IdeaScale
{{Multiple issues|
{{Notability|Corp|date=May 2017}}
{{Undisclosed paid|date=August 2024}}
}}
{{Infobox company
| name = IdeaScale
| type = Private
| foundation = 2009
| location = Berkeley, CA, United States and Washington, DC, United States
| key_people = Nick Jain, CEO
Tim Sussman, Head of Government Solutions
| industry = Innovation Management Software
| products = IdeaScale
| homepage = [https://ideascale.com/ ideascale.com]
}}
IdeaScale is a cloud-based software company that licenses innovation management software employing crowdsourcing.{{cite web|author=Esposti, Carl|title=IdeaScale|url=http://www.crowdsourcing.org/site/ideascale/wwwideascalecom/1596|date=Oct 7, 2010|publisher=Crowdsourcing.org|access-date=February 3, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121211040000/http://www.crowdsourcing.org/site/ideascale/wwwideascalecom/1596|archive-date=December 11, 2012|url-status=usurped}} The company was founded by Vivek Bhaskaran{{cite web|author=Gregory T Huang|title=IdeaScale Used for 24 Government Sites|date=8 February 2010|url=http://www.xconomy.com/seattle/2010/02/08/ideascale-used-for-24-government-sites/}} and Rob Hoehn in Seattle.{{cite web|author=Brier Dudley|title=Seattle's IdeaScale tapped for Obama feedback effort|url=http://blogs.seattletimes.com/brierdudley/2010/01/20/seattles_ideascale_tapped_for/|date=Jan 20, 2010|publisher=Seattle Times|access-date=August 10, 2015}}
As of 2018, IdeaScale is headquartered in Berkeley, CA.{{cite web|last1=Procter|first1=Richard|title=IdeaScale's crowdsourcing platform lets customers give rich feedback to businesses, governments|url=http://www.bizjournals.com/sanfrancisco/print-edition/2015/02/13/ideascale-rob-hoehn-crowdsourcing-software-startup.html|website=San Francisco Business Times|access-date=13 February 2015}} In 2023, the company opened its Washington, DC offices.
History
In 2008, the IdeaScale service was first offered.[http://www.mrweb.com/drno/news8955.htm Crowdsourcing Launch for Survey Analytics] at Daily Research News Online, Sept. 30, 2008 It launched in tandem with President Barack Obama's Open Government Initiative.{{cite web|author=Herman, Justin|title=OpenGov Citizen Engagement Tool: Frequently Asked Questions for Federal Agencies|url=http://www.howto.gov/web-content/requirements-and-best-practices/open/tool-faqs|date=September 15, 2011|publisher=HowTo.gov|access-date=February 3, 2013}} In its first year, IdeaScale was adopted by 23 federal agencies. It served many organizations, including the Executive Office of the President of the United States.{{cite web|author=Rao, Leena|title=IdeaScale Powers 23 Crowdsourcing Sites For The U.S. Government|url=https://techcrunch.com/2010/02/07/ideascale-powers-24-crowdsourcing-sites-for-the-u-s-government/|date=February 7, 2010|publisher=TechCrunch|access-date=February 3, 2013}}
The company is privately held. It was bootstrapped without venture capital funding and has become profitable.{{cite web|author=Venge, Brian|title=SBK020 Are You Listening to Your Customers?|url=http://smallbizkaizen.com/index.php/2011/01/are-you-listening-to-your-customers|date=January 19, 2011|publisher=Small Biz Kaizen|access-date=February 3, 2013}} In 2016, IdeaScale acquired Innovationmanagement.se{{Cite press release|url=https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/ideascale-acquires-innovationmanagementse-to-enhance-comprehensive-innovation-offering-300217794.html|title = IdeaScale Acquires InnovationManagement.se to Enhance Comprehensive Innovation Offering}}
In 2022, the company hired a new executive, Nick Jain, to take over for retiring CEO Rob Hoehn.
Features
Users create a profile on IdeaScale and once they are members of a community, they can submit ideas, comment and vote on other ideas, and the most popular ideas are prioritized at the top based on the number of votes the idea receives.{{cite web|author=Miles, Stephanie|title=IdeaScale – Empower Your Customers.|url=http://www.appvita.com/2010/10/04/ideascale-empower-your-customers/|date=October 4, 2010|publisher=AppVita|access-date=February 3, 2013}}
Once a promising idea has been identified, the software allows teams to form around the idea. The team can add more information to the idea, refine it, propose it to leadership and the best ones are selected using sophisticated decision matrix capabilities.{{cite news|title=IdeaScale Launches Idea Incubation|url=http://www.crowdsourcing.org/document/ideascale-launches-idea-incubation-/35995|access-date=24 February 2015|agency=Crowdsourcing.org|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150225021152/http://www.crowdsourcing.org/document/ideascale-launches-idea-incubation-/35995|archive-date=25 February 2015|url-status=usurped}}
The company uses the freemium model of engagement, offering free communities on an open basis and additional, customized functionality to paying clients.{{cite web|author=IdeaScale|title=IdeaScale Pricing & Signup|url=http://ideascale.com/pricing/|date=|publisher=IdeaScale|access-date=February 3, 2013}}