kelly eismann

MIT Capstone Project
Business Plan for ideatree.ai

IdeaTree is an innovative AI-powered platform designed to foster creativity among youth aged 13-18 by analyzing their artistic inputs—such as drawings, writing, and music—and generating tailored collaborative projects, feedback, and skill-building exercises. In a world where traditional education often overlooks non-academic paths, IdeaTree addresses screen-time burnout, builds professional portfolios, and promotes self-expression for diverse young users.

The platform launches as a mobile and web app with a freemium model: basic features free to attract users, premium subscriptions unlocking advanced AI collaborations and portfolio tools. Targeting a global market, IdeaTree aims to capture a share of the burgeoning AI in education sector, which is expected to reach $8.30 billion in 2025. With projected first-year revenue of $500,000 scaling to $5 million by year three through user growth and partnerships, we seek $2 million in seed funding to develop the MVP, hire key talent, and execute marketing. Our mission: Empower the next generation of creators to thrive in creative industries.


Market Analysis

Industry Overview


The edtech market is exploding, with AI integration driving personalization and engagement. The global edtech market is set to grow by $170.8 billion from 2025-2029 at a CAGR of 15%. Specifically, AI in education was valued at $5.88 billion in 2024 and is projected to hit $8.30 billion in 2025, fueled by tools for creative and skill-based learning. Trends in 2025 emphasize AI for creativity, with emerging education shifts toward microlearning, online platforms, and tackling teacher burnout—areas where IdeaTree fits by supplementing formal education. Youth creative education is trending toward hands-on AI tools, as seen in rising interest in platforms that boost art, storytelling, and coding skills.

Target Market


Our primary audience is youth aged 13-18 (Gen Z and early Gen Alpha), numbering over 1.2 billion globally, with high digital adoption. Focus segments include:



· Urban/suburban teens in the US/Europe (60% market share initially), where creative education gaps exist.


· Underserved groups: Low-income youth (via free tier) and those in non-arts-focused schools.



Market needs: 70% of youth report interest in creative careers but lack tools; AI can enhance creativity by enabling rapid idea iteration. Total addressable market (TAM) for youth creative AI tools is estimated at $500 million in 2025, within the broader $404 billion edtech spend.

Competitive Analysis


Competitors include LittleLit AI for storytelling, Scratch with AI for coding/creativity, and Curipod for interactive lessons. Strengths: Established user bases. Weaknesses: Narrow focus (e.g., only coding or art).

IdeaTree differentiates with multi-medium analysis (art, writing, music) and portfolio-building, plus collaborative AI "co-creators" for real-time projects. Barriers to entry: AI development costs; we leverage open-source models like Stable Diffusion for art and GPT variants for writing.

Build Information

IdeaTree is an AI platform accessible via app/web:



Core Features: Upload artistic inputs; AI analyzes style/tone (e.g., via computer vision for drawings, NLP for writing). Generates projects (e.g., "Collaborate on a comic strip with AI characters"), feedback (strengths/weaknesses), and exercises (e.g., "Try shading techniques").


Premium Add-ons: Advanced AI co-creation (e.g., real-time music jamming), portfolio export to PDFs/sites, community sharing.


Tech Stack: Built on Python with libraries like PyTorch for ML; cloud-hosted for scalability.


Monetization: Freemium (basic analysis free); $4.99/month premium; school licenses ($500/year per class).


Future expansions: VR creative spaces, integrations with Adobe tools.