Discovering, Sharing, and Empowering Positive Change in a World Overflowing with Misinformation!
In a world saturated with misinformation, where refining through the daily content can feel like navigating a labyrinth, finding the right ideas and stories has become more crucial than ever. The power of transformative ideas lies in their ability to shape our world for the better.
Enter IdeaSpies, with Lynn Wood, Founder, and Chief Idea Spy, the beacon of light in the information overload. This open innovation platform is dedicated to curating clever ideas, discoveries, and original thinkers, making it effortless to discover and share the good that exists in our midst.
The premise of IdeaSpies is refreshingly simple: concise posts of 100 words or less that pack a punch. Each carefully crafted story aims to expand the mind, ignite curiosity, and unleash the imagination of its readers. By distilling complex concepts into bite-sized insights, IdeaSpies offers a gateway to a world of inspiration for all who seek it.
But it is more than just a collection of intriguing ideas. It’s a catalyst for action and change. The platform serves as a meeting ground for people, industries, and governments to come together and share what’s good for everybody. It’s a space where collective wisdom converges to inspire meaningful action and guide choices that propel humanity forward in the right direction.
From groundbreaking inventions to innovative social initiatives, IdeaSpies showcases a diverse range of ideas that have the potential to shape our future. Whether it’s advancements in technology, sustainable practices, healthcare breakthroughs, or creative solutions to global challenges, IdeaSpies shines a spotlight on the brilliant minds and initiatives that are driving positive change.
With each visit to IdeaSpies, readers are transported into a world of possibility. They encounter stories that challenge preconceived notions, spark conversations, and pave the way for innovation. The platform has become a trusted resource for those seeking a fresh perspective, an injection of inspiration, and a reaffirmation that good ideas can make a difference.
In a time when noise can drown out brilliance, IdeaSpies stands tall as a guiding light. It navigates through the clutter, distilling the essence of impactful ideas and bringing them to the forefront. By shining a spotlight on the extraordinary endeavors of individuals and organizations, IdeaSpies invites us all to be a part of the collective effort to create a better world.
Let us delve deeper into the insights of IdeaSpies!
Shed some light on your offerings and how they impact the industry as well as your clients.
IdeaSpies is sharing more than 6,000 ideas on topics ranging from AI to well-being. They can be ideas happening now, ideas being developed, a different way to think about something or a new concept. The ideas offer solutions to problems. Every innovation is based on an idea. Whenever you see something and think, “That’s clever,” it should be on IdeaSpies.
People who register can submit ideas, comment on ideas already posted, and receive IdeaSpies Weekly featuring the ten most popular ideas.
Please brief us about the featured person’s (s) journey in the industry and how they have contributed to the company’s success.
Lynn Wood co-founded IdeaSpies in 2016. Her interest in innovation started early in her career. She was on the startup team for American Express Cards in Australia and New Zealand, as well as later in Northeast Asia. She was also part of the teams that established the first international property fund in Australia, one of the first wholesale property funds, and a fund management group.
Lynn has served on many boards, including as chair. She was one of the first three women in Australia to be on the board of a listed organization and one of the first to adopt a portfolio career as a consultant, board member, mentor, and entrepreneur.
Boards she has served on include the IFRS Foundation, Financial Reporting Council, Foreign Investment Review Board, HSBC Bank Australia, Macquarie Goodman Group, Schroders Australia, MS Australia, Save the Children Australia, and Women’s College at the University of Sydney.
She has also chaired Audit Committees, served on compliance committees, and developed, managed, and sold two SME businesses.
Lynn is currently an Area Councillor of the RSA (Royal Society for the Encouragement of Arts, Manufactures, and Commerce).
She was awarded a Centenary Medal in 2001.
Being an experienced leader, share your opinion on how the adoption of modern technologies has impacted the sector. How has your organization incorporated such technologies into its daily operations?
IdeaSpies covers ideas about all major technologies. You can search AI, 3D printing, AR, VR, and the metaverse on IdeaSpies for examples.
Special attention is given to AI. A few years ago, it was included as a topic on IdeaSpies to show early examples, recognizing that AI would become so popular that it would be included in most products and services in the future.
