Tag: Social innovation

Charities and non-profit organisations are not often synonymous with the word ‘innovation’. With limited resources, these organisations want to stick with ideas that they know work, rather than investing time and money into developing new tactics. However, the charities that are using innovation and design thinking to drive projects and fundraising are coming out ahead in the non-profit world.

Here is a list of charitable organisations that prove investing in innovation helps non-profits raise money and operate more effectively:

RLNI - H2Only - This UK based campaign asks participants to drink only water (no caffeine!) for 10 days to save lives at sea. As we saw from campaigns like the ice bucket challenge, mass participation campaigns can make a huge impact for charities. RNLI, the charity that runs this campaign, employs a marketing and innovation officer to come...

Are you ready to tackle a social problem in your community? We love helping business leaders, entrepreneurs, and innovators create an impact with social innovation. Today we wanted to share 11 quick tips with you to help you take your social innovation process from good to great. 

1. Tackle challenges that you understand - If you’ve been personally affected by the problem you want to solve, you’ll start out ahead of the competition. You’ll already understand all facets of the problem better than someone who is coming into the process with no prior knowledge. 

2. Focus on people, not problems - An important part of any social innovation project is to talk to the people you want to help. The better you understand how this challenge is affecting the people you want to help, the better able you are to...

As a social innovator, you strive to find efficient, sustainable, and creative solutions that impact society’s most pressing challenges. However, it can be incredibly difficult to develop these solutions on your own. That is where social innovation blogs come in. Social innovation blogs provide aid in many ways. Some blogs discuss how modern social innovators have reached success in resolving world issues, describing techniques that you may be able to utilize towards your own goal. However, other blogs also work towards aiding you in developing your own personal solutions for world issues. Others provide you with the latest information in the world of social innovation. Social innovation blogs are a valuable resource that a social innovator can take advantage of so, without further ado…

Here are 11 social innovation blogs that every social innovator should be reading:

1. <a...

Social innovation competitions and social innovation courses are some of the best ways to refine your skills and bring your socially good projects to life! You can meet other likeminded people, learn new concepts, and get a kick start on your venture idea. We’ve curated a list of our favourite social innovation competitions and social innovation courses. Let us know in the comments if you have any to add!

Social Innovation Competitions

European Social Innovation Competition - A €150,000 challenge prize by the European Commission for the three best ideas to support the reception and integration of refugees and migrants in Europe.

Dell Social Innovation Challenge - Entrepreneurship competitions in partnership with socially conscious communities.

Global Social Venture Competition - The Global Social Venture Competition (GSVC) empowers the next generation of social entrepreneurs by providing them...

Before the holidays, Christian sat down with Lisette Sutherland to talk about remote working and flattening hierarchies. You can watch the full interview here. At WE THINQ, we are passionate about creating tools and methodologies to help you succeed as a remote and non-hierarchal team. Here are some of the highlights from the interview:

Flattening Hierarchies:

• We really believe in the horizontal process. That every person in an organisation has a lot of ideas, energy, and skill to make the organisation better.

• When managers are hesitant to adapt a horizontal and innovative approach to work, building trust is the key factor in changing their minds. You can build this trust by working on small, open collaboration projects. We worked with an organisation who built an internal policy collaboratively, and it really opened the doors...

In the first Social Innovation Interview episode of the new year, we talk about how to collaborate with your team and your community in an online platform. What challenges have come up for you in your online innovation initiatives?

Transcript:

[0:00] [music]

Kayla: [0:06] Hi, I’m Kayla.

Christian: [0:07] Hi, I’m Christian.

Kayla: [0:09] Today, we’re going to talk about online team collaboration, so we have a few questions about how the online conference can work. Today, we want to talk about some challenges that might come up in your online team collaboration process, and how you might overcome them.

Christian: [0:26] To be specific, in our case we’re often dealing with ideas. In a thought innovation process, a lot is about ideas. You want to change something, and you want to find solutions, so you hopefully have great ideas...

This weeks’ episode of Social Innovation Interview looks at the advantages and disadvantages of going through the innovation process online and offline.

Transcript:

Kayla: Hey, I’m Kayla.

Christian: Hello, I’m Christian. Today we want to speak about social innovation online versus offline. The question whether social innovation has to happen offline or can only work online. We believe the two worlds fit together very well.

Kayla: We have an online platform. Obviously, we feel very strongly about how using an online platform can help you move the project forward, but we still like having off liner in person event to create a personal connection to get energy in the room. We feel that the two platforms can often work very well together, it doesn’t necessary have to be one or the other.

Christian: Exactly. There is strength in both of...

