Marcel's Mindweeds

In Detroit, community soup dinners fund local creative projects

Marcel Cramer — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 00:23:08 +0000

It’s no longer uncommon to see creative endeavors funded by the crowds. What is unusual about Detroit Soup’s approach, however, is that the funding — and selecting — of projects takes place via a monthly public dinner.

Those in the Detroit area who are interested in participating can simply turn up for one of Detroit Soup’s dinners on the second Sunday of the month. For USD 5 they get soup, salad, bread and pie, as well as the opportunity to hear four creative project proposals and vote for the one they think most deserves to be funded. The money raised that night — typically between USD 600 and USD 900 — is then given to the proposal that wins the most votes.

There are actually several other like-minded efforts in the Detroit area, such as The Dearborn Soup, and there is a guide to similar granting dinners around the world at SundaySoup.org. Social entrepreneurs far and wide: time to get involved!

Website: www.detroitsoup.com
Contact: detroit.soup@gmail.com

Sourced from: Springwise

Experts paid by the minute to deliver advice via online chat

Marcel Cramer — Wed, 29 Jun 2011 10:02:15 +0000

It’s one thing to tap the crowds for advice on general topics — that’s what apps like Crowdbeacon and Opinionaided are for. Sometimes, however, there’s just no substitute for the insight of a true expert. Enter MinuteBox, a service that lets those with a particular area of expertise monetize it by the minute using online chat.

Users of London-based MinuteBox, which is now in beta, begin by signing up with the site through LinkedIn and connecting it with their expert content on sites including Quora and Stackoverflow, which then gets incorporated into their profile. Next, they set a price for their time and, if they want, install a MinuteBox widget to help promote their service on their favorite social platforms. Then, when users seeking related expertise visit the site, MinuteBox notifies the expert user immediately so that they can connect. Experts are then paid by the minute for advice delivered through video, audio or text chat. MinuteBox retains a fee of up to 25 percent; payments are made immediately through PayPal.

Similar in many ways to the expert chat service available on Pet Architect, MinuteBox offers another nice way for sellsumers to earn extra cash — this time by making the most of their knowledge. One to emulate on a localized or niche basis?

Website: www.minutebox.com
Contact: support@minutebox.com

Spotted by: Judy McRae

Sourced from: Springwise

Selling startups when you’re young

Marcel Cramer — Wed, 22 Jun 2011 11:38:01 +0000

So very cool or so very weird that we have very young people creating great startups? Where many struggle to get a good line on paper or a fix on a business model some of us seem to have it going for them. At the age of 15! Daniil Kulchenko, a high school student just sold his startup on cloud-based computing called Phenona. A true geek? Read the Geekwire article here.

Intel and Kraft take food shopping to the next level

Marcel Cramer — Thu, 03 Feb 2011 17:26:45 +0000

Kraft Foods presented an innovative in-store kiosk, called Next Generation Meal Planning Solution, which is able to recommend recipes based on the customer’s facial features, at the National Retail Federation Convention in New York City.

The kiosk was produced in collaboration with Intel, another major technology company that seems to turn its focus on the production of in-store kiosk, much like IBM that has worked with cosmetics brands for the production of augmented reality “mirrors”.

The kiosk makes use of what Intel calls Anonymous Video Analytics, a technology that enables the collection of accurate audience measurement data: like the number of people standing in front of it, their gender and age. Taking into account other parameters, like the time of the day, the kiosk presents customized content, like recipes, shopping suggestions, promotional coupons as well as product samples.

Kraft has integrated the in-store experience with the mobile experience through the iFood Assistant application, making it easy for consumers to add recipes, shopping lists, by scanning 2D barcodes with their smartphones. Customers can also opt-in through the kiosk to receive future marketing promotions, like holiday recipes and product samples.

One more brand added to the list of those that use digital integration to engage with their in-store clients in richer ways, what brand will be next? And as kiosks become almost mainstream, what will be the next step?

Sourced from: The Next Web

Daily tips for startups, distilled from books old and new

Marcel Cramer — Mon, 31 Jan 2011 14:41:02 +0000

Regular Springwise readers already have access to multiple business ideas each day, but a new site takes a different approach to delivering daily inspiration of its own. Drawing from books on entrepreneurship, business, marketing and management is The Startup Daily, a Connecticut-based site that serves up tips, ideas and advice every day in an email targeted specifically at entrepreneurs.

Launched on New Year’s Eve 2010, The Startup Daily is delivered five to six days per week in a short email that can be digested in about 2 minutes, it says. On some days, featured ideas represent the main theme of a book; on other days, they’re ancillary. Either way, the email publication aims to cover everything from practical, specific tips to big-picture thoughts and wisdom. Each book that’s included, meanwhile, is also linked to on Amazon.com, providing referral fees that enable The Startup Daily to keep its emails free of charge.

Is it possible to have access to too many entrepreneurial ideas? We don’t think so either. One to try out for yourself! (Related: Crowdsourced feedback offered to young startups.)

Website: www.thestartupdaily.com

Contact: karl@thestartupdaily.com

Sourced from: Springwise