Invitation to Open Innovation Exchange

Via David Wilcox

"I though you might be interested in a £1.2 million bid a group of us are putting together for the UK Third Sector Innovation Exchange. I've written about it here.  We are looking for people to share their ideas in shaping the bid, maybe join in, and get some exposure if that's what you are looking for. The news release below explains what it is all about or visit the site.

Open Source bid for Third Sector Innovation Exchange

The Government's £1.2 million invitation to tender for a third sector innovation exchange has prompted an innovative response - an "open source bid" under which people are invited to share ideas with one team that is preparing a proposal.

The idea of the innovation exchange, when up and running, is that it should help nonprofit organisations deliver improved services under action plans developed by Cabinet Office and other departments. However one team - led by social entrepreneurs - decided to break away from the competitive approach to bidding for contracts, and develop their proposals in public.

Simon Berry, who is leading the team, said: "We believe that innovation involves doing things differently, and being prepared to work with others. That will certainly be essential if the exchange is to succeed. "We decided that the best way to show what's needed is to start straight away, and invite others to contribute ideas. That should both improve the bid and show the Government who's who on the innovation landscape."

The group have set up an Open Innovation Exchange website where anyone interested can sign in to comment and also contribute. All content is licensed as "share alike" so people are free to use ideas, and build on them, provided they offer attribution and license anything they use in the same way. This means that competing bidders could use material from the site.

Simon adds: "We are delighted if other people use our ideas, attribute, and then offer improvements back to us and others. The Cabinet Office will get the best possible proposals, while being able to see where the ideas started, and who has the most innovative and collaborative approach." The Open Innovation Exchange bid is being led by RNUK Ltd  supported a team of associates. Details of the team, the tender, and first ideas for the exchange are available at http://www.innovationexchange.net

Comments

[David Wilcox]

Thanks Beth, and as we say on the site, we would really welcome ideas from across the pond ... which is where we get lots of inspiration anyway!