This week we are bringing you our third installment of social innovation interviews. In this video we answer the question:

How can you get customers to care about impact enough to change their behaviors? So many great companies are popping up that have first products that create an incredible impact, however most have found that people primarily care about price and quality before they care about the impact or the story. How can we convince people to pay attention and care about the supply chain and the individuals they never see or know who make the products we often take for granted? This goes for all industries, electronics, raw materials, agriculture & food, fashion, ect.

Transcript:

Kayla: Hi, I’m Kayla.

Christian: Hi, I’m Christian.

Kayla: Today, we’re answering our second question about open innovation. Our question today is...

This week we discuss how to mobilise your community for an open innovation challenge. Enjoy!

Kayla: Hi, I’m Kayla.

Christian: Hi, I’m Christian.

Kayla: Today, we’re answering a question from Lucy. Lucy’s question is, “What is the best way to get people to participate in my events? I’m planning an idea competition for October. At the moment, we only have a few people signed up for the event. Do you have any advice on finding enough people to join in the events?”

Christian: Yeah, that’s a great question. We always often talk about, don’t we?

Kayla: Yeah, it comes up a lot.

Christian: I think it is also a very often underestimated point. It is a huge challenge, maybe one of the biggest challenges when you really drive social innovation. Many people think implementation is difficult and collaboration around solutions.

…

We’ve put together a list of our favourite social innovation tools, guides, and whitepapers. From three questions to ask yourself before starting a project, to an in-depth e-book exploring the methods of social innovation, we think there is something for everyone in this resource list! We’d love to hear how you have used these social innovation tools to create a positive impact. And if you’ve found any other tools that have been helpful to you in creating social change, we’d love to add them to the list- just post them in the comments!

Tools, Guides, and Whitepapers:

Running Idea Competitions - This page gives answers to your most commonly asked questions about hosting idea contests. Learn how you can solve your next social challenge with an innovation competition.

DIY Social Innovation Toolkit - Created by Nesta, DIY...

When I was in University, I ran the campus food bank. I went to a conference in Toronto, where I spent the weekend with others running food banks from across the country. The conference was full of hard-working, dedicated people passionate about alleviating poverty and malnutrition. We exchanged ideas, discussed new initiatives and brainstormed how we could run our food banks better. Finally, the last session of the conference arrived. Our hosts explained that the last speakers would be people who had lived on the streets and who had used (or were still using) food banks . To our surprise, the speakers each described their negative experiences with food banks. They had eaten pre-packaged bags of foods filled with things they or their families did not like, or could not eat. They were sick of eating the same canned carrots...

If your organisation is passionate about innovation and creativity, you’ve heard about using an innovation tool. But is using a social innovation software going to help you meet your needs? Or just be another product or website that never gets utilised by your team? Social innovation software can help you structure, select, and test your projects. But it is not right for every organisation or every project. Here are 10 signs that you should invest in social innovation software:

1. You’re currently using email and note taking to get the job done. - Does your project feel like it’s encased in your head? Like just one more email or comment could knock some of those great ideas out of your memory? Or do you spend your time searching through old emails and notes trying to find old thoughts and ideas?...

“As a citizen, you need to know how to be a part of it, how to express yourself - and not just by voting.” ~ Sandra Day O’Connor

We all want more engaged communities. Whether that is for your business or in your town, fighting apathy is struggle that many of us face. So what does it look like when your citizens are engaged and involved in the community? These citizen engagement projects will give you a little inspiration for citizen partcipation.

This list is updated regularly. Last update: March 25, 2015

Projects:

• Springtide - The Springtide Collective is an organization dedicated to reconnecting Nova Scotians with the democratic process, and imagining ways of doing politics differently. Springtide is a non-partisan and non-profit organization. - (Canada)
• The Bus Project - Giving people their first taste of...

To get from A to B in a city the choices are stark: Public transport, taxi, your own car or bike. If you think that is a lot then skip till the end of this post. But if you are like me, always trying to find the best way to get to places and normally none of the options above satisfy you, then continue reading.

A mayor problem to improve mobility is the little knowledge available on people’s moving patterns – their schedules, ways and means to transport themselves. Commuters are perhaps the easiest and probably best analyzed scenarios, but they are only a fraction of all daily travelers. New approaches to collect data can unfold new potentials for social innovation.

Take the example of cycling. To improve cycling within a city one needs to resort to traditional data set...

We’ve written a lot about finding participants for your idea contests. Often, you want to find as many participants from different backgrounds for your competitions. After all, the benefit of going on-line is being able to include anyone from anywhere with an internet connection.

But what if your idea competition fits in a niche?

