Why would anyone bother with an "idea grab"?

Based on the number of "seeking technical cofounder" emails I get every week, ideas are not the problem. Successful companies are built on execution.

You can find investors even out there (and others) - who at different points slip up and say they're just fishing for data (whether it is ideas or information relating to success of certain ideas).

And do you really think every idea that people have is published and talked about immediately upon them having it? Many don't so they can line things up and have a competitive advantage. Like you said, execution is the most important part - though the idea still is valuable - and if someone else executes first on an idea then they can beat out the originator of the idea. An easy example: Facebook, Mark Z. who was hired by the brothers, who had the idea to be exclusive to only people with a Harvard email address - which in evidence / documentation he even stated he wanted to beat them to the punch (because "people don't need two of these platforms" - rough quote, I don't remember the exact words).

I definitely have a lack of viable ideas. Would like to know where all these ideas your talking about come from :-)

That's likely the key difference: Ideas and ideas that are viable - or knowing how or what makes them viable. Usually when you're pitching ideas for money you explain WHY they are viable, telling your strategy / tactics ...

As this project has pointed out even getting an MVP isn't the problem with starting a successful business. $8000 isn't a lot of money if your talking about a profitable business.