They say ideas are a dime a dozen, and honestly? They're right.
The mistake most beginner entrepreneurs make isn't having bad ideas. It's falling in love with solutions before understanding the problems they're solving. That's why experienced builders look at what's already working, find the gaps, and add their own twist.
Here are six places to find validated ideas you can start building in 2026.
1. Scratch Your Own Itches
If you have a problem, someone else probably does too.
Look at your daily work. What frustrates you? What tasks eat up your time? What systems could work better? The best products come from founders who got annoyed enough to build the solution themselves.
This works because you understand the problem deeply. You know the pain points, what existing solutions miss, and most importantly, you're already user #1.
2. Mayeutik
This is where things get interesting. Mayeutik isn't just another idea list, it's a curated library of business opportunities that people are already making money from right now.
Every single idea comes loaded with everything you need: verified revenue data, market trends, detailed product breakdowns (who needs it, what problem it solves, key features), full competition analysis, and even an AI prompt to help you spin up an MVP fast.
And here's what makes it different from everything else on this list: you're not just getting inspiration or surface-level validation. You're getting the actual blueprint. The exact data. The starter code. Everything you need to go from "interesting idea" to "working prototype" in days, not months.
All of this for a one-time payment of $9.99.
If analysis paralysis has been killing your momentum, this eliminates 90% of the research phase and gets you building immediately. While everyone else is still Googling "is this a good idea," you're already shipping.
3. Reddit
Reddit is where real people complain about real problems, which makes it perfect for idea validation.
The strategy is simple: find subreddits where your target users hang out (r/startups for builders, r/Productivity for workflow tools, r/PersonalFinance for money apps). Spend time reading what frustrates people. Look for patterns in their complaints. When you spot a recurring pain point, create a casual post asking if a solution would be helpful. Something like: "I keep seeing people struggle with [problem]. Would a tool that [does X] actually be useful, or am I overthinking this?" Keep it conversational, not salesy. If people engage, ask questions, or request updates, that's your signal. Set up a simple waitlist with Tally or Typeform and collect emails. 50-100 signups from strangers? You've got validation.
The beauty of Reddit is the honesty. If your idea is weak, you'll know fast. If it's strong, you'll have your first users before you write any code.
4. IdeaBrowser
Greg Isenberg's IdeaBrowser takes a different approach with 200+ validated opportunities and 25+ new ideas weekly. Each one includes market analysis, revenue projections, implementation roadmaps, required resources, and competitive breakdowns.
These aren't random shower thoughts. They're researched opportunities with real market signals behind them. Pro users get "Pro Picks," the top 5% of ideas that experienced builders check first.
At $499/year, it's an investment. But if you're serious about finding your next move and want professional-level research done for you, it's worth exploring.
5. Trustpilot
Unhappy customers are a goldmine most people ignore.
Pick a business category on Trustpilot and look at the top companies. Filter by 2-3 star reviews (skip the 1-star rants). Read what people are frustrated about. Look for patterns. If you see the same complaint across multiple reviews, that's a gap in the market.
Can you build something that solves those specific frustrations? If yes, you just found a validated problem with paying customers already attached to it.
6. Acquire.com
Sign up for Acquire.com and filter for businesses making $100K+ annually. Browse through and look for products in spaces you understand.
Check the listings for missing features, user complaints, or execution gaps. These are businesses that already have revenue, which means the idea is proven. You're just looking for opportunities to build a better version or serve an underserved segment.
It's validation in the most concrete form possible: people already paying money for imperfect solutions.
Stop waiting for the perfect original idea. The best opportunities are hiding in plain sight, you just need to know where to look. Pick one of these sources, spend a week digging, and start building something people actually want.