Description

Tells you if a startup idea is worth building — in 60 seconds. Use when a user wants to evaluate, validate, or score a startup idea; asks "should I build thi...

README (SKILL.md)

LOBSTR — Startup Idea Scorer

Name: Lobstr
Author: rednix

Trigger

Explicit triggers:

User types /lobstr "their startup idea"
User types /validate, /scan, or /score followed by an idea

Proactive triggers (ask the user before running):

User says "should I build this?" or "is this a good idea?"
User is describing a startup concept they are considering
User asks for a competitive analysis of a new product idea
User is brainstorming business ideas and wants structured feedback
User asks "what do you think of this idea?"
User mentions a problem they want to solve and is considering a startup

When triggering proactively, say: "Want me to run a LOBSTR scan on that? It'll give you a competitor landscape, pitch score, and EU investor signal in about 60 seconds."

Workflow

Run scripts/lobstr.py with the idea as a single argument:

python3 scripts/lobstr.py "their startup idea"

The script prints the formatted score card to stdout. Show it to the user verbatim — do not reformat or summarize.

If the script errors, surface the error message to the user clearly.

Flags

Flag	Effect
(none)	Private output only — score card to stdout
`--public`	Also publish to runlobstr.com and show share URL
`--moltbook`	Also post to m/lobstrscore on Moltbook
`--json`	Output raw JSON instead of formatted card (for agent-to-agent piping)

Default usage (no flags) makes one outbound call to runlobstr.com/api/score for scoring and returns privately. No data is published or shared.

Agent usage

When another agent calls this skill programmatically, use --json to get structured output:

python3 scripts/lobstr.py "idea" --json

Returns a JSON object with overall_score, dimensions, competitors, grid, verdict, build_it.

What the user gets

LOBSTR score (0–100) across 6 dimensions: Landscape, Opportunity, Business model, Sharpness, Timing, Reach
Competitor list with real companies found via live web search
GRID investor signal — how many EU VCs are active in the space
Build/don't build verdict — honest, not flattering
Shareable URL at runlobstr.com (only with --public)

Requirements

No API keys required. LOBSTR uses the free hosted API at runlobstr.com (5 scans/day).

For unlimited scans, set both keys to enable BYOK mode (local pipeline):

export ANTHROPIC_API_KEY=\x3Cyour-key>
export EXA_API_KEY=\x3Cyour-key>

Score Card Format (for reference)

🦞 LOBSTR SCAN
"idea here"

LOBSTR SCORE 74/100 [=======---]

L  Landscape   🟢  82/100  one line verdict
O  Opportunity 🟡  71/100  one line verdict
B  Biz model   🟡  65/100  one line verdict
S  Sharpness   🔴  61/100  one line verdict
T  Timing      🟢  88/100  one line verdict
R  Reach       🟢  79/100  one line verdict

VERDICT
Two sentence VC verdict here.

✅ BUILD IT.

Color rules: 🟢 ≥ 70, 🟡 50–69, 🔴 \x3C 50

Usage Guidance

This skill is coherent with its description: by default it will send the idea text to runlobstr.com and return a private score card; optional environment variables enable a local/BYOK pipeline that will make requests to api.anthropic.com and api.exa.ai. Before installing, consider: (1) Don’t send highly confidential IP or private pitches unless you’re comfortable transmitting them to runlobstr.com (or to Anthropic/Exa if you enable BYOK). (2) Review the script’s main execution path (scripts/lobstr.py) to confirm the BYOK logic only runs local calls when both keys are set (the file provided was truncated near the end). (3) Avoid setting API keys you don’t trust; the skill will use any provided ANTHROPIC_API_KEY / EXA_API_KEY for network calls. (4) If you might publish results, be cautious with --public and --moltbook flags as those explicitly share output externally. If you want higher assurance, inspect the full scripts/lobstr.py end-to-end or run the script in an isolated environment first.

Capability Analysis

Type: OpenClaw Skill Name: lobstr Version: 0.3.0 The 'lobstr' skill is a legitimate tool for evaluating startup ideas using a scoring framework. It communicates with runlobstr.com for its primary function, but also offers a 'BYOK' (Bring Your Own Key) mode that allows users to run the pipeline locally via Anthropic and Exa AI APIs, which is a privacy-positive feature. The code in scripts/lobstr.py is transparent, well-documented in SECURITY.md, and lacks any indicators of malicious intent such as credential theft, unauthorized persistence, or obfuscated execution. An included math-solving function for Moltbook verification is a specific integration detail and does not pose a security risk.

Capability Assessment

✓ Purpose & Capability

Name/description match requested resources: default mode uses a hosted scoring API (runlobstr.com) and optional ANTHROPIC_API_KEY / EXA_API_KEY are documented and only needed for BYOK/local pipeline. The optional MOLTBOOK_API_KEY is only needed for the --moltbook flag. No unrelated credentials or binaries are requested.

