We are pleased to announce that Worthidea has been one of the winners in the program to support startups Online Marketing Expo. This contest was looking for more innovative projects, and aims to facilitate new companies entering the market and begin to establish new business contacts.

The OMExpo is the largest digital marketing event in Spain, held in Madrid on 24 and 25 February. For more information go to their website.

Continuing with the exercise to learn more about the Worthidea users, we have another interview with another of the highlights of WorthIdea users ‘Dalmata’. This soriano of 37 years has been with us for many months and won the 4th Worthidea season. His name is Jose Javier Ramas and has a 9 year old daughter named Elizabeth, who tells so seems to be a very good WorthIdea user too in the future as his father told us. You can see them in the picture playing in the snow.

Please find attached the full content of the interview:

1. You have signed up in Worthidea more than 70 ideas, where do you get so many ideas, how to get the necessary inspiration? Do you use some technique of creativity?

Since I was a little boy I’ve always been interested in the operation of any appliance, I remember that any toy that fell into my hands the first day was dismounted and studied to understand how it works. My daughter is like me when I was a child, always doing experiments, and even giving me ideas some of them I have posted in WorthIdea. I’ve always wanted to know how everything works and I’m always thinking of possible inventions. Many of the ideas I’ve had I’ve seen many years later or on television, newspapers and shopping as recent inventions.

2. Where is the place where you usually think about your ideas?, Do you have a favorite site?

In my case, ideas do not require any favorite places to come into my mind, rather the contrary, what is needed is to observe everything around you and having an active mind. I see such a problem and then I look for a solution, but I think people that do this, do it from childhood.

3. Many people have good ideas but neither share nor do anything with them, but forget them, what would you say to these people?

Those people (including me) I would recommend trying to realize their ideas and are to take some profit from them. The problem is we never know how, patent something apart from the procedures also costs much money not available to us. In this issue I think government should give aids because in some ways is also a benefit for the country.

4. What do you think should be the evolution of Worthidea?

For me the most important thing that Worthidea should do is trying to help all these people who contribute ideas. You should try to contact some of the ideas that provide users with qualified companies or individuals able to give it support for the ideas.

5. In Worthidea we believe consumers should have a much more active role in the decision of the goods and services that launch businesses, what is your opinion?

I believe that we already have, in the way that if a product is not well accepted by consumers certainly will not succeed and will sink.

6. And, do you think companies are willing to listen to their consumers?

Yes, because their survival depends on it.

We will continue advancing the new features that will be included in the new Worthidea. In the new version there is a big change in philosophy. It maintains the concept of only original and feasible ideas, which are ideas that can become real products or services. What changes is the life cycle of ideas.

Currently an idea consists of a public part, meant to explain the beneficiaries and benefits of the idea, and a private part in which the idea is fully described. The private part is only visible for a while (the free access period as it’s called), after which anyone who wanted to know this information would have to make a small payment that would go to the author of the idea. After our experience with this model over the last year, with the aim that all the knowledge that you have provided is not missed, we will change this model. In the new Worthidea the public and private are unified into a single description field, and the whole ideas are always public. The aim has always been to become true all the ideas posted, so you can enjoy the products and services designed, and we believe it will be much easier after this change.

Obviously with this model the concept of buying ideas must disappear as the idea becomes fully public. In its place we will increase the incentive to the user for their participation in Worthidea. Currently, this incentive was given as income to the user’s PayPal account, but we have received many messages in which your are telling us that this method is not generating much confidence. Therefore, and seeing that many of you are still accumulating money without any method “reliable” to trade him, has defined a list of awards. In this catalog you can redeem points earned during participation in Worthidea for gifts of all kinds. This catalog will work with a virtual currency called ‘neuro’, representing the number of neurons to be strengthened to achieve the various prizes. For every 100 points earned will accumulate in Worthidea 1 neuro. These neuro may be exchanged for gifts at any time. The catalog consists of all kinds of items like books, video games, games of wit, and so on… whose value ranges from 45 neuros to 1,300.

During this month there shall be paid the amount accumulated in ‘payment pending’ for ideas in January once it has completed its validation, as usual. That will be the last month in which payment will be made by paypal. The remaining payment that accrues to the ideas of February onwards becomes neuros in the transition to the new website. Users who have no outstanding payments then start with 0 neuros.

