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Global Crowdfunding to Raise $5.1 Billion in 2013

Apr-13-13 By IdeaConnection
Crowdfunding is currently enjoying an unprecedented accelerated growth phase, and exerting a powerful impact on enterprise innovation, government policies, and financial institutions.

According to research firm Massolution’s annual 2013CF - Crowdfunding Industry Report, crowdfunding platforms raised $2.7 billion in 2012.  That represented an 81% increase over 2011 and more than one million campaigns were successfully funded.

Open Innovation Lessons From the Food Industry

Apr-11-13 By IdeaConnection
Nutraceuticals World, a magazine for manufacturers of dietary supplements, functional foods and nutritional beverages is running an article series on open innovation.  It aims to define the concept and help companies in all sectors identify barriers and opportunities.

In the current issue industry insiders are offering their thoughts and experiences of actual OI practices.

Tips on Open Innovation and Social Media

Apr-08-13 By IdeaConnection
The UK’s The Guardian newspaper is offering its small business readers a series of tips on how to make the most of social media communities to innovate.

Social media is more than a tool for customer engagement.  It can benefit companies by giving them access to smart and creative individuals who are willing to share ideas with brands they believe in.

Crowdsourcing for Historic Relics

Apr-06-13 By IdeaConnection
Archaeologists in Trim a town in County Meath, Ireland are currently digging and sieving the earth on a patch of wasteland near a supermarket.

They're on the hunt for the bones of Sir Geoffrey de Geneville, a French nobleman who lived in the 13th century and whose remains are believed to be buried there.

But the researchers are not searching for the skeleton on their own.  They’re being helped by the local community and people who've heard about the project on the web and through news channels.

Open Innovation Contest Winners Awarded Big Money Prizes

Apr-04-13 By IdeaConnection
General Electric (GE) and partners have just announced the winners of its first two ‘Industrial Internet Quests’. – The Flight Quest and the Hospital Quest. These were open innovation challenges issued in November 2012 to create new algorithms to reduce air travel delays and increase efficiency for hospitals.

A total prize pool of $600,000 is being distributed among the winners of both quests.

Open Innovation Call to Improve ‘Sight’ of First Humanoid Robot in Space

Mar-31-13 By IdeaConnection
The first humanoid robot in space needs some help.  His colleagues would like him to have some improved 'sight'.

Robonaut 2 (also known as ‘R2’) arrived on the International Space Station in February 2011.  It was designed to help assist astronauts with tasks too dangerous or too mundane for them to perform.  Now NASA wants it to be given even more capabilities.

To Boldly Crowdfund a NASA Trailer for New Star Trek Movie

Mar-30-13 By IdeaConnection
The good folks at the Aerospace Industries Association have just reached their funding goal to premier a video promoting space exploration.  It will be seen on the big screen before the showing of the next Star Trek movie - “Star Trek Into Darkness”.

The original plan was to raise sufficient funds to show a 30-second NASA trailer entitled “We are the Explorers’” in 50 theaters in major movie markets across the United States.

Initially, the crowd was asked to dip into its pockets for $33,000.

Open Innovation with Wal-Mart to Use Customers as Couriers

Mar-29-13 By IdeaConnection
According to a report by Reuters, the retail giant Wal-Mart is considering crowdsourcing it customer delivery service.  It would mean a customer delivering goods to your door rather than the retailer.

Although peer-to-peer delivery isn’t a new concept - think Postmates and Stuff2send for example - it’s interesting that this crowdsourcing approach is being talked about by such a large commercial enterprise.

A New Crowdfunding Model for Healthcare

Mar-27-13 By IdeaConnection
All over the world people are dying because they lack the funds to pay for life-saving medical treatment.

Watsi is a new crowdfunding platform that lets people fund treatments for others who cannot afford appropriate levels of healthcare.

Crowdsourcing Song Lyrics for American Idol

Mar-26-13 By IdeaConnection
We’re used to seeing music fans pluck their own icons from obscurity to super stardom on shows like X-Factor and America’s Got Talent.  Now they are being asked to help them pen a song.

Canadian singer-songwriter Carly Rae Jepsen, a previous Canadian Idol competitor is teaming up with American Idol and Coca-Cola for their Perfect Harmony campaign.