Fellowforce - Open Innovation Platform

December 14th, 2008 in Innovation platform, by Head Honcho

http://www.fellowforce.com/

“Open innovation” is a term promoted by a Berkeley professor and director at the Center for Open Innovation named Henry Chesbrough. It is a concept which the central idea is this - In this world where knowledge is already widely distributed, businesses cannot afford to just lean and rely on their own R&D but should obtain processes and/or inventions from other businesses.

The notable contribution of open innovation is that it levels the playing field for small businesses. These growing businesses can now tap and utilize the wisdom of the crowd (from consumers to experts) all around the globe.

Fellowforce promotes open innovation. But among its competitors, Fellowforce is the most intuitive and comprehensive open innovation and problem solving platform.

The company was founded by Ruben Robert and Jack Allerts from Netherlands in 2007.The team behind the site is constantly developing new features to help innovators and businesses alike, becoming the intermediary entity for both.

FOR FELLOWS

Being a fellow at Fellowforce gives you the satisfaction in knowing the fact that you can do these through the site:

• Assist in speeding up innovation
• Help improve products and services
• Discover novel solutions

As an innovator or a “fellow”, you can pitch-in for fun, fame and reward. If you posted the winning idea, you will receive 100% of the reward which would range from incentives to thousands of dollars. Aside from that, you will get a “fellow-certificate” which can be used to adorn resumes.

FOR COMPANIES

Fellowforce is a good resource for businesses out there. It can help you get started with open innovation. Using the site will help you do one or all of the following:

• Run innovation challenges asking for solutions or ideas
• Open lines between end-users and you by launching an innovation box
• Scout fellows’ profiles for the best of the best innovative thinkers
• Showcase your new products, features or enterprise through the Showcase Launchpad

You can post an innovation challenge via the Self Serve platform in Fellowforce for just $295 (first time special $65), or the Premium Challenge platform, which offers extra features like the ability to Narrowcast, for $650 and up.

Open innovation is new and growing revolution making use of crowdsourcing and crowdcasting for benefits of pitched-in ideas and solutions to the challenges presented. With this, both innovators and companies can create a healthy environment of exchanged views to make the world, or a product, a better one.