There is less time to launch the new version WorthIdea, in which we have been working over recent months. One of the goals we are looking forward with this new website is to offer all those upgrades or new features that you have been demanding with your ideas and we hope to improve your user experience.

Below we show you some of the new features that will be launch:

• Receiving notifications when your idea changes. You will know when someone adds a comment or when the status of those ideas that interest you are changing.

• Being able to upload images and reference videos. You will be able to attach some pictures to the ideas that help explaining them. You could also reference videos from Youtube or other similar pages.

• Change in the score for the ideas. Currently the number of points received by the ideas recorded only depends on whether the idea is valid or not and whether it is related to any topic. In the new Worthidea version, in addition to these factors, also affect the points scored assessments received by other users. This will aim to reward with more points to users who register best ideas.

• Do not eliminate cancelled ideas and attach the reason of the cancellation. In the current version, the ideas that are cancelled for not being original or not feasible disappear from the web. For these ideas you will see in the new version that the state is ‘cancelled’ and we will also attach the reason for the cancellation, so that all users may know the reason. Another different case are the ideas that are spam, offensive, etc … that they will be removed immediately.

• Changes in the feedback mechanism. For us the comments that you add to the ideas have a great value, because they improve the idea and provide interesting perspectives to advance the acceptance and success of it. But currently it is difficult to extract information for stakeholders because very heterogeneous reviews are mixed. Therefore, the current section of comments is replaced by 4 sections: Pros, Cons, and Other Improvements. The Pros section is designed to include reasons why you believe the idea can work, ie points in favor of it. Cons section would be the opposite, specifying reasons that can lead to failure of the idea. The Improvements section is to be used to indicate how one could modify and improve the original idea. Finally, the section is where the Others could include other comments. As in the current version of the ideas may not be changed after registration, to avoid the idea can change dramatically once they are validated, so these fields is intended that this might evolve or be explained in more detail.

This is only a sample of the new features, but there are many more. In future blog entries will go forward more features and changes included in the new Worthidea. By the way, what do you think about the new logo?

As many of you know, soon it will be launched a new version of the WorthIdea website incorporating new features. Shortly we will be advancing in the blog some of the new features of this new version. We believe that in parallel with this change WorthIdea, it is time to popularize this portal.

Our philosophy so far has been for growth based on the recommendations of the users to their friends and acquaintances. As you know in WorthIdea don’t accept any type of idea, but only those original and feasible that will create value to society and firms. So that’s why we’ve wanted you to bring to WorthIdea people you know they have that interest and the ability to generate good ideas. But we should make greater efforts to attract more people to share these interests, for having greater diversity in WorthIdea that benefits all.

We could do the usual google marketing campaigns or similar, but as usual we want to demonstrate that creativity that characterizes us and do different things. And so we ask for your help.

We are looking for ideas to promote WorthIdea and attracting more people to our community. Ideas not based on typical marketing campaigns and to achieve that WorthIdea keep growing. We count on your support.

Here is a short interview to caritafeliz, in order to know something else about one of the best worthidea users. Katherine Martinez, caritafeliz real’s name, is a 32 years old woman who lives in Caracas (Venezuela) and she’s Biologist. In the picture below you can see her next to her pet. She’s being participating in Worthidea for more than a year, and she has been the winner of the third season. Nowadays she is the worthidea use who has accumulated the highest number of points (22.206 right now)

The whole interview is detailed below:

1. You have registered in Worthidea more than 250 ideas. How do you get so many? How or what inspire you?

I’m a scientific so I’m vey observant, in everywhere there´s an idea we can develop, we just have to pay attention. Trying to solve daily problems appears good ideas

2. Where do you often think your ideas? Do you have a prefer place?

Ideas sometimes appear in any place, what I always try is carrying a notebook with me. Sometimes during a dream I think of an idea, and when I wake up I have my notebook in my bedside table, jeje.

3. There are many people that don´t share their ideas “for not being stolen”. What would you say to all these people? Which is your motivation to share your ideas in Worthidea?

I think that if an idea doesn’t leave your brain, it will always stay inside, and never become true. Worthidea opens a window, and makes my ideas reach those people who can make them come true.

4. Tell us which is the more surprising idea you ever seen in Worthidea

Really all the ideas surprised me because it’s amazing how people can create things. Although if I have to choose one, I remember one that was about a peanut double compartment bag, one compartment for the peanuts and the other to keep the shells and don’t throw them to the floor. It’s a simple idea but useful, it’s the typical idea that one think: “hey, why anybody think about it before?

