Perspectives on Innovation

Every year we look forward to reviewing the submissions we receive in our annual video Challenge – and they never disappoint.  They come from all over the world and are created using everything from sophisticated camera equipment and editing software to mobile phones and title cards.  Some of the best videos we’ve ever seen have been made by Solvers or groups of Solvers with nothing but a Flip camera to capture the passion they feel about solving important problems, in humorous or dramatic ways.

This year’s theme, “Unlikely Innovation”, is particularly interesting for us.  We know what you can do when given a difficult problem to solve.  Now we’re asking you to name the problem you’d like to see solved.  It can be serious or silly, world changing or relevant only to you.  Capture it on film and you could join the ranks of others who have won this Challenge – and have seen their videos published and promoted to their peers.

Need a little inspiration?  Here’s a list of interesting innovations proposed over the years, courtesy of Life magazine:

1. Rocket Mail – send mail from Berlin to New York in 24 minutes with this device.
2. Self-Saluting Hat – tired of taking the time to tip your hat when the occasion requires?  Here’s a hat that will do it for you.
3. Car Cooker – cook your meal while you drive with a stove that’s connected to your car’s exhaust pipe.
4. Mechanical Pea Eating Device – for when eating peas from a fork is too taxing.
5. Food Storage Suit – a suit of armor that could store enough food for a month.  Under water.
6. Shaving Robot – this one is just too terrifying to contemplate.  Never trust a robot that won’t look you in the eye.

The InnoCentive video Challenge closes on the 13th – don’t miss your chance to show us what innovation you’d like to see in 2012!

Recently we challenged a team of students from Tufts to create a video in their own voice about what it means to be a problem solver. And to make it particularly challenging, we gave them no resources or guidance.  They’d have to make magic happen with only their creativity, energy, a video camera, and a PC for editing.

The final video, which they titled ‘Don’t let a good idea get away!’ blew us away.  It is fresh, humorous, and captures the power of that “Eureka!” moment all at the same time.

We were so encouraged by the Tufts students that we have decided to award special prizes for our 2012 Video Challenge to teams of College students.  We’ll award Solvers in three categories – best video overall, best video by a college student or team from the US and best video by a college student or team from outside the US. First prize will be $5000 – the 2 runners up will receive iPads. More details can be found in the Challenge statement here.

Kudos to the Tufts students who brought this video to life from all of us at InnoCentive!  We love the video and know InnoCentive community will as well!

Enjoy!

Dwayne Spradlin
InnoCentive CEO

The Economist and Qualcomm have a question for you. What’s the biggest challenge facing your community that you think can be solved in 2012? Whether you think of your community as the block you live on or the planet we all share, everyone has an answer to that question.

If you can take a photograph or video of the problem and send it to us, you could win $1000 and a trip for two to New York to attend the Economist’s World in 2012 Festival. Possibly even more importantly, your idea will be heard by people who might be able do something about it.

Enter now – all it takes is a click of the camera and a desire to change the world for the better.

For the last three years, InnoCentive has been posting marketing Challenges that showcase the diversity and creativity of InnoCentive Solvers, and to drive InnoCentive’s market awareness. These Challenges are aimed at not only involving the “artistic temperament” of our Solvers, but also to demonstrate to our Seekers that the InnoCentive Solver Community is a great resource for “voice of the customer” input for Challenges that are considered to be part of more “traditional” business domains, such as marketing.

Well, we’ve just posted our Fourth Annual InnoCentive Video Challenge! It’s called The Uniquely Prepared Mind, where we ask you to demonstrate the idea that a uniquely prepared mind is capable of solving even the most demanding Challenges the world has to offer. This is why the InnoCentive Solver is the perfect person to create this video – you know Solvers best and you are always up for a Challenge – pardon the pun.

This year, we’re guaranteeing $10,000 in awards for the best 30-second shorts that nail the 2011 Video Theme, The Uniquely Prepared Mind.

The first prize will receive a minimum of $5,000, and we’re guaranteeing $10,000 in awards. The top 20 runners-up will receive IC-branded shirts with the website’s new look and feel! Visit YouTube to see the 2010 winner and runners-up from previous years, then prepare your mind and submit a winner.

Clock is ticking! Check it out, open a Project Room, and share it, too!

Congratulations to Andrew Patterson of Edmond Oklahoma for submitting the winning video in the 2010 InnoCentive Video Challenge!

We were blown away by the quality of all three video finalists – each Solver did an admirable job at conveying the power of InnoCentive Solvers to truly Change the World.   The second and third place winners were announced last week and can be seen here.  Thanks again to all who participated.