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The Opportunity Radar

The next big business may start with a problem that appeared yesterday.

Every day, NextPain scans what is changing in the world to identify new pains, new manual work and new business opportunities.

Explore the Latest Pains How NextPain Works

We find the pain. You bring the advantage. Together, we build the opportunity.

A radar scanning the world while emerging problems appear around it: regulations, spreadsheets, missing documents, an unexpected AI agentNew pains detected today

Building is no longer the hardest part.

One person builds a product quickly with AI tools while another searches for a real problem with binoculars
Building became easier. Finding the right problem did not.

For decades, turning an idea into software required large teams, months of development and significant investment.

AI changed that.

Today, websites, apps, SaaS platforms and AI products can be tested and built faster and cheaper than ever. But one difficult question remains.

What should we build?

NextPain starts from the opposite direction.

We don't search for startup ideas. We search for new problems.

The NextPain Method

Change
Consequence
Pain
Manual Work
Opportunity

A new regulation. A new technology. A change in customer behavior. A new AI capability. A new requirement.

Changes create consequences. Consequences create new work.

And sometimes that new work creates a business opportunity.

Discover how the Radar works

Problems we found recently

New pains. New markets. New opportunities.

Digital bill of materials for AI models floating over a modern tech backgroundCybersecurity / AI Ops
GLOBAL September 28, 2026

Software and Engineering Teams Struggle to Continuously Track and Attest Training Lineage and Licenses in Dynamic AI Software Bills of Materials (AIBOM)

Automating the generation and tracking of AI Software Bills of Materials (AIBOM) for enterprise engineering teams.

Who feels the pain
DevSecOps, MLOps Engineers, AI Platform Leads, and Product Security Teams.
Likely buyer
CISO, VP of Engineering, or Head of AI Platform
Why now
The tooling to deploy AI models has dramatically outpaced the tooling to secure, inventory, and license-check them.
HIGHMODERATE evidence
8.1
Next Score
Explore This Pain
An illustration of an accountant examining a sliced glowing computer chipEnterprise IT / FinOps
Global September 27, 2026

Platform and FinOps Teams Struggle to Accurately Meter and Attribute Shared GPU Cluster Costs Across Internal AI Workloads

Enterprise platform teams cannot accurately track or charge back internal AI costs because shared GPU clusters and token usage lack granular metering.

Who feels the pain
Platform Engineering Leads, FinOps Managers, and Cloud Infrastructure Architects.
Likely buyer
VP of Engineering, CIO, or Head of FinOps
Why now
Self-hosted AI has moved from a small R&D experiment to a massive line item in the enterprise IT budget, demanding immediate financial accountability.
HIGHMODERATE evidence
8.2
Next Score
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Illustration of a cargo ship and an auditor stamping documents in front of an EU gateInternational Trade / Supply Chain
Non-EU Manufacturing Hubs September 26, 2026

Non-EU Industrial Exporters Struggle to Obtain Accredited EU CBAM Carbon Verification Due to Verifier Shortages

Automating CBAM data mapping and verifier orchestration for non-EU industrial exporters facing a severe shortage of EU-accredited auditors.

Who feels the pain
Trade compliance officers, sustainability leads, and operations managers at non-EU manufacturing companies (e.g., steel, aluminum in India/Asia), and local carbon auditing firms trying to service them.
Likely buyer
VP of Supply Chain, Head of Trade Compliance, or Chief Sustainability Officer at industrial exporters; Partners at local carbon auditing firms.
Why now
The CBAM transition phase ends and strict verification requirements begin in 2026/2027, forcing immediate operational readiness.
VERY HIGHSTRONG evidence
8.1
Next Score
Explore This Pain
Illustration of hidden AI agents in a hospital networkHealthcare / AI Governance
GLOBAL September 25, 2026

Hospital Risk and Compliance Officers Struggle to Detect and Govern Shadow AI Agents in Clinical Workflows

Automating the detection and governance of unapproved 'shadow AI' tools used by clinical staff in hospital workflows.

Who feels the pain
Hospital Compliance Officers, IT Security Teams, Chief Medical Information Officers (CMIOs).
Likely buyer
Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) or Chief Risk Officer (CRO) at hospital networks
Why now
As of late 2026, 72% of healthcare organizations report unapproved AI usage in clinical settings. The technology is out of the sandbox and natively running on doctors' phones and laptops.
VERY HIGHSTRONG evidence
8.3
Next Score
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Illustration of shifting faces and synthetic identities bypassing security.Fraud Prevention / FinTech
GLOBAL September 24, 2026

Risk Operations Must Continuously Re-verify Accounts as GenAI Synthetic Identities Bypass One-Time KYC

Continuous post-onboarding identity verification to catch GenAI synthetic identities that bypass initial KYC.

