply just participate from a distance, all for just $180-$396 a case. By leveraging the power of the web they also help people connect for group management, real-time access to winemaking status, communication through blogs and forums, wiki-based education, and even financial transactions.
It is a brilliant idea and one that I think will catch on all over the world, and not just with wine. People have fantasies and see themselves as makers and creators. However, they often don't have the experience or the access to the technologies to make it a reality. I can see this business model coming into all facets of industrial and agricultural production.
This is part of the new face of the web...connecting knowledge and materials to people who have a fantasy of assembling them into their own creation...making their own dreams come true. Instead of simply building more and more virtual connections to people and places, we'll begin to see a shift of the virtual to the tangible.
And that is a very good thing!