Mac Power Users
Latest Business Ideas
Native WebKit browser with cross-store extensions
This concept is building a high-performance, native (WebKit) browser for Apple platforms that also supports the large ecosystem of Chrome and Firefox web extensions by porting or implementing the web-extensions API on top of WebKit. Vlad describes Orion as a WebKit browser (native performance on macOS/iOS) with the unique capability to load both Chrome and Firefox extensions and a monetization model that includes an optional 'pay to own' lifetime license or subscription. Implementation involves: using WebKit as the rendering engine, developing the full browser UI shell (menus, windows, tab management), implementing a compatibility layer for web extension APIs, and building installer flows that can pull extensions from Chrome/Firefox stores. Distribution includes a free tier and optional paid license (lifetime or recurring). Problem solved: macOS/iOS users who want native performance plus access to the rich extension ecosystem; an alternative to Chromium-based browsers and Safari's limited extension support. Target audience: macOS power users, privacy-minded users, and people who value native performance plus extension compatibility. Tactics/tools mentioned: WebKit fork/adapter, extension API porting, native Mac UI, and a paid 'pay-to-own' pricing option.
From: 809: Exploring Kagi with CEO Vladimir Prelovac
Usage-based publisher revenue sharing for AI answers
This is a platform-level system that attributes and pays publishers when AI assistants or grounded LLM responses use their content. Vlad frames it as an automatic, proportional compensation mechanism: when an assistant (or search/AI service) incorporates a publisher’s material into an answer, that publisher is assigned a credit proportional to usage and receives a share of the platform’s revenue (profit-share). A practical implementation for entrepreneurs: build a grounding-and-attribution pipeline that (a) indexes and fingerprints publisher content, (b) tracks which source snippets are used when generating assistant answers (via explicit grounding links, hashes, or provenance metadata), (c) accumulates micro-credits per publisher, and (d) performs periodic payouts (Stripe/wise payouts, thresholded). Start small by onboarding niche publishers and exposing a public opt-in manifest (similar to Kagi Small Web Initiative) to ensure coverage of long-tail creators. Problems solved: monetization gap for small publishers excluded from big licensing deals, and fairness/traceability for content used by AI. Tactics mentioned: automated proportional attribution, scaling only once the platform has meaningful volume, and open lists for small sites.
From: 809: Exploring Kagi with CEO Vladimir Prelovac
Subscription, privacy-first search engine
This is a paid, privacy-first search product that replaces ad-driven ranking with a subscription revenue model and user-focused ranking signals. In the episode Vlad explains building a search engine that: (a) avoids advertising incentives, (b) doesn’t log or retains minimal user data (Privacy Pass is cited), (c) downranks ad/track-heavy pages, and (d) offers user personalization (block/promote domains) and curated lenses (forum, academic, PDF). An entrepreneur can replicate an MVP by layering on top of existing search APIs or aggregating results from public engines, then applying custom ranking filters (ad/track density heuristics, listicle grouping, non-commercial indexing). Implementation steps: build a web UI and lightweight backend to fetch and re-rank results, add account/subscription plumbing, implement domain block/promote controls, create curated lenses, and ship browser extensions/Alfred/Raycast integrations. Problems solved: poor ad-driven search relevance, privacy concerns, and lack of user control. Target customers: privacy-conscious professionals, power-search users, and Apple/macOS users willing to pay for quality search. Specific tactics mentioned: subscription billing instead of ad revenue, technical Privacy Pass to avoid storing identifiable queries, domain-level blocking/promoting, and lenses for curated subsets of the web.
From: 809: Exploring Kagi with CEO Vladimir Prelovac
Interactive Widget Builder
This business idea centers on developing a SaaS platform that allows digital entrepreneurs and developers to create and deploy interactive widgets that leverage the latest iOS 26 capabilities – particularly the ability to update widgets through silent push notifications. By building a no-code or low-code widget builder, users can design widgets for mobile, Mac, and even emerging platforms such as Vision Pro and smart home hubs. The platform would handle integration with Apple’s push notification system so that the widgets display real-time, dynamic content such as updated weather data, calendar events, grocery lists, or news headlines. Entrepreneurs could easily customize the look and behavior of the widget through a drag-and-drop interface, manage scheduling of updates, and monitor widget performance via an integrated analytics dashboard. This solution addresses the challenge many third-party app developers face in keeping widget content fresh and engaging, especially when competing against first-party apps that traditionally enjoy more seamless data updates. The target audience includes software developers, digital product creators, and even small business owners who wish to leverage customized interactive data displays without building from scratch. Specific tactics for implementation include utilizing Apple’s new push notification APIs, designing templates suited to various use cases (such as calendar, weather, and productivity tools), and offering tiered subscription plans to monetize features like advanced customization and analytics. This platform would streamline the process of creating interactive, always up-to-date widgets for a digital-first market.
From: 808: "The Momentum is Building," with Simon Støvring
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