Ara MCP

Idea validation inside Claude — capture, research, score, and build Lean Canvases for business ideas without leaving the conversation.

Ara MCP is a Model Context Protocol server that brings structured idea validation into Claude. Describe a business idea conversationally, and Ara handles the research pipeline — competitor analysis, market sizing, risk assessment — and renders the results as interactive visual artifacts directly in Claude's interface.

Features

• Capture ideas from natural conversation — Ara extracts name, problem, solution, target users, and differentiators automatically
• Research pipeline — quick scan through deep analysis with kill score, market sizing, and competitor breakdown
• Lean Canvas — auto-populated from research data, editable inline
• Stress Test — adversarial questioning to find weak spots before you commit
• Action Plan — milestone-based roadmap generated from your research
• Pivot suggestions — when the data says the idea needs a rethink, get concrete pivot directions
• Visual artifacts — all outputs render as branded interactive HTML inside Claude (requires MCP Apps)

Requirements

• Claude Pro with MCP Apps support
• Node.js 18+

Installation

Add to your Claude MCP configuration (~/.claude.json or Claude desktop settings):

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "ara": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["ara-mcp"]
    }
  }
}

The server starts automatically when Claude connects. Ideas are stored locally in a SQLite database at ~/.ara-mcp/ideas.db.

Usage

Just describe your idea to Claude:

"I want to build an app that helps remote teams do async standups"

Claude will use Ara to capture and structure the idea, then you can ask for research, canvas, stress test, or action plan at any time.

Common follow-ups:

• "Run research on this idea"
• "Show me the Lean Canvas"
• "Stress test the business model"
• "Generate an action plan"
• "Suggest pivot directions"
• "Show all my ideas"

Tools

| Tool | What it does | |------|-------------| | ara_capture | Extract and save a new idea from conversation | | ara_list | List all saved ideas | | ara_get | Get full details for one idea | | ara_update | Edit an idea's fields | | ara_delete | Delete an idea | | ara_research | Run the research pipeline (quick → deep) | | ara_canvas_get | Generate or retrieve the Lean Canvas | | ara_canvas_update | Edit a specific canvas box | | ara_stress_test | Run adversarial stress test questions | | ara_action_plan | Generate a milestone-based action plan | | ara_suggest_pivots | Generate pivot directions based on research | | ara_apply_pivot | Apply a chosen pivot direction to the idea |

Local Development

git clone https://github.com/justinperea/ara-mcp
cd ara-mcp/mcp
npm install
npm run dev

The server runs at http://localhost:3001/mcp.

License

MIT