Cloud computing is by no means a new invention – at least, on the tech-boom timeline. Cloud services and systems have been commercially available, and commercially popular, for decades now – from basic file-hosting businesses to wholesale cloud server solutions and beyond. The cloud computing sub-industry has enjoyed exponential growth in this time, and today is a far more febrile industry than in its earlier file-sharing form.
This febrile industry remains ripe for entrepreneurial activity, in spite of perceived saturation by global start-ups. Keen international investors and the greedy breakneck pace of innovations elsewhere have meant that there’s always money for the right idea. If you’re the one with the next killer cloud computing idea, how should you launch your enterprise in the UK?
Legal and Regulatory Considerations
Before investing a single penny in hardware, infrastructure, staff or even a business premises, you should first familiarise yourself with the less-glamourous side of starting a new tech business: the legal side. As well as basic laws and regulations relating to proper incorporation as a business and the proper hiring of staff, you need to engage with industry-specific regulations from financial considerations to data protection law – and not just in the UK, either.
Cloud computing is a uniquely enriching opportunity on account of the global nature of the internet and internet services. But differing legal opinions and interpretations between borders can frustrate the legal expansion of your operation to new regions. As such, research is key to keeping your head above water.
Choosing Your Cloud Services Niche
With a legally-sound and airtight enterprise underway, you can now start to flesh out the specifics of your idea – starting with identifying your niche. Yours might be a unique iteration of a cloud file-hosting service, offering online storage space; who benefits the most from your version of this service, and how could you further integrate their ‘wants’ into features?
Cloud-computing sub-niches are opening in an ever-wider variety of industries, and there are always supremely unique and profitable ways in which to enter each market. One such niche is in the music recording industry, where a growing number of new professionals and at-home hobbyists rely on cheap hardware to make music; cloud service entrepreneurs spotted a gap in the market, and instituted a subscription business that enables cloud access to physical hardware. Unlocking a fresh niche is key to cornering a market.
Building a Robust Infrastructure
Marketing and launch are issues worth their own discussion – the far more important step you need to take relates to your own infrastructure. Your cloud business is only as robust as the infrastructure on which it is based, which means heavy investment is all-but non-negotiable. Here, partnerships with other tech start-ups can be highly advantageous, as the prohibitive costs of server arrays and bespoke virtual architecture can be shared.