What if you are holding an idea competition for a specific group of people. For example, a search for ways to get young people more involved in your local government. You may not want to reach out to communities around the world because, the group that will be affected by this initiative, are the youth living in your city. As much as Lucy from Canada might have some great ideas, you are looking for things that resonate with the young people in Islington, not young people...

There’s an app for that. More specifically, there is an app that detects malaria in children; helping them get treatment before the disease becomes fatal. Technology exists to help the visually impaired interact with their surroundings, and to convert sign language into speech. But how do these ideas become reality? It takes more than just one person and one idea to make great innovations like this happen.

How do these new technologies go from being an inkling of an idea to a product that is helping improve lives and communities?

The people behind these social innovations accessed the right opportunities. They were able to pitch their products to the right people by participating in idea contests and prize challenges. But before the pitch they were able to get feedback from an array of different people to fine...

We love writing about innovations that are making the world a better place. It’s exciting to watch creative minds tackle social challenges. With the growing costs of healthcare and rising rates of obesity, it’s fair to say that improving health is one of the biggest challenges our communities are facing today. Thanks to policy changes, innovative organisations, and wearable technology, getting healthier is becoming more accessible than ever. New technologies and programs are increasing our access to health education, healthy food, exercise, and healthy environments. Here are our 5 favourite innovations that are making us healthier:

1. Fresh! Healthy Vending

Healthy snacking is an important part of maintaining a healthy weight. But it can be hard to get the nutrients we need if we are faced with potato crisps and chocolate bars as our only snacking options. Fresh...

Are you looking to network, grow ideas, and get inspired? Check out this list of social innovation conferences, summits, and events. If you would like to add your conference to the list just send us an email!

Last updated: September 12, 2016

Upcoming:

World Innovation Convention 2016 December 6-9 2016, Berlin, Germany

Social Innovation Summit November 14-16 2016, Silicon Valley, CA

BioFIT and BioTECH conference 30th Nov- 1st Dec 2016, Lille, France

World Open Innovation Conference Dec 15 – 16 2016, Barcelona, Spain

ISPIM Innovation Summit 4-7 December 2016, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

International Conference on Sustainability, Technology, and Education. 6 – 8 December 2016 Melbourne, Australia

Ashoka U, Innovation in Higher Education March 2-4 2017, Miami, Florida

Smart Cities Exhibition and Forum for South Eastern Europe 7 – 9 March 2017,...

Many of us are starting to realise that ‘the powers that be’ are no better equipped or qualified than the rest of us to deal with issues that effect our environment, day to day lives or economic growth.

The wheels of bureaucracy grind slowly and the pace of change (or rather the lack of it) is becoming extremely frustrating, particularly where eco innovation is concerned.

Warmer winters, wetter summers and a lack of a good autumn frost are all sure signs that something is wrong, and as officials and scientists contemplate what to do (whilst trying to free themselves from the red tape!) there is a growing sense of nervousness and anticipation. Who is really in charge of sorting this mess out?

Well, in essence, we all are. From widespread floods and tree wrenching winds to disappearing bees, we have...

What are smart eco-cities?

In short, these cities are the ones which go the extra mile to become environmentally friendly, by combining energy saving techniques with the latest technology. In the current eco-crisis, it’s important that cities set out policies and goals to protect the local environment whilst also considering how they can bring the latest innovations in technology to their plans. In this article we’ll highlight three of the most promising cities and projects designed around the smart eco-friendly ethos, pointing out how they’ve become successful and what their plans will be for the immediate future.

IssyGrid, Paris

One of the most relevant European districts to go the eco-friendly route is a small district just outside Paris. A French consortium led by Alstom and Bouygues, the district aims to keep its carbon emissions and energy costs low...

I’ve collected 28 of my favourite quotes on innovation and creativity. Enjoy these quick nuggets of wisdom. I hope they will inspire you in your work and give you a new perspective on your day!

1. “You can’t solve a problem on the same level that it was created. You have to rise above it to the next level.” - Albert Einstein

2. “The creation of something new is not accomplished by the intellect, but by the play instinct arising from inner necessity. The creative mind plays with the object it loves.” - Carl Jung

3. “There is only one thing stronger than all the armies of the world: and that is an idea whose time has come.” - Victor Hugo

4. “I will act as if what I do will make a difference.” - William...

One of the most exciting things about working with the WE THINQ software, is getting to see what our amazing clients are working on. There’s nothing like seeing an Open Innovation Slam go down first hand, with a software that you are a part of. Which leads me to one of the most exciting initiatives coming out of Europe right now:

The Climate-KIC Open Innovation Slam

It is a pivotal time in Europe right now for climate change. The UN climate summit accompanied by various climate marches took place this past week, and Europeans seem to be ripe with ideas on how to curb climate change. Climate- KIC, partnering with Berliner Verkehrsbetriebe (BVG), The Berlin Centre for Entrepreneurship, EUREF, and centre for innovation and business creation at TUM are teaming up to host an open innovation slam. The goal...

