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Crowdsourcing Gift Ideas to Avoid Unwanted Presents

Apr-06-12 By IdeaConnection
Here’s an idea that could improve your chances of giving better presents or at least presents more suited to a recipient’s tastes, rather than useless gifts that just end up at the back of the wardrobe.

No Sweaters in the US is a service that allows gift givers to ask the crowd for present recommendations based on the personal interests of the recipient.

Global Program to Recognise Ingenious Urban Solutions

Apr-05-12 By IdeaConnection
It’s an exciting time for innovators. The Financial Times and Citi are on the hunt for individuals or organisations that have devised, developed and implemented solutions to key urban challenges.

The winners of The FT/Citi Ingenuity Awards: Urban Ideas in Action will be in line for major public recognition and will be presented with their awards at an awards dinner in New York in December 2012.

Fighting Cancer with Open Innovation: Healthymagination Cancer Challenge

Apr-02-12 By IdeaConnection
The first five winners of GE and partners healthymagination challenge are preparing to take their concepts to the next level after being picked out from the more than 500 ideas that were submitted to the first stage of this $100 million open innovation challenge.

The challenge focused on early-stage breast cancer breakthroughs in detection and diagnostics.

Castrol’s Global Open Innovation Challenge

Mar-29-12 By IdeaConnection
Castrol, the makers of industrial and automotive lubricants has teamed up with European start-up accelerator Startupbootcamp to search for its next billion dollar business idea. The Castrol 20/20 Challenge is inviting companies, start-ups, researchers, entrepreneurs and small businesses everywhere to help it innovate. Participants have to submit details of disruptive new technologies or business models within the company's four key focus areas: Smart Mobility, Intelligent Operations, Next Generation Engineering and Responsible Castrol.

Henry Chesbrough Launches European Forum for Open Innovation

Mar-27-12 By IdeaConnection
Open innovation guru Prof Henry Chesbrough has launched a European industrial forum to discuss, debate and perfect the technique, in collaboration with the Science|Business Innovation Board. The European Innovation Forum (EIF) is an invitation-only community where members will meet twice a year to discuss in a safe environment what’s working and not working with open innovation, and any lessons that members have learned.

Create the Right Environment for Good Ideas

Mar-26-12 By IdeaConnection
If you’re staring at a blank sheet of paper wondering where your next inspired idea is going to come from, take some time out and dose yourself up with 16 minutes of inspiration from Patrick Dixon.

The attached video is an excerpt of a speech the acclaimed futurist gave as part of a lecture on innovation at the EEN Business School, Salamanca, Spain.

Crowdsourcing Job Creation Offers Possibility of Earning Big Bucks

Mar-25-12 By IdeaConnection
A new crowdsourcing initiative has been launched that aims to boost job creation in Ireland in the wake of the financial crisis. ConnectIreland wants people to look at their network of contacts (business, friends, extended family around the world) to identify companies wanting to expand into Europe.

For every new job created the person who passed on the lead will receive €1,500 (Approx. $USD 2,000).

Million Dollar Zazzle Open Innovation Winner Selected

Mar-23-12 By IdeaConnection
The winner of the Million Dollar Zazzle Open Innovation Challenge has been announced.   Selve, the luxury shoe individualizer managed to beat off competition from about 1,000 entrants and four other finalists to claim the top prize of a million dollars in technology, software, distributing and marketing.

The winner was presented during a ceremony at the Haas School of Business at UC Berkeley.  In the preceding few weeks all five finalists were mentored by a team of professors that included Henry Chesbrough, to refine their concepts and plans for the final evaluation.

A New Frontline against Cyber Crime

Mar-22-12 By IdeaConnection
Cyberspace has no borders, presenting a myriad of opportunities for hackers to plunder and invade corporate and personal accounts for data and electronic cash.

But a new frontline against cybercrime is emerging with the use of open innovation initiatives.

One such is the Apps for Security community program that kicks off today with an inaugural event at the Computer History Museum in Silicon Valley.

Unilever Extends its Open Innovation Platform

Mar-21-12 By IdeaConnection
The open innovation team from Unilever has announced that it is extending its collaborative approach with external partners with the launch of a new ambitious online platform.

The company is looking for new designs and technologies to help it achieve its aim of doubling the size of its business while cutting down on its environmental impact.

Unilever has a long open innovation track record, but this is the first time that it has made its projects so public in an open forum.