If you don’t subscribe or read “Trendwatching” yet. I would highly encourage you to do so. Every quarter they send a report that meticulously pulls observations from their panel of “trendwatchers” from all over the world. The result is a wonderful, colorful and inspiring list of what people are thinking and doing that is cutting edge.
Use Trendwatching as Your Source for Product Improvement and Innovation
I’ve just learned about their sister site — Springwise. Springwise uses their 8,000 spotters around the world to observe and send them the most innovative business ideas. This is a fantastic resource for potential new “add ons” to your business.
Here is just a sampling of ideas you’ll find on the page.
1. STREETBANK — Streetbank in the UK aims to help neighbours get to know each other, simply by being nice. Users indicate something they’d be willing to lend, help with or give away. Having done that, they can see what others are offering in their area, or they can make a request for something specific. The result: people get to meet, share something, and hopefully become friends.
2. WIJ BOUWEN EEN WIJK — Wij Bouwen Een Wijk (“We’re building a neighbourhood”) isn’t a company: it’s a community effort to design and oversee the construction of every aspect of the neighbourhood in which project members will eventually live. Participants with the most innovative ideas can even get a street named after them!
To see more of these innovations jump over to Springwise.