5. In Worthidea, we think consumers must be taken into account in the process of make decision about new products and services of a firm. What do you think about that?

That’s it, market research is very important for companies, where there is a great demand companies supply, this is how it works. If you start creating products and after that you sell them, it will be more difficult than if you first ask clients what they need and then you give them so, in this way you´ll be successful.

6. And, do you think companies are determined to listen to their consumers?

If they want to be successful they should do it, but not every single company do it and that’s why we see a lot of companies closing.

Last June Bubok requested WorthIdea ideas on “how all the authors who are already part of Bubok and have uploaded their book, can multiply the sales of their book and publicize the network and beyond.” We´ve just received feedback from Bubok to received ideas.

First of all they have told us that work with WorthIdea users “has been a fantastic experience because we can get ideas from uncontaminated users who are unfamiliar with our industry and will focus on our problem from a completely new perspective.“

On the other hand they have told us they have conducted, or will shortly, the following ideas:

• Each book page on Facebook (loogic idea): It is recommended by the authors in the practical guide to sell his book.

• Audiobook version (caritafeliz idea) will offer this service for 2010.

• Quantity discounts (Srey idea) now offer discounts for purchase of 15, 50 and 100 copies.

• Virtual Book Fair (Lluis idea) have recently mounted digital book fair.

They also highlight another idea, commenting that they would love to do but for various reasons have not been able to:

• Make a media newsletter (felipebarca idea).

We love to see that ideas from all of us are so well received by other companies. This encourages us to continue working on this road we have taken, to ensure that we can work together in business with our ideas and that these are not wasted.

Thanks to all who participated and especially to users alluded.

The fifth season of Worthidea has finished lasting from 01 July to 31 October. After reviewing the last ideas inserted in this sort of time, we can announce that the user’s top ranking is:

Congratulations to the winner felipebarca, and to dalmata very closed to the winner. We also want to give congratulations to caritafeliz, the third season winner, who has reached the third position, as she did the previous season. The Worthidea Team just want to congratulate these splendid ideologists, for all their good ideas and creative minds.

It’s important remembering the winner have been decided by the actual punctuation (for for the total), that shows the user participation for the last 4 months. With this we want to give the same possibilities to new users than the oldest ones.

And now, has already started a new season? We´ve got good news about that. A new website, with new functionalities and closer with companies will be launch in next weeks. The season concept, will give way to other concepts… but we still can’t tell you much more. Stay tuned to the blog, we will be telling you as less time. Meanwhile, only saying that the more you give ideas, comments and votes major surprises you will find in the new website.

Our friend Isaac Lucatero, director of the Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation at the Tec of Monterrey in Mexico, told us how they are using the WorthIdea platform during the exercises developed in the business Incubation lessons.

Students in this course have to publish their business ideas into a site dedicated to crowdsourcing, such as WorthIdea, so that in this way each idea may receive input and comment from both other students and any user of the portal. The two main objectives of this practice for students, in the words of Isaac Lucatero, are:

- Breaking the ancestral fear of having to share information about their business, thinking they have the idea that will revolutionize the world.

- Check that the synergy is vital in adding ideas and opinions and views can exponentially improve their business model.

Asking about what his vision of the role the crowdsourcing portals as WorthIdea in today’s society tells us:

“There is a saying of Victor Hugo that summarizes what is happening today,” WHAT MOVES AND LEADS THE WORLD ARE NOT MACHINES BUT IDEAS “and if these ideas we give them speed, which is what technology has to offer information, add the intention of thousands of people who seek to disseminate their acquired knowledge and create innovations. The crowdsourcing and prosumer among other trends have provided the voice and knowledge of thousands is provided to find solutions for everyday life, making this world a world with synergies. “

In WorthIdea we fully agree with the comments of Isaac, and we are delighted that they have used our platform for such an initiative.

Here we can see Isaac (below left) with students

Last June, T-reto.com asked Worthidea community for helping giving ideas about original challenges to be done during the summer in some of the popular Spanish festivals.

We´ve just been told that one of those challenges proposals have been successfully done. In this case the idea was about changing the professional occupation, and the idea was given by caritafeliz. You can see here the video, in which a person is a mime just for several hours in Santiago festival.

We are satisfied that our ideas had been useful for t-reto.com. Congratulations to caritafeliz and we hope that many other ideas could be turn into reality.