Find Next Crypto Idea

Preamble (run first)

_TEL_TIER=$(cat ~/.superstack/config.json 2>/dev/null | grep -o '"telemetryTier": *"[^"]*"' | head -1 | sed 's/.*"telemetryTier": *"//;s/"$//'  || echo "anonymous")
_TEL_TIER="${_TEL_TIER:-anonymous}"
_TEL_PROMPTED=$([ -f ~/.superstack/.telemetry-prompted ] && echo "yes" || echo "no")
_TEL_START=$(date +%s)
_SESSION_ID="$$-$(date +%s)"
mkdir -p ~/.superstack
echo "TELEMETRY: $_TEL_TIER"
echo "TEL_PROMPTED: $_TEL_PROMPTED"
if [ "$_TEL_TIER" != "off" ]; then
_TEL_EVENT='{"skill":"find-next-crypto-idea","phase":"idea","event":"started","ts":"'$(date -u +%Y-%m-%dT%H:%M:%SZ)'"}' 
echo "$_TEL_EVENT" >> ~/.superstack/telemetry.jsonl 2>/dev/null || true
_CONVEX_URL=$(cat ~/.superstack/config.json 2>/dev/null | grep -o '"convexUrl":"[^"]*"' | head -1 | cut -d'"' -f4 || echo "")
[ -n "$_CONVEX_URL" ] && curl -s -X POST "$_CONVEX_URL/api/mutation" -H "Content-Type: application/json" -d '{"path":"telemetry:track","args":{"skill":"find-next-crypto-idea","phase":"idea","status":"success","version":"0.2.0","platform":"'$(uname -s)-$(uname -m)'","timestamp":'$(date +%s)000'}}' >/dev/null 2>&1 &
true
fi

If TEL_PROMPTED is no: Before starting the skill workflow, ask the user about telemetry. Use AskUserQuestion:

Help superstack get better! We track which skills get used and how long they take — no code, no file paths, no PII. Change anytime in ~/.superstack/config.json.

Options:

• A) Sure, help superstack improve (anonymous)
• B) No thanks

If A: run this bash:

echo '{"telemetryTier":"anonymous"}' > ~/.superstack/config.json
_TEL_TIER="anonymous"
touch ~/.superstack/.telemetry-prompted

If B: run this bash:

echo '{"telemetryTier":"off"}' > ~/.superstack/config.json
_TEL_TIER="off"
touch ~/.superstack/.telemetry-prompted

This only happens once. If TEL_PROMPTED is yes, skip this entirely and proceed to the skill workflow.

Wrong skill? See SKILL_ROUTER.md for all available skills.

Find Next Crypto Idea

Overview

Interview the user until there is real clarity, not just enthusiasm. Generate three serious idea candidates, force a winner, explain why crypto is necessary, and write a local HTML artifact that the user can review outside the chat.

Workflow

1. Infer whether the user needs fresh ideas, a narrowed idea search in a known domain, or validation of an existing thesis.
2. Ask the user to pick a report theme. Read references/report-themes.md and present the 12-theme table. Store their choice as the theme field in the JSON payload. If they say "surprise me", pick one that matches their vibe.
3. Read references/source-map.md first to understand the local datasets available to this skill.
4. Read references/interview-framework.md before asking substantive questions.
5. Gate every candidate through references/crypto-necessity-test.md before scoring it.
6. Score surviving candidates with references/scoring-rubric.md.
7. Run fresh research with references/research-playbook.md. When you already have candidate ideas, use scripts/live_research.py to generate browser-first X queries, GitHub queries, a normalized research pack, and a worksheet HTML.
8. Produce the shortlist artifact first. Let the user pick one. Then deepen the chosen idea and write a second artifact.

Non-Negotiables

• Stay blunt. Challenge weak assumptions before elaborating them.
• Keep interviewing until you can clearly state:
  • the user's unfair edge
  • the real shipping constraint
  • the first plausible wedge
  • why crypto is required
• Reject ornamental crypto. Redirect to a stronger crypto angle instead of dressing up a weak one.
• Do not praise a bad idea because the user is attached to it.
• Do not produce three near-identical ideas. Force diversity across the shortlist when possible.
• Always do fresh research for competitors, substitutes, and active OSS before committing to the final ranking.
• Always write a local HTML file. Do not leave the result only in chat.

Interview Rules

• Start with anchor questions, not a giant questionnaire.
• Pull constraints only when they would change the recommendation.
• Prefer questions that reveal:
  • edge
  • urgency
  • customer access
  • shipping ability
  • tolerance for infra, regulation, and sales friction
• If the user already has an idea, stress-test it immediately. Ask what breaks if the blockchain is removed.
• If, after several exchanges, there is still no edge, no constraint, and no credible crypto touchpoint, say so plainly and narrow the search.

