Takumi Oku This workflow corresponds to n8n.io template #11306 — we link there as the canonical source.
This workflow follows the Google Sheets → OpenAI recipe pattern — see all workflows that pair these two integrations.
The workflow JSON
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{
"id": "GgfJLmG1MB8ejO1s",
"meta": {
"templateCredsSetupCompleted": true
},
"name": "NASA Patent Business Incubator with AI-Powered Idea Generation",
"tags": [],
"nodes": [
{
"id": "c0e47a0b-333f-48d2-92c8-f781bc676537",
"name": "Weekly Schedule",
"type": "n8n-nodes-base.scheduleTrigger",
"position": [
-512,
0
],
"parameters": {
"rule": {
"interval": [
{
"field": "weeks",
"triggerAtDay": [
1
],
"triggerAtHour": 9
}
]
}
},
"typeVersion": 1.2
},
{
"id": "55ea9896-caaa-4c1c-87c5-200f4ec49c4a",
"name": "Get NASA Patents",
"type": "n8n-nodes-base.nasa",
"position": [
-80,
0
],
"parameters": {
"resource": "techTransfer"
},
"typeVersion": 1
},
{
"id": "0731d454-9357-419d-b40a-398f1bb90839",
"name": "Filter Empty Abstracts",
"type": "n8n-nodes-base.if",
"position": [
144,
0
],
"parameters": {
"options": {},
"conditions": {
"options": {
"leftValue": "",
"caseSensitive": true,
"typeValidation": "loose"
},
"combinator": "and",
"conditions": [
{
"id": "id-1",
"operator": {
"type": "string",
"operation": "notEmpty"
},
"leftValue": "={{ $json.abstract }}"
}
]
}
},
"typeVersion": 2.2
},
{
"id": "c62f34d0-d3a0-4738-b44e-8f757a7ebfd1",
"name": "Loop Patents",
"type": "n8n-nodes-base.splitInBatches",
"position": [
368,
0
],
"parameters": {
"options": {}
},
"typeVersion": 3
},
{
"id": "efb72105-8d30-49f7-9656-b94fa450d44d",
"name": "Translate Abstract",
"type": "n8n-nodes-base.deepL",
"notes": "Adjust Target Lang",
"position": [
592,
-160
],
"parameters": {
"text": "={{ $json.abstract }}",
"translateTo": "EN-US",
"additionalFields": {}
},
"notesInFlow": true,
"typeVersion": 1
},
{
"id": "d1179c3d-a7bf-4f00-b5ef-a9a08a75cd04",
"name": "Generate Business Ideas",
"type": "n8n-nodes-base.openAi",
"position": [
816,
-160
],
"parameters": {
"options": {},
"resource": "chat",
"requestOptions": {}
},
"typeVersion": 1
},
{
"id": "4b6445b0-3a67-46e9-8b7f-fec010aa28b0",
"name": "Save to Google Sheets",
"type": "n8n-nodes-base.googleSheets",
"position": [
1040,
-160
],
"parameters": {
"columns": {
"value": {
"Date": "={{ $now.format('YYYY-MM-DD') }}",
"Link": "=https://technology.nasa.gov/patent/{{ $('Loop Patents').item.json.id }}",
"Title": "={{ $('Loop Patents').item.json.title }}",
"Business_Idea": "={{ $json.message.content }}",
"Abstract_Translated": "={{ $('Translate Abstract').item.json.text }}"
},
"schema": [
{
"id": "Date",
"required": false,
"displayName": "Date",
"defaultMatch": false,
"canBeUsedToMatch": true
},
{
"id": "Title",
"required": false,
"displayName": "Title",
"defaultMatch": true,
"canBeUsedToMatch": true
},
{
"id": "Abstract_Translated",
"required": false,
"displayName": "Abstract_Translated",
"defaultMatch": false,
"canBeUsedToMatch": true
},
{
"id": "Business_Idea",
"required": false,
"displayName": "Business_Idea",
"defaultMatch": false,
"canBeUsedToMatch": true
},
{
"id": "Link",
"required": false,
"displayName": "Link",
"defaultMatch": false,
"canBeUsedToMatch": true
}
],
"mappingMode": "defineBelow",
"matchingColumns": [
"Title"
]
},
"options": {},