What initial challenges did you and your organization face, and how did you drive your organization to sustain operations?
There were three major challenges:
- Selecting a developer: After piloting the concept on Facebook, we decided that WordPress would be the best website builder to use, and Lynn took a course in it to get it going. Very quickly, we recognized that we needed a professional developer. We found one through an online search platform, but it was the wrong person, so we had to start again. The co-founder at the time suggested one of the IT graduates of the university at which she worked. He and his team in Sri Lanka have the skills to continue developing IdeaSpies.
- Gathering ideas to feature: To grow IdeaSpies, we needed many ideas, so we followed the advice and invited selected people to become voluntary editors of the topics covered. We now have 17 editors, posting and sharing over 6,000 ideas across 19 topics.
- Scaling IdeaSpies: The concept is popular with people who support innovation, and we received encouragement to scale it. A few years ago, over 3,000 idea posts were moved from WordPress to a new framework. More recently IdeaSpies has been rebranded to give it a more professional appearance on the recommendation of the Advisory Board.
What would be your advice to budding entrepreneurs who aspire to venture into the industry?
Firstly, we suggest that they check IdeaSpies to see if their idea already exists in some form. For example, you can search plastic, recycling, or both to see many ideas on IdeaSpies. Then you can check trends related to your idea to see if it’s a growing industry.
A few years ago, Lynn saw a hydrogen-fueled car at a BMW showroom in Germany and posted the idea on IdeaSpies. At that time, no one thought cars could be safely powered with hydrogen. Now it’s a recognized fuel. Opportunities are arising quickly for many products and services as a result of the current digital revolution.
As products and services become more complex, collaboration is also becoming more popular. There is a trend from competition to cooperation to collaboration, and this means it’s more possible to develop ideas involving other people and organizations. Skills in working with teams are therefore becoming more valuable, and it’s very helpful if you have developed these skills.
How do you envision scaling your organization’s functions and offerings in 2023 and beyond?
We have already scaled up in developing our platform, and we have subscribed for increased space with our hosting provider. We’ve also developed a white-label version of IdeaSpies called UpRising that is being used to support innovative students in Australian schools so they can develop their ideas based on input from business and industry.
Our next challenge is to identify an organization with which we can grow. We would like to partner with an organization that offers products or services that do good, practices collaboration, and has an innovative culture.
Please give us a few testimonials of your clients/customers and a list of awards/recognitions that accurately highlight your company’s position in the market.
When we launched IdeaSpies in 2016, we won an award as one of the top 100 coolest companies in Australia. Below are a few testimonials:
David Thodey AO, Chairman of Xero, Tyro, and the Great Barrier Reef Foundation
Great ideas, research, and innovation can come from anyone, so often, the best ideas do not have a voice. IdeaSpies provides a platform for people to share ideas that create a better world.
Maria MacNamara, Director of Government Relations and Innovation Strategy, Kyndryl
IdeaSpies is a curated repository of good ideas that are a valuable resource for people who want to solve new problems or solve old problems in new ways.
Richard Hainsworth, Founder, UpRising: Entrepreneurship Career Pathways for High School Students
IdeaSpies is an open and positive place to share ideas. Easy to read and follow, and with a high level of UX.
Gillian Corban, Co-Founder, Corban & Blair
Innovation starts with ideas. Ideas are only ideas; they need to be shared, explored, and interrogated.
Mark Stanbridge, Partner, Ashurst
IdeaSpies is a digital library of positive ideas. It’s a very useful free resource to search for if you want to keep up with innovation.
What is your opinion on the future of the industry concerning changing customer preferences due to advancements and innovative services?
The main change in customer preferences that we see is a trend away from mass marketing to personalized products and services. People now expect their individual preferences to be modeled as a result of new technologies such as AI and 3D printing.
This trend toward individualization started in the media and is now a very important new trend in the healthcare industry. Bioprinting of pharmaceuticals, for example, achieves what traditional drug manufacturing cannot: the low-cost local production of customized pill medications for patients who need special dosing, quantities, or compositions of drugs. Pills can be 3D printed in unique sizes and shapes and with slow-release capabilities. https://ideaspies.com/posts/3d-printed-pharnaceuticals https://ideaspies.com/register.