Shortlist Rules

• Produce exactly three serious candidates unless the user explicitly asks for more.
• Include:
  • a recommended winner
  • why the winner wins
  • why the other two lost
  • a bear case for each idea
• Treat the local datasets as archetype libraries. Combine, mutate, or discard them freely if the user's context demands it.
• Integration-first framing: For each idea, note whether it can be built by integrating existing protocols or requires custom on-chain logic. Ideas that can integrate ship faster and inherit audited security — note this as context, but don't bias scoring against ideas that legitimately need a new protocol. See data/solana-knowledge/04-protocols-and-sdks.md → "Integrate First, Build Second" and the Decision Quick Reference for current protocol mapping.

Artifact Rules

• Read references/output-spec.md before writing the report payload.
• If you need a structured research pass before ranking, read references/research-output-schema.md and run scripts/live_research.py.
• Use scripts/render_report.py to render the HTML from a JSON payload.
• Write reports into the current working directory unless the user asks for a different path.
• Use file names like:
  • idea-shortlist-YYYYMMDD-HHMMSS.html
  • idea-deep-dive-YYYYMMDD-HHMMSS.html

Phase Handoff

This skill is Phase 1 (Idea) in the Idea → Build → Launch journey. After the user picks a winner from the shortlist:

1. Write .superstack/idea-context.md in the project workspace with:
   • phase: "idea"
   • completed_at: ISO timestamp
   • chosen_idea: slug, name, one_liner, why_crypto, scores, competitors, mvp_checklist, gtm
   • source_reports: list of generated HTML filenames
2. Tell the user they can proceed to the Build phase next:
   • scaffold-project — set up workspace with the right stack
   • build-with-claude — guided MVP implementation
3. See ../../../data/specs/phase-handoff.md for the full JSON contract.

Quick Start

# Just ask naturally — this skill activates automatically
# Example prompts:
#   "What should I build in crypto?"
#   "I'm interested in DeFi x AI — what are the gaps?"
#   "Give me 3 Solana project ideas for a hackathon"

Decision Points

• Fresh ideas vs. validate existing? If user has an idea already, redirect to validate-idea skill instead.
• Which niche? See ../../data/ideas/ for 114+ curated ideas from YC, a16z, Alliance, Superteam.
• DeFi-specific? Redirect to defillama-research skill for data-driven DeFi discovery.
• Hackathon data? If the user explicitly asks for Colosseum hackathon project data, winner patterns, or gap analysis, suggest /colosseum-copilot. It requires a free PAT from https://arena.colosseum.org/copilot — only mention if the user asks or opts in.

Resources

references/

• references/source-map.md
• references/interview-framework.md
• references/crypto-necessity-test.md
• references/scoring-rubric.md
• references/research-playbook.md
• references/research-output-schema.md
• references/output-spec.md
• references/report-themes.md

scripts/

• scripts/render_report.py renders the final HTML artifact from structured JSON.
• scripts/live_research.py generates browser-first research plans, query URLs, a normalized research-pack.json, and an optional worksheet HTML.

assets/

• assets/report-template.html is the HTML template used by the render script.
• assets/research-worksheet-template.html is the HTML template for the clickable research worksheet.

Telemetry (run last)

After the skill workflow completes (success, error, or abort), log the telemetry event. Determine the outcome from the workflow result: success if completed normally, error if it failed, abort if the user interrupted.

Run this bash:

_TEL_END=$(date +%s)
_TEL_DUR=$(( _TEL_END - ${_TEL_START:-$_TEL_END} ))
_TEL_TIER=$(cat ~/.superstack/config.json 2>/dev/null | grep -o '"telemetryTier": *"[^"]*"' | head -1 | sed 's/.*"telemetryTier": *"//;s/"$//' || echo "anonymous")
if [ "$_TEL_TIER" != "off" ]; then
echo '{"skill":"find-next-crypto-idea","phase":"idea","event":"completed","outcome":"OUTCOME","duration_s":"'"$_TEL_DUR"'","session":"'"$_SESSION_ID"'","ts":"'$(date -u +%Y-%m-%dT%H:%M:%SZ)'","platform":"'$(uname -s)-$(uname -m)'"}' >> ~/.superstack/telemetry.jsonl 2>/dev/null || true
true
fi

Replace OUTCOME with success/error/abort based on the workflow result.