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You're entering a market with minimal signal, meaning there aren't many similar products or much discussion around the problem you're trying to solve. This could be because the problem is very niche, not pressing enough for potential customers, or other solutions already exist that adequately solve this problem. With only two similar products found, the confidence in this assessment is low, so more market validation is critical. The low engagement (average of 1 comment per similar product) further suggests that the problem might not be top-of-mind for many in the biotech and pharmaceutical industries. This doesn't mean the idea is necessarily bad, but it does indicate a need to rigorously prove that a genuine demand exists before investing heavily in development. If the problem is real and you can find your audience, you can be the go-to leader in this niche. Given this situation, you need to be extremely cautious and validate demand at every single step.

Recommendations

1. Start by posting in online communities and forums where biotech and pharmaceutical researchers and professionals gather. Actively engage in discussions, understand their pain points related to omics data analysis, and gauge their explicit interest in a platform like yours. Tailor your messaging to address their specific needs and challenges, and quantify the level of interest before proceeding further.
2. Offer to manually assist 2-3 potential customers with their omics data analysis challenges. This will provide invaluable insights into their workflows, data formats, and specific analytical requirements. By providing a 'white glove' service initially, you will learn quickly, and you can identify common challenges that your platform can automate and streamline. Document the time and effort spent on these manual solutions to understand the potential value proposition of your platform.
3. Create a concise and compelling explainer video that showcases the key features and benefits of your omics data analysis platform. Clearly illustrate how it solves the pain points you identified in the previous steps. Track the viewership and engagement metrics (e.g., watch time, completion rate) to assess the video's effectiveness in capturing attention and generating interest. If very few people watch the entire video, that will signal a lack of interest.
4. To gauge genuine commitment, consider asking interested individuals for a small, non-refundable deposit to join a waiting list for early access to your platform. This will serve as a concrete indicator of their willingness to invest in your solution. Clearly communicate the benefits of joining the waiting list, such as early access, exclusive features, or discounted pricing.
5. Set a strict deadline (e.g., 3 weeks) to find at least 5 genuinely interested people who are willing to commit to your platform in some form (e.g., join a waiting list, provide detailed feedback). If you cannot reach this milestone, it may be necessary to re-evaluate the viability of your idea or significantly pivot your approach.
6. Given feedback from a similar product, BioSciTools, it may be worth considering what technology you want to build your product on. The criticism was that it was built with Java, which can lead to issues. It would be worthwhile to consider other technologies and see what the tradeoffs are.

Questions

1. What specific omics data analysis workflows are currently underserved or inefficient in the biotech and pharmaceutical industries, and how can your platform address these gaps more effectively than existing solutions?
2. What is your go-to-market strategy for reaching your target audience in the biotech and pharmaceutical industries, and how will you effectively communicate the value proposition of your platform to decision-makers and end-users?
3. How will you ensure that your platform remains competitive in the long term, given the rapidly evolving landscape of omics data analysis technologies and the potential emergence of new competitors?