Fountainhead Consulting

Brite Idea Lab – Is an innovation management software platform that connects people with ideas to businesses, not-for-profit organizations, and universities (collectively called “organizations” on our website) looking for those ideas. It is essentially Match.com for people outside the organizations (customers and the public) that enables them to submit their innovation ideas to various organizations.

It solves two problems: 1) An organization’s need for a regular stream of innovative ideas, 2) The long-standing, insurmountable problem of how someone outside an organization can connect with the correct person inside it who might be interested in their innovative idea. Brite Idea Lab creates a “safe” environment where organizations can freely solicit innovations, without feeling like someone is “stalking” them or becoming a nuisance. Conversely, because of how the software is constructed it protects the intellectual property of the idea submitter by securely taking them through various levels of sharing the specifics of their innovation with the “collecting” organization.

Brite Idea Lab uses Keywords, Categories, content, and other criteria to route submitted ideas to the correct person within an organization who is looking for that specific type of innovation. Using the same Keywords, Categories, content, and other criteria, designated persons inside the organization (Brite Idea Lab calls these people “Innovation Authorities”) build a profile of the type of ideas for which they are looking, and Brite Idea Lab uses proprietary matching algorithms to connect and introduce the idea submitter to the idea collector. A person can submit an unlimited number of ideas and the platform also allows an idea submitter to manually submit an idea to a specific idea collector.

Keep in mind that an “idea” could be just a pure idea, prototype where a working model has been developed, patented invention, start-up company or existing business with an innovative offering who wants to connect with an organization who might be interested in their innovation.

Additionally, if the submitter needs assistance with fully developing their idea they can record their specific needs and wants (i.e. an attorney to patent their idea, marketing assistance, a CPA) and Brite Idea Lab will automatically connect them with service providers who can fulfill those needs and wants

Idea Submitters, Idea Collectors and Service Providers each have a unique Dashboard that tracks the status of each idea. The Dashboard enables direct communication between any of the above three users and it allows ideas to be forwarded to other persons for their review. The bottom line is Brite Idea Lab is the game changing platform that provides the technology infrastructure to connect an idea submitter anywhere in the world to an organization anywhere in the world that is looking for their idea.

Please click on Brite Idea Lab™  to watch a short video regarding how it solicits innovations from your Customers and the Public.

i-Lab – Is an organization specific, innovation software pipeline platform that manages the organization’s non-customer and non-public generated innovation ideas. It is branded to them and is used to collect innovations and ideas from employees, suppliers, sales channels, and affiliates and route them to the Innovation Authority within the organization who is charge of the idea’s category of innovation.

i-Lab, which generally sits behind the organization’s IT “firewall” provides it with a continuous stream of innovative ideas by using the same Keywords, Categories, content, and other criteria as does i-Innovate to route submitted ideas to the correct Innovation Authority within the organization. Using the same Keywords, Categories, content, and other criteria, designated Innovation Authorities build a profile of the type of ideas for which they are looking, and i-Lab uses proprietary matching algorithms to connect and introduce the idea submitter to the idea collector. A person can submit an unlimited number of ideas and the platform also allows an idea submitter to manually submit an idea to a specific Innovation Authority idea collector.

i-Lab allows an organization to connect all their innovation related areas by enabling the initial Innovation Authority to assess the idea, form a study group or Innovation Master Mind Group to further analyze the idea or forward it to their Research & Development function, Mergers & Acquisitions area, Business Development operation or external Innovation Lab or Foundry.

It also facilitates the rewarding of idea submitters by tracking the number of, “quality”, and final outcome of their submitted ideas. Idea submitters and collectors each have a comprehensive Dashboard that tracks the status of each idea and provides for direct communication between them, thus keeping the idea submitter in the loop as to what is happening with their idea. The Innovation Authority function and Dashboard operate the same for both i-Innovate and i-Lab, therefore enabling a person to easily perform the same function for both software platforms.
i-Lab is a god-send for a Chief Innovation Officer (CINO) or the person in charge of an organization’s innovation strategy because it provides an easy to use tool to monitor and manage their program. It also enables the determination of an ROI on their innovation initiative, thereby providing either a validation of their program, or insights into what changes may be required. The result is the use of i-Lab enables the weaving of innovation into the very fabric of an organization by fully connecting it to employee, supplier, sales channel, and affiliate idea submitters.

i-Match – Is a branded, organization specific software platform that enables members of an organization or persons associated with it to connect with each other based upon their needs, wants, interests, or products/services. Multiple organizations can be linked together, and the member interaction can include innovation and collaboration activities. New and existing members “Opt-In” to i-Match and add their Match criteria based on their needs, wants, interests, or products/services they offer.

An example of i-Match in action would be if Home Depot, as a service to them wanted to connect all their Contractors in a beneficial and meaningful way. Thereafter, let’s say a General Contractor in Atlanta, GA just was awarded a project in Nashville, TN and they were new to the Nashville, TN market. They could use i-Match to search and connect with all the sub-contractors they would need for the project. Another example would be a Contractor in Columbus, OH who was unhappy with their current Drywall Contractor who then could use i-Match to find a new Drywall Contractor.

In a typical organization people get connected to each other by just “bumping into each other”, who you are already connected with (LinkedIn), or by a simplistic list of shared interests. Whereas, i-Match provides a much more comprehensive matching/connecting criteria including shared interests, values, needs, expertise, objectives, and products/services they offer.

i-Match uses proprietary matching algorithms to introduce and connect members who have complementary profiles, or a member can manually search for and connect with another member. Each member has a Dashboard that enables management of their connections. Members can forward connections to other connections and establish collaboration groups. i-Match dramatically increases member-to-member communication and collaboration and enlarges the value members obtain from being part of the organization.

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