"operation": "appendOrUpdate",
"sheetName": {
"__rl": true,
"mode": "name",
"value": "={{ $('Edit Settings').item.json.sheet_name }}"
},
"documentId": {
"__rl": true,
"mode": "id",
"value": "={{ $('Edit Settings').item.json.google_sheet_id }}"
}
},
"typeVersion": 4.7
},
{
"id": "28f46cd7-d877-40a1-ae11-aaebce28e9a9",
"name": "Format Item Message",
"type": "n8n-nodes-base.code",
"position": [
1248,
-160
],
"parameters": {
"jsCode": "const title = $('Loop Patents').item.json.title;\nconst idea = $('Generate Business Ideas').item.json.message.content;\n\nreturn {\n formatted_message: `\ud83d\udd39 *${title}*\\n\ud83d\udca1 *Idea:* ${idea}\\n`\n};"
},
"typeVersion": 2
},
{
"id": "5e0745ae-f7fb-4298-b614-b33244a81c40",
"name": "Send Weekly Report",
"type": "n8n-nodes-base.slack",
"position": [
816,
96
],
"parameters": {
"text": "=\ud83d\ude80 *Weekly NASA Business Ideas Report*\nHere are the promising technologies discovered this week:\n\n{{ $json.report }}\n\nFull details available in Google Sheets.",
"select": "channel",
"channelId": {
"__rl": true,
"mode": "id",
"value": "={{ $('Edit Settings').item.json.slack_channel_id }}"
},
"otherOptions": {}
},
"typeVersion": 2.3
},
{
"id": "d2f2b0aa-b0f7-454a-9260-a0ad6068c50a",
"name": "Sticky Note",
"type": "n8n-nodes-base.stickyNote",
"position": [
-1216,
-416
],
"parameters": {
"color": 6,
"width": 644,
"height": 1000,
"content": "## \ud83d\ude80 Generate business ideas from NASA patents to Google Sheets and Slack\n\nThis workflow automates the discovery of new business opportunities by monitoring NASA patents, translating them, generating use cases with AI, and delivering a weekly report.\n\n### \ud83d\udc64 Who is this for\n- **Entrepreneurs** looking for verified technology to license.\n- **R&D Teams** tracking aerospace innovation.\n- **Content Creators** covering tech trends.\n\n### \ud83d\udca1 How it works\n1. **Fetch**: Gets the latest patents from NASA's Tech Transfer API.\n2. **Filter & Loop**: Removes empty entries and processes each patent individually.\n3. **Analyze**: Translates the abstract (DeepL) and uses **OpenAI** to brainstorm practical business applications.\n4. **Archive**: Saves the details to **Google Sheets**.\n5. **Notify**: Compiles a summary and sends it to **Slack**.\n\n### \ud83d\udee0\ufe0f How to set up\n1. **Prepare Google Sheet**: Create a new sheet with these exact headers in Row 1:\n - `Date`\n - `Title`\n - `Abstract_Translated`\n - `Business_Idea`\n - `Link`\n2. **Edit Settings**: Double-click the **Edit Settings** node to add your `Google Sheet ID`, `Sheet Name`, and `Slack Channel ID`.\n3. **Credentials**: Configure credentials for **OpenAI**, **DeepL**, **Google Sheets**, and **Slack**.\n4. **Activate**: Run a test execution, then switch the workflow to **Active**.\n\n### \ud83d\udccb Requirements\n- **OpenAI**: API Key (gpt-4o or gpt-3.5-turbo)\n- **DeepL**: API Key (Free or Pro)\n- **Google Sheets**: OAuth2 credentials with Drive/Sheets scopes.\n- **Slack**: Bot User OAuth Token with `chat:write` scope.\n\n### \ud83e\udde9 How to customize\n- **Change the Prompt**: Edit the **Generate Business Ideas** node to tailor ideas for a specific niche (e.g., \"Applications for medical devices\").\n- **Adjust Schedule**: Change the trigger in the **Weekly Schedule** node."
