MOBILE VERSION

Weʼre all spending less time at our desks, more time out and about and we know ideas tend to strike in the most unlikely places. So Helios Blue incorporates mobile access to IdeaNet™. Weʼve developed an optimised mobile version that allows you to post ideas, enrich and evaluate them. It works on the iPhone and Android, and we’re currently testing it for use on Blackberry and other mobile platforms.

ACTIVITY STREAM

We know how important it is to keep up to date in the fast moving world of innovation so weʼve introduced an Activity Stream to IdeaNet™. This great new feature shows the most recent flow of ideas and enrichments at both idea and challenge level making it easier to keep up-to-date.

DASHBOARD

Knowledge is power.  For innovation managers itʼs important to have essential challenge statistics at your fingertips.  So Helios Blue includes an all-new Dashboard providing essential statistics on group-level user activity.  Weʼve kept the interface clean and simple in line with our mission to create the most user friendly interface, so you can focus on the figures.

WEB WIDGET

If people donʼt know about a challenge, how can they take part? Communicating your challenge is vital and promoting it on your intranet really boosts participation.  Weʼve developed a Web Widget that shows the latest challenge activity. It can be easily embedded on other pages encouraging click through to your campaign.

DESIGN & PERFORMANCE

• Helios Blue is the fastest performing release of IdeaNet™ to-date.  Weʼve used some cool and efficient database communication to improve the performance of the application.
• Weʼve redesigned several pages to improve the user experience. Look out for our new labels. And weʼve made it easier to access the multi-lingual options.
• For our SaaS clients you are no longer tied to the innovationhub.eu top-level domain but now have the option to provide us with the domain of your choice.

MORE INFORMATION

Helios Blue is now available and is being rolled out across all our clients.

For more information or for a demo contact our sales team.

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During the presentation of the first Dutch Interactive Awards (DIA) – business award for Dutch Interactive companies – the innovation platform ‘1Power’ of Innovation Factory was awarded with the prize for best interactive intranet.

The Dutch innovation stimulator developed the platform in 2007 in cooperation with Achmea to connect employees of all different divisions and brands of Achmea and facilitate them with a tool to share their knowledge.

The awards were granted in the categories: e-commerce, online services, leadgen (sales), intranet, corporate, recruitment (communications) and campaignsite, brandsite and communities (marketing). All entries were judged on the aspects needed for a successful internet project: strategy, design and development.

Knowledge of employees too often under utilised

Innovation Factory not only developed the platform but also stimulates involvement of employees on the platform. Jaap Linssen, Director of Community Management of Innovation Factory: “Employees of Achmea help each other to solve problems and to test and enrich ideas on the platform. We succeeded in creating a very vibrant community that benefits the entire organisation. Because it has become much easier to share ideas and support each other, the intellectual capital of the company can be utilised more effectively. The chance of successfully developing ideas has improved significantly.”

Results better than expected

“The effect of facilitating colleagues in a social network like ‘1Power’ has exceeded our expectations. Three years ago no one expected the benefits of this many ambitious and involved employees actively participating on the platform to be so significant.”, says Sjaak van Heukelum, Director Innovation at Achmea.

About Innovation Factory

Innovation Factory is a Dutch based software and consulting firm founded by professor Han Gerrits (VU University Amsterdam), specialised in innovation strategy and technology. Since 2005 Innovation Factory helps companies with the collection, management and implementation of new ideas. By means of consulting, training and the development of special software, Innovation Factory supports organisations to become successful innovators. Innovation Factory changes mindsets, wins hearts and minds of employees and clients, and acts as partner in innovation projects of companies as TNT Post, Achmea and UPC. www.innovationfactory.eu

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More details on the nomination on the DIA website. Read more about 1POWER in the 1POWER case description.

Additionally, we have recently welcomed the 1000th 1POWER member. To celebrate this milestone 1POWER has recently been updated with a new design as shown on the left, and various new functionalities that will help the community thrive.

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Innoveren met elkaar
Ger Jacobs, Commercieel Directeur TNT Post: “Om vooruit te blijven lopen op de ontwikkelingen in onze markt en leidend te blijven met onze dienstverlening is innovatie het sleutelwoord. Innovatie vraagt echter niet alleen om woorden, maar ook om daden. Wij verwachten dat we door samen te werken met Innovation Factory meer innovatiekracht uit onze medewerkers kunnen halen. Met IdeaNet™ creëren we een eigen social community waarbij collega’s actief, op directe en open wijze hun ervaringen en ideeën delen om processen of producten te verbeteren, en om nieuwe productideeën te ontwikkelen. Die community staat niet in een dag. Dit vraagt om actieve stimulatie en betrokkenheid van collega’s en hun directe management. Om dit proces op gang te brengen en te houden, blijft Innovation Factory aan de zijlijn betrokken en organiseren ze bijvoorbeeld ook een speciale sessie om ideeëndeling met elkaar op gang te brengen. In het eerste jaar zullen zij helpen met het vaststellen van relevante innovatiethema’s waarbinnen het ideeënproces van start kan gaan.”

Begeleiding van idee tot product
Han Gerrits, oprichter en CEO van Innovation Factory: “We zijn erg blij met de aanpak van TNT Post. Ze zien heel goed in dat ideeën uit alle hoeken van een organisatie kunnen komen en willen dat op termijn collega’s in de hele organisatie verbonden zijn aan de community. Ze vragen daarvoor onze actieve begeleiding, van het idee tot de ontwikkeling en productlancering, waardoor er steeds slimmer met budget, tijd, arbeidskapitaal en innovatiekansen omgegaan kan worden en de kans op succesvolle, baanbrekende ideeën wordt vergroot.”