Are you interested in the social innovation projects that are helping businesses to increase revenue while positively impacting society? In a business setting, this sort of innovation is crucial and if you can implement them in your own business, you’ll not only benefit those who you do business with, you’ll also improve your profits. Here are some of the projects we really respect from the world of business.

Digital Hub Workspaces Breed Creativity

Firstly, in cities across the world, digital hub workspaces – sometimes referred to as cooperatives – have been sprouting up waiting to be filled by eager creative and technical people looking to share ideas, collaborate and make cool stuff. A good example is Duke Studio opening in Leeds where young digital creative freelancers can share a single space and collaborate. If your business can make...

Social Innovation and Social Enterprise are on the rise. Businesses are becoming concerned with solving social problems rather than simply making a profit. This is great news, but for those of us trying to sift through the jargon, it is helpful to define these terms.

I’ve already discussed the definition of open innovation but this differs from the definition of social enterprise or social entrepreneurship. While social innovation could mean doing things differently on a variety of different levels, social entrepreneurship focuses specifically on business.

Who is a Social Entrepreneur?

Most businesses are created because someone saw a need that was not being filled. The same is true of the social entrepreneur, however instead of a need that is not being filled this person usually sees an injustice or inequality in society that needs to be solved. Instead...

Last month, we asked the question: what is social innovation? Social innovation means different things to different people, but what it really comes down to is making a social impact. So how do you know if you’ve made a succesful social impact? Measuring social impact is almost as tricky as defining social innovation. As we’ve discussed here, measuring any kind of impact from innovation can be complicated. Innovation, by nature, moves quickly. This means that testing assumptions and measuring the actual impact of your work also needs to move quickly as well. In order to move forward in the most effective way, you need to find an effective way to measure your impact.

1. Define what you are measuring

What problem is your innovation trying to solve? For example, if your product is affordable eyeglasses for people living...

The goal of any charity or non-profit is to see real change happen. And so, keeping overhead costs low is usually a high priority. Many charities start because certain needs are not met on the public level. Yet, as non-profits gain momentum, the intricacies of running a large organisation can slow things down. Revitalising communication and outreach tools can help non-profits increase the impact they make. So how can non- profits use innovation management tools to get creative in maximising the impact of their services? Here are a few ideas, and we’d love to hear some of yours in the comments!

Getting Immediate Feedback from the Field

Open communication can give non-profits a unique insight into the communities they serve. Charities want to help people. These people live in different countries, neighbourhoods, and communities around the world. The charity...

Social innovation is creating a new idea for positive impact. So then ,why, you might be asking, am I writing a whole (multiple part) blog post about the definition of social innovation when I could fit it in a tweet! Like all good bloggers and internet nerds, I want to give you my (unsolicited) opinion on what really makes social innovation tick. To do that I think we need more answers:

** 1) How do we get these new ideas? **

** 2) What is positive impact? **

Answers:

1) How do you get new ideas?

Good ideas, are often thought of as coming from exceptionally brilliant people with a stroke of creativity. However, we believe that everyone has great ideas, if only the right conditions are met. Here are some of those conditions:

• You have a...

Can technology influence social innovation? Yes it can, according to Alex Pentland, the author of a new book called Social Physics, a fascinating analysis of collaboration in online social networks. Pentland researched behavior of thousands of people and found out what incentives are needed to spur social innovation and what role the software behind it can play. I have paired his research together with our lessons learnt from last years and came up with some success factors.

Social innovation is a process in which people, desires, interests, passions and much more are involved. Social innovation means to me the empowerment of people and their ideas to:

• Identify real needs and problems and create a motivating environment where colleagues and stakeholders can openly share opinions to create solutions to the problems that affect them.
• Offer new channels to collaborate...

At We Thinq, we talk a lot about how to innovate but we don’t always talk about why we innovate. Instead of telling you what we think the reasons are, we are going to let the examples speak for themselves. Below is a list of organisations that are innovating for social and environmental good. We’ve also included some organisations that will help you get your project started, or help your company get started with social innovation. We love working with companies that are interested in innovating not just for profit, but to better the world. Let us know what you think!

This list is updated regularly. Last update: November 30, 2016

What is Social Innovation

• Open Innovation Blog - Innovation blog with focus on social innovation across a variety of sectors
• Young Foundation - Examples and...