Wellspring Launches Flintbox, the Open Innovation Network
CAMBRIDGE, UK and PITTSBURGH, USA
20 July 2010
Wellspring Worldwide announces the new release of Flintbox—a revolutionary Open Innovation Network connecting universities, companies, and entrepreneurs. Since the initial launch in April, over 300 organisations on 6 continents have signed-up to market their technologies and connect to industry partners on the Flintbox website. As a free resource to universities, Flintbox represents a unique combination of social networking technology combined with Wellspring’s leadership in university commercialisation software.
The new Flintbox release follows Wellspring’s acquisition of Flintbox in January 2010 from the University of British Columbia (UBC). Flintbox paralleled Wellspring’s existing Technology Gateway product; combining the two websites brings together over 300 universities, government labs, and companies posting, exchanging, licensing and selling technologies online.
Created in 2003 at UBC, Flintbox was the foundation for open innovation software and quickly emerged as the largest online intellectual property exchange. Beyond patents and copyrights, the new Flintbox Open Innovation Network enables organisations to market consultancy expertise, post videos and images describing current research, and launch discussions about market opportunities for emerging technologies. Universities and companies can also efficiently manage high-volume transactions by using its tools for on-line licencing—ideal for distributing biological materials, software applications, and much more.
“The Flintbox launch greatly surpassed our expectations,” explained Robert Lowe, the CEO of Wellspring Worldwide. “Hundreds of valuable technologies have already been posted in just a few weeks, and we are invigorated by the rapid adoption by so many academic institutions“.
The key to Flintbox’s value is the broad adoption by many types of organisations, according to Dr. Matthew Hamilton, President of Wellspring Worldwide. “Our latest partnerships are helping to transform Flintbox from being not only one of the largest aggregators of university technology licencing opportunities but also a platform for the entire innovation community. We are actively working with regional technology alliances, university faculties, and corporate research groups to create a destination specifically designed for the needs of research institutions.”
The data speaks for itself: average page views for existing projects have risen by 30% since the new Flintbox was released, and there are over 13,000 users now registered on the site. In the United Kingdom, Flintbox adoption will be primarily lead by Isis Innovation and Cambridge Enterprise, the commercialisation arms of University of Oxford and University of Cambridge, respectively, who are members of the Flintbox steering committee.
To search for technologies and other postings, and to register as a user, go to www.flintbox.com
About Wellspring Worldwide
Wellspring Worldwide is the leading provider of software to the research community. Sophia, Wellspring’s web-based commercialisation management software, was launched in 2003. Used by the world’s leading universities, both large and small, it provides power and ease of use to manage a portfolio of technologies and to assess financial impact. Offering comprehensive functionality across the range of commercialisation activities, the system is continuously developed to reflect the changing needs and best practice of the technology transfer community. Wellspring's web-based software products empower universities, companies, government agencies, and independent labs to more effectively promote the value and adoption of research. With offices in Cambridge, UK, Pittsburgh, USA, and Chicago, USA, Wellspring serves research-driven organisations on 6 continents. Wellspring acquired Flintbox in 2010 to bring together research-driven organisations, investors, and entrepreneurs on a single Open Innovation Platform.
Contact
For more information about Flintbox or to receive other Flintbox press releases, please contact:
Dominic Bowles
Vice President
Wellspring Worldwide
+44 (0)771 307 5715
dominic.bowles@wellspringworldwide.com
Jennie Roth
Marketing Manager
Wellspring Worldwide
+1-412-481-2511
