Even with IP, there is very little stopping the big actors from developing something similar but debatable distinct, at a larger scale. By the time the lawsuit clears, they've wrecked your profitablity.

In fact, more often you see big companies act as patent trolls, using IP as a bludgeon to threaten smaller players who don't have an army of lawyers. See, DMCA takedowns to suppress speech, patent trolls, and esp trademark nonsense.

Trade secrets fit your example best, but more often than not that's something that relies on worker restrictions rather than traditional "IP"

Problem solving is basically patent. After all what is stopping a megacorp from using the same solution but in such a way that doesn't copy the exact work? Software for example, with current IP law, clean room reverse engineering is completely legal.

Think of how Tribute of Panem and Divergent almost have the exact same story beats but are still separate IP. IP protects singular works, like authors and their books, artists and their work.