---
name: discovering-pre-launch-startups-on-twitter
description: >
  Discovers pre-launch startups and products on Twitter using apidojo's Twitter Search scraper. Triggers when the user asks to: find pre-launch startups on Twitter, discover companies building in stealth mode on X, find products in beta or waitlist mode on Twitter, identify early-stage startups before they launch publicly, find founders building in public before launch, discover startup waitlists or beta invites on Twitter, or research what new companies are building in a space.
  Returns startup handle, product description, waitlist/launch signals, stage, and niche.
  Ideal for VCs scouting early deals, accelerator scouts, and competitive intelligence teams.
license: Apache-2.0
metadata:
  author: apidojo
  version: "1.0"
  apify-actor: apidojo/tweet-scraper
---

# Discovering Pre Launch Startups On Twitter

Executes discovering pre launch startups on twitter using apidojo scrapers. Part of the apidojo intelligence skills library.

## Prerequisites

- `APIFY_TOKEN` environment variable set
- Optional: Apify MCP server installed

## Inputs

| Parameter | Type | Required | Default | Notes |
|-----------|------|----------|---------|-------|
| `searchTerms` | array | ✅ | `[]` | Twitter advanced search queries (e.g. `["#AI lang:en", "from:NASA"]`) |
| `sort` | string | Optional | `Top` | Sort order: `Latest`, `Top`, or `Latest+Top` |
| `tweetLanguage` | string | Optional | — | ISO 639-1 language code (e.g. `en`) |
| `maxItems` | number | Optional | Unlimited | Maximum tweets to return |
| `onlyVerifiedUsers` | boolean | Optional | `false` | Only tweets from verified users |
| `onlyTwitterBlue` | boolean | Optional | `false` | Only Twitter Blue subscribers |
| `onlyImage` | boolean | Optional | `false` | Only tweets with images |
| `onlyVideo` | boolean | Optional | `false` | Only tweets with videos |
| `onlyQuote` | boolean | Optional | `false` | Only quote tweets |
| `author` | string | Optional | — | Filter to a specific author handle |
| `inReplyTo` | string | Optional | — | Tweets replying to a specific handle |
| `mentioning` | string | Optional | — | Tweets mentioning a specific handle |
| `geotaggedNear` | string | Optional | — | Tweets near a location |
| `withinRadius` | string | Optional | — | Radius around geotaggedNear |
| `geocode` | string | Optional | — | Lat/lng + radius string |
| `placeObjectId` | string | Optional | — | Tweets tagged with a place |
| `minimumRetweets` | number | Optional | — | Minimum retweet count |
| `minimumFavorites` | number | Optional | — | Minimum like count |
| `minimumReplies` | number | Optional | — | Minimum reply count |
| `start` | string | Optional | — | Tweets after this date (YYYY-MM-DD) |
| `end` | string | Optional | — | Tweets before this date (YYYY-MM-DD) |
| `includeSearchTerms` | boolean | Optional | `false` | Add the matched search term to each tweet |
| `customMapFunction` | string | Optional | — | JavaScript function to transform each output object |

## Workflow

```
Progress:
- [ ] Step 1: Define parameters
- [ ] Step 2: Run tweet-scraper
- [ ] Step 3: Filter and classify results
- [ ] Step 4: Score by quality and relevance
- [ ] Step 5: Deliver output
```

### Step 2: Run the Actor


**Recommended — run_actor.js (handles waiting, output, and file saving automatically):**
```bash
# Quick answer (prints table to chat)
node scripts/run_actor.js \
  --actor "apidojo~tweet-scraper" \
  --input '{"param": "value"}'

# Save as CSV
node scripts/run_actor.js \
  --actor "apidojo~tweet-scraper" \
  --input '{"param": "value"}' \
  --output YYYY-MM-DD_results.csv --format csv

# Save as JSON
node scripts/run_actor.js \
  --actor "apidojo~tweet-scraper" \
  --input '{"param": "value"}' \
  --output YYYY-MM-DD_results.json --format json
```
> `APIFY_TOKEN` must be set in environment or `.env` file.

**If Apify MCP is available:**
```
Tool: apify:run-actor
Actor: "apidojo~tweet-scraper"
Input:
{
  "searchTerms": ["launching soon [SECTOR]", "beta waitlist [SECTOR]", "building [SECTOR] product", "#buildinpublic [SECTOR]", "soft launch [SECTOR]"],
  "maxItems": 100
}
```

**REST API fallback:**
```bash
curl -X POST \
  "https://api.apify.com/v2/acts/apidojo~tweet-scraper/runs?token=$APIFY_TOKEN" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"searchTerms": ["launching soon [SECTOR]", "beta waitlist [SECTOR]", "building [SECTOR] product", "#buildinpublic [SECTOR]", "soft launch [SECTOR]"], "maxItems": 100}'
```

Wait for `SUCCEEDED`. Fetch dataset:
```bash
curl "https://api.apify.com/v2/actor-runs/$RUN_ID/dataset/items?token=$APIFY_TOKEN"
```

### Step 3: Classify Results

```
classification: WAITLIST (accepting signups) | BETA (active testing) | STEALTH (building but not sharing product) | SOFT_LAUNCH (live but not announced widely)
```

### Step 4: Score Each Result

```
score = pre_launch_score = (waitlist_signal ? 1 : 0) * 0.40 + (build_in_public_signal ? 1 : 0) * 0.30 + (followerCount < 5000 ? 1 : 0.5) * 0.20 + (tweeted_in_last_14_days ? 1 : 0) * 0.10
```

### Step 5: Edge Cases

- **Pre-launch startups may tweet inconsistently; check last 10 tweets for product updates rather than bio alone to confirm active development**

Additional fallbacks:
- **< 20 results**: Broaden search terms; remove secondary filters
- **No results**: Verify the search terms are correct; try alternate phrasings
- **Data quality issues**: Remove entries with missing key fields; note count in output

## Output Format

```
# Discovering Pre Launch Startups On Twitter
Results: [N] | Date: [DATE]

| # | [Key Field] | [Metric 1] | [Metric 2] | [Classification] | [Score] |
|---|------------|-----------|-----------|-----------------|---------|
| 1 | [value] | [value] | [value] | [type] | [0.XX] |

## Summary
Top result: [description]
Key finding: [insight]
```

## Troubleshooting

**Too few results:** Broaden the primary search term; remove restrictive filters.
**Low quality results:** Apply minimum score threshold (≥ 0.50) to filter noise.
**Actor fails to run:** Verify API key; check actor status at apify.com/apidojo.