Who feels the pain
Fraud Investigators, Risk Operations Managers, AML/KYC Compliance Officers.
Likely buyer
VP of Fraud Strategy or Chief Risk Officer
Why now
GenAI tools have commoditized deepfakes and synthetic ID generation, causing an explosion in successful initial KYC bypasses.
VERY HIGHSTRONG evidence
8.5
Next Score
Explore This Pain
Illustration of tangled digital connections representing unmanaged MCP servers.Cybersecurity / AI Infrastructure
GLOBAL September 24, 2026

Enterprise Security Teams Lack Visibility Over Sprawling Model Context Protocol (MCP) Connections

Providing centralized inventory and access control for unmanaged Model Context Protocol (MCP) servers connecting AI agents to enterprise data.

Who feels the pain
Cloud Security Engineers, Platform Engineering Leads, DevSecOps.
Likely buyer
CISO or VP of Platform Engineering
Why now
CISA's first MCP vulnerability warning just hit, shifting MCP from a dev tool to an immediate enterprise attack surface.
VERY HIGHSTRONG evidence
8.5
Next Score
Explore This Pain
Enterprise Risk Managers Struggle to Prove AI Agent Governance for Cyber Insurance CoverageSecurity
GLOBAL September 24, 2026

Enterprise Risk Managers Struggle to Prove AI Agent Governance for Cyber Insurance Coverage

As enterprises rapidly deploy autonomous AI agents, cyber and liability insurers are aggressively introducing exclusions and complex underwriting questionnaires. Risk managers and CISOs are struggling to map their AI agent controls to these

Who feels the pain
Enterprise Risk Managers, CISOs, and insurance brokers.
Likely buyer
Chief Risk Officer, CISO, or IT Director
Why now
The explosion of agentic AI deployments is colliding with annual cyber insurance renewal cycles, creating immediate friction.
HIGHSTRONG evidence
8.2
Next Score
Explore This Pain
Customs Brokers Struggle to Verify Identity and Supply Chain Disclosures Under Strict New CBP Importer RulesRegulation
GLOBAL September 24, 2026

Customs Brokers Struggle to Verify Identity and Supply Chain Disclosures Under Strict New CBP Importer Rules

Customs brokers and non-resident foreign companies exporting to the US are facing mounting compliance friction due to new CBP rules requiring deep verification of domestic agents, entity identification, and supply chain disclosures. Gatheri

Who feels the pain
Customs brokers and foreign companies exporting to the US.
Likely buyer
Customs Brokers, Trade Compliance Managers, Logistics Directors
Why now
New proposed rules and enforcement crackdowns are happening now, putting thousands of shipments at risk.
VERY HIGHSTRONG evidence
8.3
Next Score
Explore This Pain
Mid-Tier Banks Face Straight-Through Processing Failures Due to Unstructured Addresses in ISO 20022 PaymentsFinance
GLOBAL September 24, 2026

Mid-Tier Banks Face Straight-Through Processing Failures Due to Unstructured Addresses in ISO 20022 Payments

Payment operations teams are facing a massive spike in rejected cross-border payment messages because legacy systems generate unstructured addresses that fail new Swift ISO 20022 validation rules. Repairing these messages manually destroys

Who feels the pain
Payment operations teams and compliance officers at mid-tier banks and payment service providers.
Likely buyer
Head of Payment Operations or Chief Operating Officer (COO)
Why now
The migration deadline is approaching, and initial testing is showing high failure rates for legacy systems attempting to send unstructured data.
VERY HIGHSTRONG evidence
8.5
Next Score
Explore This Pain
Industrial and digital elements representing carbon tax calculations across borders.International Trade / RegTech
MULTI-REGION September 24, 2026

Industrial Importers Face Mounting Friction Reconciling Bilateral Carbon Credits for CBAM

Automating the reconciliation of bilateral carbon credits for industrial importers facing CBAM taxes.

Who feels the pain
Procurement teams, customs compliance officers, and sustainability leads at industrial importers.
Likely buyer
VP of Supply Chain / Chief Procurement Officer / Trade Compliance Officer
Why now
The transition from reporting-only to actual financial obligations (certificate purchases) is imminent in 2026/2027.
VERY HIGHSTRONG evidence
8.3
Next Score
Explore This Pain
Illustration of a marketer examining synthetic AI content for compliance.Compliance / MarTech
Europe September 24, 2026

Marketing and Legal Teams Lack Automated Verification for EU AI Act Synthetic Content Disclosures

Automated compliance and watermarking verification for enterprise synthetic content to meet EU AI Act transparency rules.

Who feels the pain
Marketing operations, digital publishers, and enterprise legal/compliance teams responsible for external communications.
Likely buyer
Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) or Chief Compliance Officer (CCO)
Why now
Enforcement of the EU AI Act transparency rules is beginning, and companies risk up to €15M in fines while employees are generating unprecedented volumes of untracked AI content.
VERY HIGHMODERATE evidence
8.2
Next Score
Explore This Pain
Illustration of an old ledger book tangled in digital chainsCorporate Treasury / Web3 Payments
GLOBAL September 24, 2026

Corporate Treasuries Struggle to Reconcile Cross-Border Stablecoin Settlements with Legacy ERP Ledgers

Automating the reconciliation of on-chain stablecoin payouts with legacy enterprise ERP and accounting ledgers.

