The #BuildinPublic movement has gained traction as a way for tech founders to share their journeys transparently, including metrics like revenue and user growth. However, this openness comes with a vulnerability: founders can easily fake or exaggerate data, leading to mistrust and undermining the movement’s authenticity. One way to address this could be a platform that verifies and displays real-time performance data, creating a trusted space for founders and their audiences.

How It Could Work

The platform could function as a hybrid of a product showcase and live analytics dashboard. Founders would sign up, list their products, and connect tools like Stripe or Google Analytics to auto-populate metrics. Users could then see live updates on key performance indicators (KPIs) like monthly recurring revenue (MRR) or user growth. Leaderboards could rank products by growth or revenue, while founders could share periodic updates to keep followers engaged. Over time, features like crowdfunding or investment opportunities could be added to help high-growth projects gain support.

Who Stands to Benefit

This idea could serve multiple stakeholders:

• Founders, especially indie hackers and SaaS builders, who gain credibility, exposure, and potential investor interest.
• Users and followers, who get access to verified, high-potential products without the noise of exaggerated claims.
• Investors, who could discover vetted startups with transparent metrics.

Execution and Challenges

A minimal viable product (MVP) could start with manual data entry to validate demand before integrating APIs for automated verification. Key challenges include ensuring data privacy—founders might prefer sharing ranges (e.g., "100–500 users") rather than exact numbers—and preventing manipulation, which could be mitigated through community reporting and automated checks. Monetization could come from subscriptions, affiliate partnerships, or premium listings.

Compared to existing platforms like Indie Hackers (discussion-based) or Product Hunt (launch-focused), this idea focuses on post-launch transparency and verified metrics. By leveraging the #BuildinPublic ethos, it could carve out a niche as a trusted hub for authentic growth stories.