#business #idea # [[Epistemic status]] moderate conviction, high upside #shower-thought #to-digest # Related - [[Ideation]] - [[Start-up ideation]] --- ## Start-up Idea: **PermitBoost** – “Rippling for Energy Project Permitting” --- ## Problem/opportunity Energy infrastructure (solar, wind, nuclear, transmission lines) dies in **red tape**: forms, studies, multi-agency approvals, legal challenges. Permitting can delay or kill billion-dollar projects. #### Can you state the problem clearly? "Permitting delays are the biggest bottleneck in energy infrastructure deployment." #### Have you experienced it yourself? Indirectly—tracking grid issues and energy bottlenecks. Known pain for anyone touching infra. #### Can you define the problem narrowly? Yes. Automate permitting workflows for clean energy projects (starting with solar/wind sites). #### Is it solvable? Yes. RPA + AI + legal database + workflow engine = killer wedge. --- ## Solution SaaS that automates permit paperwork, tracks deadlines, coordinates approvals, and generates legal artifacts using AI. Think: DocuSign × Ironclad × Zapier, for energy devs. #### Are you affected by [[the programmer syndrome]]? No. This is a workflow hell with direct money/save time ROI. --- ## Markets/customers/users - Energy developers (solar, wind, geothermal, grid) - Project finance firms - EPC contractors - Governments (as users or partners) - Infra VCs/PE firms (for due diligence) --- ## Why - Popular: no—because it's painful - Growing: yes, Biden + EU clean energy pushes - Urgent: delaying projects = lost billions - Expensive: permitting can eat 10–30% of project timeline and budget - Mandatory: literally required to build anything - [[Founder-market-fit]]: background in systems + geopolitics + RPA - [[What's your unfair advantage?]]: - Deep automation stack - Understanding of bureaucratic systems - Could bootstrap through consulting/partnerships #energy-infrastructure #automation