ℹ Instruction Scope

SKILL.md explicitly instructs running scripts/lobstr.py and warns that idea text is sent to runlobstr.com by default. This is expected behavior for the stated purpose, but it does mean user-provided ideas (potentially confidential) will be transmitted off-agent. The code includes functions to call Anthropic and Exa APIs for BYOK mode; the SKILL.md and SECURITY.md claim those are only used when both keys are set. I could not fully confirm the main execution path because the script was truncated near the end — verify the main logic ensures BYOK calls only when both keys are set.

✓ Install Mechanism

No install spec is provided (instruction-only with an included script). Nothing is downloaded or written by an installer step. This is the lowest-risk install mechanism.

✓ Credentials

No required environment variables. The optional ANTHROPIC_API_KEY and EXA_API_KEY are reasonable for a BYOK mode that runs local scoring/search, and MOLTBOOK_API_KEY is only relevant to the publish flag. No unrelated secrets or excessive env access is requested.

✓ Persistence & Privilege

always is false and the skill does not request persistent system privileges or write system-wide config. SECURITY.md states the skill does not persist data or write files. Flags allow publishing (--public) or posting (--moltbook) but these are explicit user actions.

Version History

v0.3.0

LOBSTR 0.3.0 — Major update: Now uses runlobstr.com API, no setup required - No API keys or setup needed — startup idea scoring now works out-of-the-box via the free hosted API (5 scans/day). - Broader and smarter trigger coverage: activates on more user prompts, startup brainstorming, and competitive analysis requests. - Simple sharing and posting: new `--public` and `--moltbook` flags for shareable scorecards and automatic Moltbook posts. - Enhanced agent integration: add `--json` flag for structured output in pipelined environments. - BYOK "power user" mode with unlimited scans still available if API keys are set.

v0.2.2

- Updated documentation in README.md for improved clarity. - No changes to functionality or code; this release is documentation-only.

v0.2.1

- Added README.md with usage instructions and documentation for the lobstr skill. - No changes to functionality or dependencies.

v0.2.0

Remove hardcoded API key, add Moltbook integration, deep Grid links, SECURITY.md, clean packaging

v0.1.17

- Updated version to 0.1.17. - Code changes made in scripts/lobstr.py. - No SKILL.md changes in this version.

v0.1.6

lobstr 0.1.6 - Updated scripts/lobstr.py (details not specified) - No documented changes to SKILL.md or user workflow - Bugfixes or improvements may be included in the script update

v0.1.5

- Updated version to 0.1.5. - Modified scripts/lobstr.py (see repository for file-level changes). - No changes to user workflow or documentation.

v0.1.4

- Updated version number in SKILL.md from 0.1.0 to 0.1.4. - No functional changes; documentation refresh only.

v0.1.3

- Added a credentials section to SKILL.md, detailing required and optional API keys. - Documented an optional key (RUNLOBSTR_PUBLISH_SECRET) for enabling shareable score card URLs. - No changes to skill logic or usage; documentation and metadata improvements only.

v0.1.2

- Added a homepage link (https://github.com/NMA-vc/lobstr) to the skill metadata. - No other workflow, requirements, or description changes.

v0.1.1

lobstr 0.1.1 - Updated environment variable handling: the script no longer loads a `.env` file and requires API keys to be set in the shell. - SKILL.md clarified requirements for exporting `ANTHROPIC_API_KEY` and `EXA_API_KEY` before running the script.

v0.1.0

- Initial release of LOBSTR, a startup idea scorer triggered by `/lobstr "idea"`. - Parses startup ideas, searches for competitors using Exa, scores across six LOBSTR dimensions, and fetches investor data from the NMA Grid API. - Outputs a formatted score card with category scores, a summary verdict, and investor match information. - Requires ANTHROPIC_API_KEY and EXA_API_KEY environment variables to function.

Metadata

Slug lobstr

Version 0.3.0

License MIT-0

All-time Installs 1

Active Installs 1

Total Versions 12

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Lobstr?

Tells you if a startup idea is worth building — in 60 seconds. Use when a user wants to evaluate, validate, or score a startup idea; asks "should I build thi... It is an AI Agent Skill for Claude Code / OpenClaw, with 221 downloads so far.

How do I install Lobstr?

Run "/install lobstr" in the OpenClaw or Claude Code chat to install it in one step — no extra setup required.

Is Lobstr free?

Yes, Lobstr is completely free, licensed under MIT-0. You can download, install and use it at no cost.

Which platforms does Lobstr support?

Lobstr is cross-platform and runs anywhere OpenClaw / Claude Code is available (cross-platform).

Who created Lobstr?

It is built and maintained by Nico Lumma (@rednix); the current version is v0.3.0.

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