},
"typeVersion": 1
},
{
"id": "02754552-f21e-4fc9-8b4b-67a059787312",
"name": "Edit Settings",
"type": "n8n-nodes-base.set",
"position": [
-288,
0
],
"parameters": {
"options": {},
"assignments": {
"assignments": [
{
"id": "18f5162a-0a70-4f81-a7b2-03d16859e4b7",
"name": "google_sheet_id",
"type": "string",
"value": "your_sheet_id_here"
},
{
"id": "2768d0e0-4740-45e0-848e-6e8eb63a9486",
"name": "sheet_name",
"type": "string",
"value": "Sheet1"
},
{
"id": "cf142a22-3580-49e0-82a9-7c25143a531d",
"name": "slack_channel_id",
"type": "string",
"value": "C12345678"
}
]
}
},
"typeVersion": 3.4
},
{
"id": "604907c6-d403-464e-a0b0-80ec64ac8b9b",
"name": "Aggregate Loop Results",
"type": "n8n-nodes-base.code",
"position": [
592,
96
],
"parameters": {
"jsCode": "// Retrieve all items processed in the loop\nconst allItems = $('Format Item Message').all();\n\n// Combine them into a single string\nconst report = allItems.map(item => item.json.formatted_message).join('\\n------------------\\n');\n\nreturn {\n report: report\n};"
},
"typeVersion": 2
},
{
"id": "f44f63a1-c125-47b6-8ae9-337a07784d62",
"name": "Sticky Note1",
"type": "n8n-nodes-base.stickyNote",
"position": [
528,
-320
],
"parameters": {
"color": 7,
"width": 844,
"height": 130,
"content": "## \ud83d\udd04 AI Processing Loop\nTranslates text, generates ideas using LLM, saves to Sheets, and formats the message."
},
"typeVersion": 1
},
{
"id": "e981a238-6576-4b7e-8240-580f7b4f0adc",
"name": "Sticky Note2",
"type": "n8n-nodes-base.stickyNote",
"position": [
544,
272
],
"parameters": {
"color": 7,
"width": 460,
"height": 116,
"content": "## \ud83d\udcca Reporting\nAggregates all processed items and sends a digest."
},
"typeVersion": 1
}
],
"active": false,
"settings": {
"executionOrder": "v1"
},
"versionId": "e8cb4fca-05fc-4f7e-b75b-2777023fdcf9",
"connections": {
"Loop Patents": {
"main": [
[
{
"node": "Translate Abstract",
"type": "main",
"index": 0
}
],
[
{
"node": "Aggregate Loop Results",
"type": "main",
"index": 0
}
]
]
},
"Edit Settings": {
"main": [
[
{
"node": "Get NASA Patents",
"type": "main",
"index": 0
}
]
]
},
"Weekly Schedule": {
"main": [
[
{
"node": "Edit Settings",
"type": "main",
"index": 0
}
]
]
},
"Get NASA Patents": {
"main": [
[
{
"node": "Filter Empty Abstracts",
"type": "main",
"index": 0
}
]
]
},
"Translate Abstract": {
"main": [
[
{
"node": "Generate Business Ideas",
"type": "main",
"index": 0
}
]
]
},
"Format Item Message": {
"main": [
[
{
"node": "Loop Patents",
"type": "main",
"index": 0
}
]
]
},
"Save to Google Sheets": {
"main": [
[
{
"node": "Format Item Message",
"type": "main",
"index": 0
}
]
]
},
"Aggregate Loop Results": {
"main": [
[
{
"node": "Send Weekly Report",
"type": "main",
"index": 0
}
]
]
},
"Filter Empty Abstracts": {
"main": [
[
{
"node": "Loop Patents",
"type": "main",
"index": 0
}
]
]
},
"Generate Business Ideas": {
"main": [
[
{
"node": "Save to Google Sheets",
"type": "main",
"index": 0
}
]
]
}
}
}
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About this workflow
Who is this for Entrepreneurs looking for verified technology to license. R&D Teams tracking aerospace innovation. Content Creators covering tech trends. How it works Fetch: Gets the latest patents from NASA's Tech Transfer API. Filter & Loop: Removes empty entries and processes…
Source: https://n8n.io/workflows/11306/ — original creator credit. Request a take-down →
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