Smartideabox potential business model strategy
August 3, 2009 in Spotted Ideas
Here’s a potential business model for this website:
- The website could first be a plateform for a universitary contest of business ideas + business models (contest should include not only business schools but also engineering, political sciences and others);
- The contest would be organized in collaboration with student associations (Ex: in switzerland: Junior entreprise), it doesn’t even matter if the contest takes the name of the association, all we want is visits on the website and ideas to be written on it. It has to be sponsorised by companies to get a reward for the winner and judges Judges could also be university teachers.
The contest could totally be international.
So far students, associations, university teachers, companies and eventually private investors already know about the website.
- The access to the website must be set free for students and other actors of the contest. However, the ideas posted on the website as well as the possibility to find young talented and creative people on the website will have value. Hence, access COULD be charged for companies or investors looking for ideas or young dynamic students.
- Once many people visit the website, you can always earn money with advertisment.
That is not the most inventive business model but it sounds like a feasible thing. But Let’s think about it and try to make it smarter.
jonas said on August 3, 2009
I really agree with the fact that GOAL NUMBER ONE is to get people on the website. I agree as well that a competition for the top 5 ideas for students could be a good incentive for this young lazy crowd to get some motivation.
I think we could also try and get a jury with a few important personalities that for exemple would count for 50% and the other 50% would be votes from anyone who happens to come on the website.
we just need to make sute the website looks like what we want to and that all the basic function we think are essential are present prior to this because the first impression is very very important for newcomers.
Jonas
henry said on August 3, 2009
Yes I totally agree with that. Let’s first make the website look good. Same for the 50/50!
admin said on August 9, 2009
We would need a brand for that.
henry said on August 10, 2009
I guess using the name of an association would be great. It would make things easier. For example, Junior entreprise is in HEC lausanne and epfl, and I’m sure they’re in many other universities in the world.
joan said on August 10, 2009
yeah right, that’s a brand anyway
jonas said on September 22, 2009
Ideabox needs to first be a private website where every memeber has to be invited.
Every new member should have a mentor and a program to make his integration quicker and more benificial for the website.
Members should be able to create groups qhere they can invite members they think will be valuable to their groups.
Then SmartIdeaBox should provide its members with opportunitites to express their ideas.
for exemple like universtiy awards like those: http://www.thestandrewsprize.com/awards/submission.htm
When smart ideabox will be a effective idea management website with active members and a community, only then the website can become public enable everyone to create their own community and the maybe communicate with other communities..
Jonas Romain Wiesel said on February 16, 2010
IAfter talks with joan about how to get people to come on the website. The key is to create a buzz and make people feel privileged to be on the website!!! it’s the only thing we have to offer!.
Just like facebook as joan said the main reason it worked is that it was only for harvard and on invitation so people really wanted to be part of a “private & unaccessible community”.
There for i think we should make idea box “private” and kick members who don’t participate to actually reward members who do try to make the community go forward.
This would make people more willing to share ideas and make valuable contacts!
we should maybe try to make it private for universities and open our horizon as it goes forward!
it will also force visitors to be members and eliminate all those “spies” everyone seems to be scared of.
we can still keep a part of the website public for example spotted ideas.
T summarize we need to make are community ATTRACTIVE
Jana said on May 10, 2010
Mhhmm i agree- making a club exclusive will definitely make it more desirable for people to join- people who are not members should perhaps not have access to all articles- but only a few “teaser ” articles? This may also provide people with a sense of security as a more closed network may have more control over movement of ideas etc… However care should be taken when limiting access as it would be a shame for this site to lose its essence as a platform for everyone to share ideas , collaborate and communicate openly.
To segway into something Jonas brought up in a related post about ownership rights, privacy etc. Especially if this groups is intending to expand its userface to universities – perhaps smartidea box should thinks about drawing up some contractual agreements and description of intellectual property rights on signup . Are ideas owned by those who contributed them or smartidea box as a whole? Im new to the site so perhaps this has already been discussed. Has smart idea box been patented?
This would need to be clarified before SIB does gain recognition by tertiary institutions and in the wider business community. This would really bolster this site as it already has great potential and real merit. I think ideally it would be great to see firms who can provide funding,sponsorships, backing of the site and private investors getting involved. Perhaps sponsors could hold competitions where winning ideas obtain funding for the actualisation of the ideas. Or if SIB could get involved with a patency firm who would grant patency or intellectual property rights to the winning idea.
Have possibly digressed completely form the origional post topic but anyway something to think about and possibly strive towards..
Jonas Romain Wiesel said on May 10, 2010
I will take time to answer to your comment more precisely.
You really got the point the only thing is that you cannot protect an idea!
Jana said on May 11, 2010
You cant protect a vague idea or plan i realise- however there may be some way to give smartideabox ownership of its content- in order to protect in some way from idea poaching. I’ve got a mate whos working for a patency firm here in NZ and ive asked him about it- just waiting on a reply as Im not very up to speed as to what can be done.