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A Stimulus Alternative

Sep-14-11 By Aminda
A recent post discussed the positive role many believe open innovation can play in economic recovery. Another writer agrees, believing open innovation can provide an alternative to stimulus programs, bailouts and traditional government job-training schemes. He provides a well written, concise outline on how open innovation is a pro-business, pro-taxpayer and, ultimately, pro-consumer strategy benefiting private industry, government agencies and academic institutions.

Citizen Scientists Contribute to Challenges

Sep-13-11 By Aminda
An interesting video posted by Science Roll points out that one of what has been defined as humanity’s “Grand Challenges” is to “keep developing tools of scientific discovery”. One of the solutions may lie in crowdsourcing. Good global citizens and Science enthusiasts alike, your time is needed for furthering discovery. Here are some projects from around the globe looking for assistance from citizen scientists.

Crowdsourcing Kindness

Sep-12-11 By Aminda
The 10th anniversary of the September 11 attacks was recognized in many ways this weekend but perhaps most notably through acts of service. Organizations around the U.S. rallied to encourage the entire nation to perform good deeds and acts of service in honor 9/11 victims, survivors and rescuers. Spreading acts of service is a global effort, with many creative new online platforms contributing. Here are some examples.

Global Innovation Barometer

Sep-09-11 By Aminda
General Electric, host of the GE Ecomagination Challenge, recently published the results of a study called the Global Innovation Barometer. GE commissioned the study which interviewed 1,000 senior executives from 12 countries. Of these participants, 95 percent believed innovation is the main lever for a more competitive national economy.

Is Open Innovation the Solution to Economic Growth?

Sep-08-11 By Aminda
Today in the U.S., President Obama informed the nation of plans to aid the economy through the American Jobs Act. If approved by Congress, measures in the $447 billion package would, among other things, provide a tax break for companies who hire new workers, and payroll tax cuts for small business. The plan comes in the wake of a national credit downgrade earlier this summer.
 
Naturally, open innovation experts are going to have a different perspective on how the nation’s economics can be improved. Henry Chesbrough cautions about taking a nationalistic approach to recovery. “Open innovation seeks useful industrial knowledge from all over the world and open innovation companies actively engage with suppliers (among others) from all over the world”, he writes. As a case study, he points to the open innovation model used by Taiwan Semiconductor Corporation (TSMC), which helped “propel the US past the Japanese in the 1990s, at a time when the Japanese were threatening to take over the semiconductor market.”

Innovating with Unused IP

Sep-07-11 By Aminda
Yesterday’s post discussed how companies are benefiting from IP deemed unusable internally. Companies can profit either by selling a portfolio of patents or by developing a spin-out venture. Other companies can profit by buying these discarded patents or lending expertise to the new venture. As innovation lawyer Jackie Hutter has pointed out, there are several reasons a company may have discarded perfected usable patents. The organization’s strategy may have changed or the IP is no longer relevant after a merger. Hutter outlines several advantages to acquiring outside patents to help organizations weigh any risks involved.
Earlier this year, innovation consultant Stefan Lindegaard observed that organizations seemed to be getting more comfortable with such a free flow of IP, when not too long ago it was the biggest concern faced when ramping up open innovation strategies and practices.

Capitalizing on Unused IP

Sep-06-11 By Aminda
An interesting article in the Ottawa Business Journal offers tips to companies wishing to capitalize on unused IP that doesn’t have a path to market within the company. The authors point to the trend of buying and selling unused IP, citing the case of Nortel which, earlier this summer sold a portfolio of patents at auction for twice the amount analysts had expected.
This method of selling is not the only means of levering IP as a resource and the article outlines a strategy for commercializing unused IP through spin-out ventures. As the article says, “in a world of widely distributed knowledge, companies can’t afford to rely entirely on their own research, nor can they afford to let internal innovations sit idle. They have to open their doors to let innovation in and out.”

Virtual Border Watch

Sep-02-11 By Aminda
Controversy surrounding the U.S./Mexican border has made global headlines over the past year. Regardless of one’s political stance, a creative use of a crowdsourcing platform is an interesting story for any social media enthusiast.

The Texas Border Sheriff's Coalition (TBSC) has been using a Virtual Community Watch surveillance program to let the public participate in fighting border crime. Streaming videos from 21 cameras posted along the border run 24/7. Each camera comes with description of what viewers should be looking for. For example, Camera 19 states, “this is a known drug traffic area. If you see people walking along this trail carrying backpacks or packages please report this activity.”

Investment Advice from the Crowd

Aug-31-11 By Aminda
If stock market experts were so expert, they would be buying stock, not selling advice.

How Africa is Aiding Africa

Aug-30-11 By Aminda
Africa is quickly gaining a reputation as the land of opportunity, with the thriving technology hub of east Africa being compared to Silicon Valley. What is it that is fueling this transformation?
According to Jon Gosier, director of Ushahidi, the answer is Hunger. “It’s natural progression,” said Gosier. “In parts of the world that have essentially been discounted by everyone as sources for innovation, there will always be people who actively work against that mischaracterization. They’ve always been there, they’re just now getting recognized for the work they are doing, or the work they’ve enabled their children to do.” New technologies are aiding nations in overcoming the large hurdles they face in economic development.