Over Innovation Factory
Het software- en adviesbedrijf Innovation Factory is opgericht door professor Han Gerrits (VU University Amsterdam), gespecialiseerd in innovatiestrategie en technologie. Innovation Factory helpt sinds 2005 bedrijven met het opzetten van innovatie communities. Door het (virtueel) verbinden van de medewerkers binnen een bedrijf komt er veel meer kennis en expertise beschikbaar, dit leidt tot snellere, goedkopere en efficiëntere innovatie. Door adviezen, training en speciale software ondersteunt Innovation Factory organisaties om succesvolle innovators te worden. Innovation Factory verandert mindsets en overtuigt medewerkers en klanten om zo als partner een innovatiecultuur op te bouwen. Dit doet Innovation Factory onder andere bij bedrijven als Vodafone Group, TNT Post, Achmea en UPC. www.innovationfactory.eu

Over TNT Post
TNT Post verwerkt dagelijks 16 miljoen poststukken (waarvan 400.000 pakketten) met ruim 7,6 miljoen bestemmingen in Nederland. Het bedrijf is ook actief in andere Europese landen en Azië. Van groeiend belang zijn diensten die elektronische data omzetten in fysieke post. TNT Post is in de eerste plaats actief op het gebied van post: collectie, sortering, transport en aflevering van brieven en pakketten. Daarnaast is de onderneming gespecialiseerd in data- en documentdiensten, direct mail, e-commerce en internationale post. TNT Post heeft zo’n 58.000 mensen in dienst in Nederland. De omzet van TNT Post over het derde kwartaal 2009 bedroeg 956 miljoen euro. TNT Post is onderdeel van TNT N.V.  www.tntpost.nl

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The interview (in Dutch) can also be found at the website of Amsterdam Inc.

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Social media such as twitter, facebook, blogs and wikis are THE topic of the day. Also for internal communication purposes because they offer wonderful opportunities to enlarge the loyalty and commitment of employees. On the other hand they also bring reputation risks because of transparency. Therefore the theme of this years congress holds the duality treat or threat. You will get an overview of the possibilities and risks of social media, the impact they have on the role of the IC Manager and of course lots of practical experiences and cases.

Chairman is Internal Communications goeroe and author of the book: ‘Twitteren in your company’: Huib Koeleman. There will be speakers from: Ministerie van Binnenlandse Zaken en Koninkrijksrelaties, Achmea, Microsoft, Politie Brabant Zuid-Oost, Getronics, Hogeschool Arnhem & Nijmegen, Vodafone, Gemeente Amsterdam, TNT Post and Ministerie van Defensie.

Next to the Congress there are Masterclasses on April 14 (Social Media for dialogue and commitment), April 15 (Online Reputation Management) and June 1 (How to help business managers communicating effectively).

For further information: www.corner-stone.nl

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PRESS RELEASE
2 March 2010

Vodafone Group rolls out IdeaNet™ software in Europe

The international telecommunications company Vodafone Group plc and the Dutch innovation stimulator Innovation Factory have agreed on a contract for the use of the IdeaNet™ software. IdeaNet™ is an idea management system, developed by Innovation Factory, that helps companies manage ideas, information and expertise to promote innovation.

Chris Brown, Head of Innovation Vodafone UK: “Innovation is a great part of the success of Vodafone. The IdeaNet™ software helps us to take full advantage of the knowledge of our employees worldwide and furthermore creates a transparent, innovative and involved culture in all Vodafone countries. We have chosen the software of Innovation Factory because of the great User Interface and the expertise of the company in creating an innovative culture. Our staff in the UK did not need any training to work with the system.”

The IdeaNet™ software has been operative at Vodafone UK since July 2009 and was recently introduced at Vodafone Spain. In 2010 Vodafone will roll out the software in other countries.

Professor Han Gerrits, founder and CEO of Innovation Factory: “All our tools are built to actually help organisations innovate and to ensure innovation is embedded into the organisation. The knowledge and creativity of employees are too often left underutilised. Their involvement will lead to great new ideas as well as cost savings and will facilitate a change in the corporate culture for the better. We have had great success with our IdeaNet™ software at Vodafone UK and are very proud that we have been given the chance to implement the software for Vodafone Group in Europe.”

For further information:
Innovation Factory
Coebergh Communications & PR
Reinier Hillen
reinier@coebergh.nl

Vodafone Group Plc
Media RelationsTel: +44 (0) 1635 664444
+31 (0) 20 470 87 87

About Innovation Factory
Innovation Factory is a Dutch based software and consulting firm founded by professor Han Gerrits (VU University Amsterdam), specialised in innovation strategy and technology. Since 2005 Innovation Factory helps companies with the collection, management and implementation of new ideas. By means of consulting, training and the development of special software Innovation Factory supports organisations to become successful innovators. Innovation Factory changes mindsets, wins hearts and minds of employees and clients, and acts as partner in innovation projects of companies as TNT Post, Achmea and UPC. www.innovationfactory.eu

About Vodafone
Vodafone is the world’s leading international mobile communications group with approximately 323 million proportionate customers as at 30 September 2009. Vodafone currently has equity interests in 31 countries across five continents and around 40 partner networks worldwide. For more information. www.vodafone.com

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