Who feels the pain
Corporate Treasurers, Controllers, and Accounts Payable/Receivable teams at multinationals, export firms, and fintechs.
Likely buyer
CFO / VP of Finance / Corporate Treasurer
Why now
Support for stablecoin payments is moving from web3-native companies to traditional B2B platforms and enterprise payroll exactly now (September 2026).
HIGHSTRONG evidence
8.3
Next Score
Explore This Pain
Illustration of a robotic hand holding a credit card toward a bank tellerPayments / AI Governance
GLOBAL September 24, 2026

Banks and Merchants Struggle to Authenticate and Delegate Liability for Autonomous AI Agent Purchases

Authenticating and bounding financial liability for purchases made by autonomous AI agents.

Who feels the pain
Payment operations teams, fraud investigators, and risk officers at acquiring banks, payment processors, and large merchants.
Likely buyer
VP of Fraud / Head of Payments Risk / Chief Risk Officer
Why now
Visa, Mastercard, and Ant Group are launching the very first 'Know Your Agent' frameworks in September 2026, marking the moment this moves from theory to production.
VERY HIGHSTRONG evidence
8.5
Next Score
Explore This Pain
Illustration of a stressed professional connecting different tax documents and flagsFinance / Tax Operations
Europe September 24, 2026

Multinational Tax and Finance Teams Face Operational Chaos Reconciling Cross-Border Transactions Across Fragmented Real-Time E-Reporting Mandates

Automating real-time transaction reconciliation and data formatting for multinationals facing fragmented global e-invoicing mandates.

Who feels the pain
Tax Operations Teams, Corporate Controllers, and Accounts Receivable/Payable at multinational corporations.
Likely buyer
CFO, VP of Global Tax, Director of Financial Operations
Why now
The transition from concept to live enforcement in major economies like France is happening right now, shifting this from a future planning exercise to an immediate operational crisis.
VERY HIGHSTRONG evidence
8.5
Next Score
Explore This Pain
Illustration of a central data hub aggregating shipping and trade documents from around the world.International Trade / RegTech
European Union September 24, 2026

Cross-Border Exporters and Brokers Struggle with Data Fragmentation for the New EU Customs Data Hub

Automating the consolidation and real-time ingestion of supply chain data for global exporters to comply with the centralized EU Customs Data Hub.

Who feels the pain
Trade Compliance Officers, Customs Brokers, and Logistics Operations Managers at companies exporting to the EU.
Likely buyer
VP of Global Supply Chain, Head of Trade Compliance, VP of Logistics
Why now
The EU Customs Reform just entered into law, moving the centralized Data Hub from concept to mandatory implementation.
VERY HIGHSTRONG evidence
8.3
Next Score
Explore This Pain
Browse all published pains

You don't need to invent the next idea.

You may already have what an opportunity needs.

People with different advantages looking at pains found by the radar

Industry Knowledge

You understand a market other people don't.

Customer Access

You know the people who actually experience the pain.

Experience

You understand how the process really works.

Distribution

You already have access to an audience or market.

Capital

You can finance the first experiment.

As technology becomes easier to build, these advantages become more valuable.

Find a Pain You Understand

Found a pain you understand?

A pain detected by the radar connecting with the right owner
Pain + Right Owner = Opportunity
1

Show Your Interest

Tell us why this pain caught your attention.

2

Show Your Advantage

Tell us what you bring — experience, customers, distribution, knowledge or capital.

3

We Investigate

If there is a strong fit, NextPain goes deeper into the problem and investigates possible solutions and business models.

4

We Build

If the evidence is strong enough, we can help turn the opportunity into a real SaaS, app, website or AI product.

We find the pain. You bring the advantage. Together, we build the opportunity.

Not every problem is an opportunity.

NextPain filters aggressively.

Recent Trigger

Something changed.

Real Consequence

The change created additional work, cost or risk.

Clear Pain Owner

We can identify who experiences the problem.

Potential Buyer

Someone has an economic reason to solve it.

Evidence

There are credible signals that the problem is real.

Buildability

A meaningful first solution can be built without huge capital or infrastructure.

We reject far more opportunities than we publish.

Today's Radar

  • 0 signals picked up
  • ✕2 rejected after investigation
  • 20 strong enough to publish
0
Signals analyzed
3
Potential pains investigated
20
Published
2
Rejected

Last Radar Update: September 28, 2026

Tomorrow, the world will create new problems.

We'll be looking for them.

Receive the best new pains and emerging business opportunities discovered by NextPain.

Someone will build the next solution.

The question is who sees the problem first.

Explore the Latest Pains

NextPain

Today's change. Tomorrow's business.