InnoCentive Powers Toyota’s New “Ideas for Good” Initiative

InnoCentive is now part of Wazoku

WALTHAM, Mass. – December 6, 2010 – InnoCentive, Inc., the leader in Challenge-Driven Innovation, today announced it has been selected by Toyota Motor Sales (TMS), U.S.A., Inc. and the company’s advertising agency Saatchi & Saatchi LA to drive the Challenge component of Toyota’s new “Ideas for Good” initiative announced on November 8, 2010.

The Challenge, currently supported by a major national marketing campaign, invites consumers to find new, non-automotive applications for five distinct Toyota technologies including: Total Human Model for Safety (THUMS), Hybrid Synergy Drive® (HSD), Solar Powered Ventilation System, Touch Tracer Display, and Advanced Parking Guidance System (APGS). More information about these technologies and how the public can share their ideas can be found at www.toyota.com/ideasforgood.com. Submissions will be accepted through February 28, 2011.

“This project is exciting because it allows Toyota to connect with its customers in a completely new way, giving them a chance to participate in a global initiative that will truly change lives. We’re thrilled that our innovation expertise, methodology, and tools will be used in such an impactful way,” said Dwayne Spradlin, CEO of InnoCentive.

InnoCentive provided consultation and advisory services to Toyota Motor Sales surrounding evaluation criteria, running the consumer Challenge, and transfer of IP. Beginning in March 2011, InnoCentive will evaluate the thousands of expected submissions on a number of technical, creative and humanitarian criteria and narrow down the entries for a review by an expert panel of judges. Those include: Joel Stitzel, Ph.D. of Wake Forest University; Keith Grossman of WIRED Magazine; Grace Hawthorne of the Hasso Platner Institute of Design at Stanford University; Jake Ward of Popular Science Magazine and Josh Morenstein of fuseproject. The panel will further narrow the submissions down to the top 25 ideas to be voted on by the public through a community vote. Winners are expected to be announced in May 2011.

“We value the knowledge that InnoCentive brings to this process and are excited to leverage their expertise as we move this ‘Ideas for Good’ Initiative forward,” offered Bob Zeinstra, National Manager for Advertising & Strategic Planning at Toyota Motor Sales U.S.A. Inc. “We are embracing the open innovation process to engage the public in a unique way to help us identify the next big idea for good.”

About InnoCentive, Inc.

Since 2001, InnoCentive has helped corporate, government, and non-profit organizations to better innovate through an open innovation methodology and comprehensive approach we call Challenge-Driven Innovation. InnoCentive’s innovation platform includes access to the InnoCentive Solver Network of over 200,000 engineers, scientists, inventors, business professionals, and research organizations in more than 200 countries and InnoCentive@Work – A Software as a Service platform that allows organizations to more effectively tap into the knowledge and expertise within their business networks to solve their most pressing problems. InnoCentive ONRAMP and Consulting Services ensure rapid and successful start-up, and a sustainable Innovation program. https://www.innocentive.com/

About Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc.

Toyota Motor Sales (TMS), U.S.A., Inc. is the marketing, sales, distribution and customer service arm of Toyota, Lexus and Scion. Established in 1957, TMS markets products and services through a network of nearly 1,500 Toyota, Lexus and Scion dealers which sold more than 1.77 million vehicles in 2009. Toyota directly employs nearly 30,000 people in the U.S. and its investment here is currently valued at more than $18 billion. For more information about Toyota, visit www.toyota.com or www.toyotanewsroom.com.

For more information please contact:

Joni Moore
Emerge PR for InnoCentive
jmoore@emergepr.com
508-308-7900

Connie French
InnoCentive Marketing Director
press@innocentive.com