- Needs To Exist
- Posts
- 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
GM. This is Needs to Exist (aka NTE), delivering you a startup idea that helps creators and small businesses treat IP like real assets.
Over 3k+ startup ideas I can get right now? Sign me up!
Check out all the past newsletters here
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:
GPT-4 via OpenAI API for value estimation and categorization
PaddleOCR or AWS Textract to scan docs and pull data
Wappalyzer or SerpApi to track IP usage across the web
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.
Learn AI in 5 minutes a day
This is the easiest way for a busy person wanting to learn AI in as little time as possible:
Sign up for The Rundown AI newsletter
They send you 5-minute email updates on the latest AI news and how to use it
You learn how to become 2x more productive by leveraging AI
🚀 3,000+ Killer Business Ideas
From solo side hustles to billion-dollar plays—new ones added every week.
🔎 Blazing-Fast Search & Categories
No fluff. Just ideas you can actually build. Sorted by what you care about.
🧠 Sourced from the Smartest Minds
We mine 100s of newsletters, research papers, and founder interviews so you don’t have to.
📋 Step-by-Step Launch Plans
Got an idea? We’ll show you exactly how to start, validate, and launch it.

"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
