In the News

Innovation for the People, by the People

DATE: 02/22/2012

TAGS: Crowdsourcing, Government, Open Innovation

In this article about prizes and challenges as catalysts for innovation, writer David Bornstein highlights InnoCentive and the Air Force Research Lab's Vehicle Stopper Challenge. The article focuses on the federal government's innovation strategies, and addresses the question "How can governments unearth knowledge that's scattered far and wide and bring it together in a way that is useful for society?"

Street Bump app detects potholes, tells city officials

DATE: 02/16/2012

TAGS: Crowdsourcing, Government

The City of Boston's InnoCentive Challenge is featured in this story from CNN.com. For this Challenge, the City of Boston asked Solvers to develop an algorithm that would accurately predict the location of potholes based on data collected from volunteers' smart phones.

Street Bump: An App That Automatically Tells The City When You Drive Over Potholes

DATE: 02/15/2012

TAGS: Crowdsourcing, Government, Open Innovation

This FastCompany article features the Street Bump mobile app developed by the City of Boston in collaboration with InnoCentive. The story recognizes the Solver, Ed Aboufadel, a Professor at Grand Valley State University.

5 Ways Small Businesses can Innovate Like the Big Guys

DATE: 02/15/2012

TAGS: Crowdsourcing

This byline by InnoCentive CEO Dwayne Spradlin provides five tips to help small and medium businesses to level the innovation playing field with their larger competitors.

Crowdsourcing science: Could you be part of the next big breakthrough?

DATE: 02/13/2012

TAGS: Crowdsourcing, Government

In this article, from NRC Canada's Dimensions Magazine, features InnoCentive Solver Andrew Trivett. In addition to being a prolific Solver, Andrew uses Challenges to advance the studies of his class at the University of Prince Edward Island, where he is a math professor.

Boston Asks for the Public's Help in Fixing Potholes

DATE: 02/13/2012

TAGS: Crowdsourcing, Government

Coverage of the City of Boston's Street Bump Challenge, which was recently solved. The Street Bump Challenge is a great example of governments using the crowd to deliver better services to citizens, and to invite participation so people can have a hand in improving their own cities.

Crowdsourcing for Science, Medicine and Government

DATE: 02/13/2012

TAGS: Crowdsourcing

InnoCentive CEO Dwayne Spradlin is interviewed on InnovationHub along with noted Harvard Business School Assistant Professor Karim Lakhani and InnoCentive customers City of Boston and Prize4Life. This in depth interview covers the history of crowdsourcing and two real-world examples of how issuing a Challenge to the crowd is changing the world.

A call for a 21st-century battlefield stretcher

DATE: 02/10/2012

TAGS: Crowdsourcing, Government, Open Innovation

The Air Force Research Lab has again reached out to the InnoCentive Solver Community for solutions to a critical problem. Since the Civil War, the Air Force has used the same technology for medical stretchers used in combat. Now they are seeking a new technology that will provide faster, safer, more reliable outcomes in the field. This Challenge has truly captured the imaginations of Solvers and the media.

Air Force 'Batman' Wants a 21st-Century Battlefield Stretcher

DATE: 02/10/2012

TAGS: Crowdsourcing, Government, Open Innovation

In this article, journalist Jeremy Hsu writes about the AFRL stretcher Challenge, and the need for the Air Force to innovate in the field of combat rescue.

Why contests are a smart procurement tool

DATE: 02/09/2012

TAGS: Government, Making the Business Case, Open Innovation

Harvard University Professor Steve Kelman writes about the value of contests for innovation in government, and discusses the rule of marginality - that the best ideas often come from someone outside the field of the answer sought.