Context
Before scanning, read MEMORY.md for: current ICP, wedge, competitors.
Read memory/pipeline.json to avoid re-detecting known prospects.
Follow output preferences from USER.md.
For chat platforms: compact signal list, max 15 lines.
Automated buying signal detection for your ICP. Scans multiple sources, scores signals, and feeds qualified prospects into the pipeline.
Signal Types (7)
Tier 1: High-Value (7-9 pts, respond in 24-48h)
1. Leadership Changes / Job Moves (9 pts)
exa-search__web_search_advanced_exa \
query="new CTO OR new VP Engineering OR Head of Engineering hired" \
category=company \
numResults=20 \
startPublishedDate="YYYY-MM-DD"
Window: 2-4 weeks after announcement.
2. Funding Rounds (9 pts)
exa-search__web_search_advanced_exa \
query="series A OR series B OR funding round developer tools OR engineering platform" \
category=news \
numResults=20 \
startPublishedDate="YYYY-MM-DD"
Window: 2-6 weeks post-announcement.
3. Hiring Surge — Target Roles (8 pts)
exa-search__web_search_advanced_exa \
query="hiring [TARGET_ROLE] OR [TARGET_TEAM] expansion [YOUR_DOMAIN_KEYWORDS]" \
category=company \
numResults=20
Window: Active while postings live.
Tier 2: Medium-Value (6-7 pts, respond in 1-2 weeks)
4. Competitor Mentions (7 pts)
exa-search__web_search_advanced_exa \
query="[COMPETITOR_A] OR [COMPETITOR_B] OR [COMPETITOR_C] OR [COMPETITOR_D] review evaluation" \
category=tweet \
numResults=20 \
startPublishedDate="YYYY-MM-DD"
5. Tech Stack Changes (7 pts)
exa-search__web_search_advanced_exa \
query="[TECH_MIGRATION_KEYWORDS related to your wedge — e.g. migrating to X, modernizing Y, adopting Z]" \
numResults=20 \
startPublishedDate="YYYY-MM-DD"
6. Published Content on Pain (6 pts)
exa-search__web_search_advanced_exa \
query="[PAIN_KEYWORDS your buyers complain about publicly]" \
numResults=20 \
startPublishedDate="YYYY-MM-DD"
7. Company News / Expansion (6 pts)
exa-search__web_search_advanced_exa \
query="[TARGET_TEAM] expansion OR new [TARGET_LOCATION] office OR [JTBD_KEYWORDS]" \
category=news \
numResults=20 \
startPublishedDate="YYYY-MM-DD"
Scan Workflow
Daily Cron Mode
- Set date range —
startPublishedDate= yesterday's date (YYYY-MM-DD) - Run Tier 1 scans (3 queries) — highest value signals first
- Run Tier 2 scans (4 queries) — if Tier 1 yields <3 results
- Deduplicate — Match against existing pipeline.json prospects by domain
- Score each signal — Assign points based on signal type
- ICP filter — Quick check against ICP criteria from MEMORY.md
- Route to pipeline-manager:
- New prospects: Add with stage
signal_detected - Existing prospects: Update signals array, re-score
- New prospects: Add with stage
- Report to chat — Summary of new signals detected
On-Demand Mode
When CEO asks "scan for signals" or "find new prospects":
- Ask for focus (or use default ICP from MEMORY.md)
- Run all 7 signal scans with wider date range (7-14 days)
- Present top 10 signals ranked by score
- Ask which to add to pipeline
ICP Quick Filter
Before adding to pipeline, verify against ICP criteria from MEMORY.md. Typical filter slots:
- Must have: [must-have buyer attributes]
- Must have: [must-have company attributes]
- Nice to have: [intent signals]
- Disqualify: [auto-reject patterns]
Output Format (Chat)
Signal Scan [date]:
[N] new signals detected
Tier 1 (respond today):
1. [Company] — [signal type] — [detail snippet]
Score: [N] | Size: [N] [headcount metric]
Tier 2 (respond this week):
2. [Company] — [signal type] — [detail snippet]
...
Already in pipeline: [N] updated
Next scan: [tomorrow date]
Cost Management
- Each Exa search: ~$0.01-0.05
- Daily scan (7 queries): ~$0.15-0.35
- Monthly: ~$3-7
- Use
startPublishedDateto avoid re-scanning old content - Skip Tier 2 if Tier 1 yields enough (>5 new signals)
Related Skills
- pipeline-manager — receives and stores detected signals
- exa-company-research — deeper research on a specific company
- exa-people-research — find contacts at detected companies
- social-listening — deeper social media monitoring
- competitor-research — competitor-specific intelligence
- lead-enrichment — enrich detected prospects
- company-intel — full company dossier