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Why You Need Open Innovation

Jul-11-12 By IdeaConnection
Since 2005, global consumer goods company Amway has launched 17 high-impact products in 55 markets and generated more than $700 million in revenue. And the credit is largely due to its engagement with open innovation.

Open innovation is not everyone’s cup of tea. There are still many companies hunkered down between their own four walls wanting to keep things the way they are, steadfastly refusing to engage with external expertise.

But OI is rapidly becoming the norm and to those who are still unsure about its benefits new research by Frost & Sullivan may allay fears and answer questions.

Talking Open Innovation with Henry Chesbrough

Jul-09-12 By IdeaConnection
Henry Chesbrough, the father of open innovation and arguably the platform's biggest cheerleader often attracts media attention for his knowledge and expertise in the field, and a couple of recent articles/interviews have caught our attention:

The first is a brief article from Business Insider that picks up on comments that the Berkeley Haas School of Business professor made at the recent World Innovation Forum in New York City. He told the assembled masses that in his view companies will struggle if they rely entirely on their own research.

Boost Your Bank Account By Helping People Sort Out Their Finances

Jul-07-12 By IdeaConnection
If you have ideas to enhance your smartphone’s financial firepower and help others manage their personal finances the US Treasury wants to hear from you.

It has launched the mymoneyappup challenge to find ideas for the next generation of mobile financial tools to help consumers shape their financial futures.

Three Ways Open Innovation is Reaching for the Stars

Jul-06-12 By IdeaConnection
With a whole Universe to explore space industry scientists realise they can’t do it on their own and are increasingly turning to external sources of brainpower for the development of futuristic innovations and to tackle tough technical challenges.

Many who work in the space industry may well have brains the size of planets, but occasionally they need assistance. Here are three examples of how NASA has used open innovation to pursue its research goals:

Ten of the Best: Quotes about Invention

Jul-05-12 By IdeaConnection
OK, so we’re all aware that necessity is the mother of invention, but here are ten more delicious quotes about inventions and the inventing process.

To invent, you need a good imagination and a pile of junk.
Thomas A. Edison

World Leaders Listen to Speech Composed by the World

Jun-30-12 By IdeaConnection
When environmental activist Severn Cullis-Suzuk took to the stage at the recent Rio+Social conference on creating sustainable solutions for our planet’s future, she delivered a moving and powerful six-minute speech, which was crowdsourced for the event.

The speech was created through the “6-Minute Speech Project”, a platform for global dialogue around the UN Conference on Sustainable Development, also known as Rio+20.

CrowdFunding Campaign for Inspirational Candies

Jun-29-12 By IdeaConnection
With just ten days left to go until deadline, Tracy Jackson, the founder of  iCelebrateDiversity.com is almost half way to raising her target of $10,000.  That's the amount she needs to manufacture one of her products, Diversity Jellybeans, candies that help stop stereotyping.

The company’s supplier recently went out of business leaving Jackson with a problem. She has to turn away orders because she doesn’t have enough capital to meet the manufacturer’s 10,000 pound minimum for custom jellybeans. So she looked to the crowdfunding site Indiegogo.com to raise the funds.

Unilever to Crowd: Help Us Further Reduce Sodium in Our Products

Jun-28-12 By IdeaConnection
Many food companies continue to work with their suppliers to reduce the amount of salt in their products. Sodium is a major cause of high blood pressure which in turn can lead to heart problems, and the average person’s salt intake in some countries is way off the scales making it a major public health concern.

Unilever has already reduced salt levels by 25% in some of its products and wants to cut them by a further 15-20% without compromising taste. So on the Challenges and Wants section of its open innovation portal the multinational consumer goods company is inviting ideas to help it reduce the amount of sodium in food.

Is Crowdfunding Right for your Business?

Jun-28-12 By IdeaConnection
Finding new sources of capital in any economy can be difficult, but the task is positively Herculean in straightened times. Crowdfunding is an additional option where businesses receive funding from small sums invested by individual crowd members. To help you decide whether crowdfunding is the right path for your business join renowned speaker Michael "Hutch" Hutchison and members of the CommunityLeader executive team for a very special webinar.

 

Cafe Noise Can Make You More Creative

Jun-27-12 By IdeaConnection
For some people it’s the shower or a long lazy soak in the bath, for others a walk in the countryside will do, while still more will swear by a cup of coffee.

We all have our own favorite ways to enhance creativity when the little grey cells seem to flag, but maybe you should add the cafe to your repertoire of brain boosters.

New research led by Ravi Mehta from the University of British Columbia and featured in Atlantic magazine reveals that moderate noise levels in cafes enhance creative cognition.