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  • Idea Of The Day - You Can Build A Digital Safe for Creators Who Keep Forgetting What They Actually Own

Idea Of The Day - You Can Build A Digital Safe for Creators Who Keep Forgetting What They Actually Own

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GM. This is Needs to Exist (aka NTE), delivering you a startup idea that helps creators and small businesses treat IP like real assets.

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Here’s what we’ve got for you today.

  • Daily Idea - Monetize Your IP

  • Lets Shark Tank this

Protect. Track. Monetize Your IP.

Inspired by the Startup Ideas Podcast

The One Liner

Make your IP work as hard as you do.

The 140 character tweet (or X) version

Big companies guard their IP like gold. Small creators? Totally exposed. This tool helps you track, manage, and monetize your ideas, automatically.

The Longer Story Version

The Problem

Most creators and small companies are sitting on gold... but treating it like scrap.

Logos. Content. Code. Even brand names. All intellectual property (IP). All valuable. But ask a founder or creator where their IP is stored, what it's worth, or if it’s being misused, and you'll get a blank stare or a Google Drive link.

Meanwhile, big companies have entire legal teams dedicated to IP strategy. They know what they own, what it’s worth, and how to protect it. That’s not an accident, it’s a superpower.

Small businesses? They’re too busy building to even realize they have a portfolio, let alone manage it. And when something does go wrong, a stolen idea, a shady competitor and it’s too late.

The Solution

You need a command center for your IP. One dashboard to rule it all.

Here’s what it does:

  • Track it all: Upload trademarks, copyrights, creative assets, codebases, digital or not.

  • Know what it’s worth: AI assigns a “perceived market value” to each asset over time.

  • Spot threats early: Get alerts when similar names, logos, or content pop up elsewhere online.

  • Monetize: Easily list underused IP for licensing, collaboration, or sale.

Basically: if Carta is your cap table, this is your idea table.

How We’d Build It

Stage 1: Solo Builder

Stack:

GTM:

  • Launch to solo creators & small agencies via Twitter and Indie Hackers

  • Cold DMs + Gumroad-style landing page for pre-sales

  • Target copyright horror stories in Reddit/YouTube comments

Stage 2: Startup Mode

Product:

  • Build on Supabase + Next.js

  • Add Stripe for IP licensing marketplace

  • AI assistant (Whisper + GPT) to help users organize their assets conversationally

GTM:

  • Partner with legal YouTubers & startup lawyers (low CAC, high trust)

  • Run "IP Checkups" as a lead-gen tool via Product Hunt + SparkLoop

Stage 3: Scaled Operation

Product:

  • Dedicated “IP Audit Reports” for SMBs (monthly subscriptions)

  • API layer for Shopify and Webflow users to auto-log branded assets

  • Infringement crawler using Bright Data or Diffbot

GTM:

  • Sell B2B SaaS licenses to agencies, design shops, media studios

  • Run webinar funnel for accountants and lawyers to refer clients

  • Strategic partnerships with IP attorneys as co-sellers

Why It Needs to Exist

The internet made it easy to create. Now we need tools to protect and profit.

Every founder has a product. Every creator has content. But most don’t realize those are assets just like cash or equity.

This platform gives small players the kind of leverage only big companies used to have.

Ideas are currency. This turns your ledger into a balance sheet.

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Shark Tank Edition

"Hi Sharks. Imagine if every creator and small business could treat their ideas like assets. Not scattered across Google Docs or buried in hard drives but organized, valued, protected, and ready to monetize.

I’m building the IP Vault, a platform that helps small companies and content creators track, manage, and monetize their intellectual property, just like big corporations do.

I’m asking for $150K for 10% equity. Let’s turn forgotten ideas into real-world value."

Now let’s hear what the Sharks have to say…

🦈 Mark Cuban

"Look, I love this. I’ve seen small startups get crushed because they didn’t protect their IP. The big guys come in, scoop it up, and there’s nothing they can do. If you can actually automate the tracking and value assignment? That’s a game changer.
But valuation’s a little rich for pre-revenue.
I’ll offer $150K for 20% if you can integrate with Shopify and Notion out of the gate."

🐠 Barbara Corcoran

"I’m not your typical tech investor, but this reminds me of the early days when I built my brand brick by brick. I had no clue what IP was until someone tried to copy my name.
Small businesses need this badly.
But I want to make it fun and simple for non-tech folks.
I’ll give you $100K for 15%, plus another $50K as a line of credit."

💰 Kevin O’Leary (Mr. Wonderful)

"Ah yes, IP — the royalty goldmine.
You know I love anything that pays me while I sleep.
Here’s what I like: you’re turning ideas into assets, and that’s music to my ears.
Here’s what I don’t like: you’re not charging royalties. Yet.
I’ll give you $150K for 10%, but I want a 5% royalty on all revenue until I recoup my money.
Because Mr. Wonderful always protects his assets."

💎 Lori Greiner

"I’ve seen so many inventors get their ideas stolen just because they didn’t file the right form or track their trademarks.
This could be huge for Etsy sellers, creators, even Shark Tank alums.
But it needs to be plug and play.
If you make this easy enough for my mom to use, I’m in.
I’ll offer $150K for 12%, but I want to help design the dashboard experience."

💼 Robert Herjavec

"This feels like the cybersecurity of creativity.
I like that you’re protecting people’s most valuable asset: their minds.
But let me be honest this sounds like a B2B SaaS company with a B2C vibe.
I think you’ll need to pick a lane to grow.
No offer for me, but I’ll cheer you on from the sidelines."

Will the founder make a deal?
Or walk out still owning 100% of a brilliant idea waiting to be protected?

Either way… someone needs to build this.

One More Meme