You decide.

OI4DEV workshop participants designed four distinct models to mobilize innovations, identify new opportunities, and broker relationships among actors in the development sector - including solution 'seekers', 'solvers', potential investors and policy makers. Each model derives from an existing innovation-brokering initiative that has been redesigned. Workshop participants chose to eliminate, reduce, and enhance existing features and create new ones to produce the best open innovation model for the development sector.

The core models and their suggested modifications are described below, although these models are still 'under construction.' Groups will continue modifying their concepts and communicating changes via the blog and discussion space. By “buying” and “selling” shares in these four models, each of you will be participating in real time feedback on the potential value of these ideas. We invite you to begin participating by answering the following question (by clicking "comment"):

If you had $5,000,000 in seed funding, which of the below models of open innovation for development would you support?

Model 1: InnoCentive

Launched in 2001 as an e-business venture by Eli Lilly, the InnoCentive marketplace is an online community where institutions, or “seekers”, post unsolved Challenges to InnoCentive’s Open Innovation Marketplace, where 160,000+ registered “solvers” can review the problem and propose a solution. If a solution is selected as “best”, the Solver receives a financial award, which varies per Challenge. Dubbed “Connect and Develop,” the marketplace allows companies to tap the talents of a global scientific community quickly and efficiently without having to employ contributors full-time. InnoCentive helps seekers focus and communicate their problem while also supporting solvers to refine their proposed solutions. InnoCentive began offering challenges in the disciplines of chemistry and life sciences, but has quickly expanded into physical science, engineering and design, computer science, mathematics, and business and entrepreneurship. They also post challenges in areas of interest such as global health, development, technology, public policy, and renewable energy. For more information, please visit www.innocentive.com.

Model 2: NineSigma

NineSigma uses its global network of scientists, university research departments and technology incubators to help companies identify unobvious solutions to their science- and technology-related needs. NineSigma works with its clients to send out targeted e-mail requests for proposal (RFPs) to targeted subsets of its extensive database, which they are constantly refining to improve future outreach efforts. They have recently developed a web site to solicit propoals online as well as responses to their targeted emails. They serve a broad range of industries including the sciences, automotive, consumer products, packaging, and engineering materials. Unlike InnoCentive, NineSigma publicly identifies the solution-seeking institution. Like InnoCentive, they work closely with their clients to define their problem. For more information, please visit http://www.ninesigma.com/.

Model 3: Big Idea Group

The BIG model is best suited for industries where there are huge number of potential inventions which do not have a clear pathway to the market. This is currently being used in the toy and in the home-and-garden industry. The Group creates a number of processes to seek out prospective inventors and their ideas. One process is the BIG Idea Hunts, in which BIG invites inventors to demonstrate their ideas to a panel of judges assembled by BIG. Its web site provides another means to solicit ideas from inventors. These ideas, however, arrive in conditions far from being ready for market. Not only does BIG screen these ideas, it works to develop those that have potential merit by using its knowledge of the industry. It also helps inventors in obtaining trademarks, copyrights and other protections. BIG splits the advancements and royalties and typically inventors end up with 40-50% of the value of their invention. For more information, please visit www.bigideagroup.net.

Model 4: InnovationXchange

The IXC helps member companies share poorly defined needs and tries to match them to technologies and initiatives residing in other member companies. Each member company is assigned a trusted intermediary (TI). The TI is an employee of the IXC, but he or she becomes a “fly on the wall” in the company that they are assigned to. The TIs try to uncover the problems and needs of the organization. All the TIs meet and discuss regularly to find a match for the needs of the organization that they are assigned to. Very strict confidentiality agreements protect the knowledge of member companies. The TIs are not allowed to utilize the knowledge that they accumulate for private reasons and the information shared by the TIs is not even made known to other member organizations except through a strict process once the match has been identified. The Trusted Intermediaries also conduct nonmember search if need be. By signing non-disclosure agreements with nonmember companies as an employee of the exchange, rather than the member organization, the TIs serve to cloak the identity of the member until later stages of the transaction. Initially based out of Australia, the IXC is expanding its operations to other markets globally. For more information, please visit http://www.ixc.com.au/.