At the time I am writing this, the Dow is down yet again, so a website that supports entrepreneurs and small business owners is a sanity-saver.  Ideablob is just such a website. 

Ideablob was started by Advanta, a company that specializes in providing credit cards to small companies.  Advanta was started in 1951 by Jack Alter, a school teacher, who began the business with $30.  With that money, Jack provided small loans to fellow teachers and from there the business grew.

The Advanta Foundation has provided “over $14 million in grants for community activities in the arts, education, health and human services, and civic development."  As an extension of that Ideablob provides $10,000 each month to a winning idea submitted by a small business owner or entrepreneur.

So what does Ideablob have to offer besides the $10,000?  Well, as a start, input from other small business owners and entrepreneurs.  They offer advice and suggestions to help with the development and implementation of each other’s ideas.  They also vote on the ideas submitted to Ideablob.

Multiple ideas can be floated to see which one(s) have the greatest potential.  Because one of the website’s goals is to foster community, it is easy to network with other small businesses and entrepreneurs.  As a part of the networking concept, Ideablob also has information on how to use social media to drum up support for ideas and as marketing tools.

Since this is a public website that helps with the creation and development of business ideas, if you are looking to patent or copyright your idea, don’t share it.  Although the website is a community of like minded people sharing ideas and advice, there is no guarantee that your idea won’t be stolen.

Maybe that is why so many of the ideas have a social responsibility component.  Three of the top four ideas are either for non-profits or would have a non-profit component.  For example, A Better World for a Buck promotes giving $1.00 to your choice of cause and then getting your friends and family to donate a dollar to their favorite causes. 

Another idea is Support Homeless Bloggers.  This project gives a voice to a faceless powerless group through the following efforts: 

Finding sponsorships for gift cards to wifi-enabled food spots, web design help for homeless blogs, connecting bloggers to search engine optimization and story telling training, working with other groups to support policy effecting homeless bloggers, working to get blogging technology such as laptops in the hands of homeless bloggers, and crafting viral marketing efforts to expose the public to the diverse thoughts of homeless bloggers.

These are just a couple of examples of the ideas on Ideablob.  Other ideas with more of a business orientation are Battery-Free Keyless Entry Remote and Laptop ATM.  The first idea involves a company that is building a “dynamo-powered keyless entry remote”.  This would be something of a “Swiss army knife” type of keyless remote that would include a pen, light, and bottle opener in a “ruggedized” package.

The Laptop ATM would be a portable banking device that would allow you to get instant access to your money.  With the financial situation worldwide fluctuating widely, this would appear to be a terrible idea except:

Software comes with budgeting tips and intervention-esque account controls, specifically designed for the over-indulgent (Preventing users from gaining access to their funds for given periods of time)

If AIG had had that software, it might not have taken the almost half a million dollar junket to a luxury spa hotel after receiving an $85 million bailout.  Maybe one application of the Laptop ATM would be to apply it to financial institutions in the hopes that the ego-inflated executives will be reined in.

Ah well, I guess I need to check back into Ideablob and make that suggestion. 

If you have ideas that could use some refinement for projects, non-profits, or small businesses this is the perfect place to post your ideas and get feedback.

Related:

Entry was posted on Wednesday, October 22nd, 2008 at 1:41 pm under Blogosphere, Ecommerce, Internet, Social Media, Technology, Tips and advice.

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