InnoCentive, the global innovation marketplace – which facilitates “Challenges” to seek breakthrough solutions in the field of science and engineering by bringing the best scientists, researchers, engineers, inventors and entrepreneurs around the world to give ideas for the most high profile companies and organizations – has announced the InnoCentive 2010 Challenges for Public Good Promotion, a special opportunity for NGOs provided as part of its “public good” services.
In this opportunity, NGOs can post a Challenge on its website. The Challenge can be a problem or a hurdle which NGOs are facing while implementing their projects in the field of livelihood development, community health care, environment, ICT, education etc. This problem or hurdle can be discussed with the InnoCentive staff and define it into a Challenge. This Challenge will then be posted on the InnoCentive website which will attract hundreds of thousands of scientists, researchers, engineers, inventors and entrepreneurs from around the world to give ideas to solve this problem or hurdle. InnoCentive staff will work to manage the whole process of receiving the ideas, processing them and screening them. NGOs can then select the best idea out of them and also give an award to the person submitting it. The whole process can take 2-4 months of time, depending upon the type of Challenge. InnoCentive will waive its typical fee for posting and managing a single Challenge for selected organizations as part of its “Public Good” promotion program.
Two such examples in this context where InnoCentive has facilitated the process in collaboration with NGOs are:
- A UK-based foundation is currently developing a Challenge aimed at increasing parental involvement in their children’s education.
- InnoCentive has facilitated challenges to improve developing world banking processes, develop low-cost rainwater storage systems, reduce the risk of malaria, and design off-grid lighting sources. The possibilities are endless.
This opportunity is open throughout the year 2010 during which InnoCentive will waive its fees.
“InnoCentive is looking for a range of diverse organizations in terms of mission, geography, and types of Challenges. All Challenges must be focused on delivering a benefit for the public good. InnoCentive reserves the right to determine whether it can accommodate a particular organization’s Challenge and whether the InnoCentive Solver community can make a real difference. Otherwise, the promotion is generally on a first-come basis.”
For more information, visit this link.
