June 2022 Summaries

Bubble's new Responsive editor is now live for wide release, bringing modern web design principles and features such as CSS flexbox design, margins, padding, gap control, and easy alignment to row, column, and parent containers. The new editor is now the default on every plan, free and paid, allowing all Bubble users to create powerful apps with the new tools. After seven months in open beta, the feature has received overwhelmingly positive feedback from the community, with some users praising its ability to elevate Bubble's platform to the next level. Existing apps will not be changed, but users can choose when to upgrade their app to the new Responsive engine and rebuild their pages. The launch comes after a significant overhaul of how responsive web apps are built, offering non-technical founders and startups more affordable and faster ways to build complex web applications.

Bubble offers a range of landing page templates that can be easily customized to suit a business's needs, including the Startup Landing Page by TopShelfTemplates, Canvas Base Template by AirDev, Headstart Multipurpose Base by Zeroqode, and Multipurpose Startup Pack by Thimo. These templates are available for free or at a low cost, with some offering additional features such as marketing page builders, admin portals, and multi-language support. Bubble's no-code platform allows users to build custom landing pages without coding skills, providing a more affordable and efficient alternative to traditional website builders like Squarespace or Wix.

Visual programming allows users to interact with computers using graphics and images instead of text-based commands, offering an alternative layer of abstraction from machine language. This concept has been around for decades, with early visual programming tools such as Visual Basic, Hypercard, and Scratch, which have been used for user interface-building and teaching new coders how to think logically. However, building complex computational logic like in web applications was initially considered impossible with visual programming languages. That is until the emergence of "no-code" platforms like Bubble, which began in 2012 as a true visual programming language with all the power to create sophisticated web tools as text-based frameworks. Bubble's visual editor takes inspiration from UI design and development tools, while its logic approach makes certain assumptions about basic things users will want in a web app to simplify most basic actions. The platform has empowered people to create tech using their vocabulary, not the other way around, and has been classified under the term "no code" or "low code," representing a movement away from text-based frameworks for web design.

At Immerse, Bubble's no-code pre-accelerator, a diverse group of founders from various backgrounds are working together to develop innovative solutions for underserved communities. The fourth cohort of the program includes Ademola Awofisayo, Permit Partner; Dominic Mensah, PayAmends; Eissra Eltom, Verve; Floyd Muir, Music Tech Product; Jabari Butler, Sign1News; Jensine Mattis, DesignPlum; Lisa Michelle, Bridesquad; Melanie Bowles, Lifalog; Michael Derard, Realo; Rebecka Marshall, HEM ME, who are all driven by a mission to remove barriers for entrepreneurs and create more accessible solutions. The program aims to support the development of truly innovative founders who can translate their insights into web applications that will rise to the occasion. After ten weeks of building, the very best of what these founders have built will be debuted at Demo Day on June 23rd.

Major venture capital funds have solicited startup ideas and requests for investments. The requested startup ideas include online marketplaces, crowdfunding, insurance, full-stack software, containers, security, virtual reality, Bitcoin/blockchain, cloud-client computing, digital health, online video, sensorification of enterprises, machine learning + big data, Internet of Things, DevOps, cybersecurity, remote tools for remote teams, and various other areas. The funds are looking for startups that can create a million jobs, improve customer experience with intelligent applications, solve climate change consequences, provide solutions for water security, food security, environmental pollution, and more. They also want to fund companies that can develop new materials, provide robust construction robotics, standardize parts and tools, and build new business models for the web.