Dubai-Based idea-L Nets US$1 Million For AI Venture Platform

Dubai-based venture creation startup idea-L has secured an oversubscribed US$1 million pre-seed round from a group of unnamed angel investors to bring its artificial intelligence (AI) and Web3-powered platform to the Middle East.  

Founded by Peter Goodwin, Daniel Muller, and Mark Hill in the UAE in 2024, idea-L is designed to help users turn early-stage concepts into investor-ready ventures. Its tools combine generative AI, decentralized governance, and a proprietary execution engine to guide users from idea to startup.   

“At its core, idea-L is a co-founder in your pocket made for anyone, with any idea, anywhere in the world,” Goodwin, co-founder and CEO, idea-L, told Inc. Arabia in an interview. “We built it for the people who don’t know where to start or where to go; the first-time founders, the career-switchers, the creators in emerging markets who are sitting on world-class ideas with no clear path forward. idea-L helps users turn their ideas into real ventures with clarity, speed, and support.” 

“Most people don’t fail because their idea’s bad, they stall out from doubt, confusion, or fear of getting it wrong," Goodwin added. "So, idea-L exists to create momentum early and sustain it. From fast signal feedback to clear next steps, the platform is designed to reduce hesitation and increase belief." 

The platform is anchored by what idea-L calls its Realization Systems—a suite of technologies and processes that power the two core products: the Idea Realization Platform (IRP) and the Investment Facilitation Platform (IFP). The IRP guides users through validation and development, generating personalized roadmaps, behavioral nudges, and real-time insights. Once an idea reaches a key threshold, the IFP kicks in, allowing users to propose and access community-governed funding. The platform also includes i-Luminary, an AI-activated mentor network designed to deliver timely, context-specific guidance throughout the user journey. 

“The IRP validates ideas and then helps you build them,” Goodwin explained. “It combines fast signal checks, personalized roadmaps, behavioral nudges, real-time insight, and human inputs to keep momentum high and uncertainty low.  As founders move forward, the IFP unlocks access to decentralized, community-led capital, and when context-specific support is needed, our i-Luminary mentors step in at key moments, guided by the system itself.” 

As for i-Luminary, Goodwin told us that the mentor system is built to offer scalable, real-time support. “This isn’t the old ‘advise and disappear’ model. Our highly-qualified mentors are integrated into the platform and activated by AI, stepping in when their insight is actually needed, not just when it’s scheduled. It’s contextual mentorship at scale.” 

The company is also preparing to launch its governance token, GovToken, in the third quarter of 2025. Token holders will have voting rights over product development, funding decisions, and partnership approvals, helping shape the future of the platform from the ground up. 

“Owning GovToken gives you access to the on-chain governance mechanism behind everything we do,” Goodwin said. “It gives our community real voting power, from what gets funded to what gets built next. It’s fully transparent and ensures idea-L grows with its users, not just around them.” 

That governance structure extends into idea-L’s deVC Fund, a decentralized funding pool governed by GovToken holders. “It’s a decentralized venture capital model governed by token holders, funding ideas based on real-time data, not warm intros,” Goodwin said. “That flips the script by bringing capital to the idea, not the other way around." 

The platform’s rollout will begin with fast-Feasibility—a private beta tool designed to quickly assess the potential of a startup idea by combining structured datasets with generative AI. Other modules—including LIVE-Feasibility, teamLIVE-Feasibility, the full IRP, and the IFP—are slated for release by year-end. 

Having built idea-L on complex and fast-changing technologies like Web3 and AI, Goodwin said that the real challenge was making it feel simple and human for users. “AI and Web3 are powerful, but they can be overwhelming, especially in the early stages,” Goodwin pointed out. “Our job is to take complexity and make it invisible. The tech is there, but it never leads the conversation. The user is at the center of the idea-L universe, and always will be.” 

The new influx of funds is set to support idea-L in technical hiring, the upcoming launch of its GovToken, the development of the deVC Fund managed by a decentralized asset organization (DAO), as well as the growth of its i-Luminary mentor network.

The new funding round in idea-L, which includes both equity in its holding company as well as investment in the broader project, alongside upcoming strategic partnerships yet to be disclosed, is also said to have exceeded its initial target. This, according to Goodwin, indicates a clear appetite for this kind of innovation from investors.  

“It signals that people are ready for applied innovation, not just more hype,” Goodwin said. “Investors aren’t just backing buzzwords anymore; they want to see systems that solve real problems and bring real people into the fold. The interest wasn’t just because we’re betting on AI or Web3. It's because we’re building the infrastructure that enables a powerful confluence of both to unlock new builders. We’re turning ‘I have an idea’ into ‘I’m building something real, fast and with confidence,’ and we think that shift is where real traction in early-stage innovation is heading.” 

Looking ahead, Goodwin sees three macro shifts shaping the future of venture creation: AI as infrastructure, the decentralization of funding, and the globalization of startup activity. “AI is evolving from interface into infrastructure,” he said. “It’s no longer about chatbots anymore, it’s about systems that reason, learn, and guide behavior. That’s where idea-L is focused: building AI that helps people move, not just think." 

“Second, funding is becoming more decentralized and merit-based,” Goodwin continued. “The old model of who-you-know capital is starting to break. With tools like GovToken and the IFP, we’re creating a funding environment that’s transparent, on-chain, and driven by data. And third, the geography of innovation is expanding. The next wave of founders won’t come solely from traditional tech hubs. They’ll come from everywhere, and they’ll need systems that support speed, access, and belief. We’re building for that new world.” 

With AI and Web3 evolving at breakneck speed, Goodwin urged fellow founders to steer clear of the hype around these technologies and find meaningful ways of employing them to create value. “Build for belief; if there’s no tangible outcome or real-world value, using AI or Web3 becomes noise, not progress,” Goodwin said. “These are powerful technologies, but they mean nothing if real people don’t feel seen, supported, and in control.” 

Goodwin also suggested that founders should remember what really matters when building in these fast-moving spaces. “Don’t chase trends, chase usefulness,” he said. “Give people tools that move them forward, not just features that sound impressive. Focus on clarity, not complexity. Technology should be an augmentor and never replace imagination. It should amplify creativity and increase efficiency. The future isn’t AI vs. humans—it's humans + AI = ∞.” 

Pictured in the lead image is idea-L team. Image courtesy idea-L.