Introducing Simpl, the Platform Where Social Innovators, Government, and Non-Profits Meet to Make Innovation Happen

LONDON and WASHINGTON, April 5, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Imagine if there were an online marketplace where people with good ideas could connect with people, government agencies, and non-profit organizations who have the resources to make those ideas happen. Now, imagine how government might be transformed if they were able to participate in this idea exchange, inviting citizens and social innovators to help them solve some of today's most vexing problems.  Thanks to the launch of the new Social Innovation Marketplace Simpl, the concept of matching innovative ideas with the resources to make them happen has become a reality.

Code for America Hosts Launch of Simpl

The launch and initial social innovation matchmaking activities hosted by Code for America, at their San Francisco headquarters on April 5th, will be the first public unveiling of the new Simpl platform. This important milestone is the result of a partnership between public sector consultancy FutureGov and government marketing experts Rock Creek Strategic Marketing.  Find out more about the event in Craig Newmark's Huffington Post article.

How Simpl Works

The Simpl Social Innovation Marketplace is similar to other well-known online marketplaces like eBay, Freecycle, or even Match.com. Simpl is a platform where innovators can post ideas and ask for the resources they need to make the idea happen - anything from money to expertise or even office space to help get their idea off the ground. Once the ideas are posted, organizations and individuals with resources can bid on the ideas, sharing their resources with innovators.  Simpl also allows people and organizations, such as government agencies, to post "asks" where they outline a problem and invite social innovators to submit potential solutions.

Initial Simpl Responses are "Inspiring" and "Amazing"

"Initial response to the non-public beta version of the Simpl platform was pretty inspiring," said Scott Johnson, president and founder of Rock Creek Strategic Marketing, one of the firms responsible for developing the Simpl concept and platform.  "During the beta phase, we were impressed by many of the ideas posted on the site.  For example, one idea was the concept of a 'Good Gym' where people would be able to combine exercise with a meaningful task, like running to visit a lonely elderly person in a nursing home.  Another idea submitted was to create groups that focus on the school of 'everything', where lifelong learning would be reinvented and supported via the creation of local face-to-face peer learning groups."

"We can't wait to see what ideas and resources will be submitted now that Simpl will have a much larger audience," remarked Johnson.

Government Agencies Request Citizen, Private Sector Ideas for Social Problems

In addition to social innovators posting ideas, government agencies, and councils have also posted "asks" on the site.  For example, on recent "ask" was from a librarian seeking creative ideas to help support the young unemployed people who use her library on a regular basis. Additionally, the UK's largest fund for social entrepreneurs, UnLtd, recently used Simpl to help in its search for the 25 most ambitious social entrepreneurs in England. Representatives from UnLtd believe Simpl provided an opportunity to reach a far wider audience than ever before, helping them to seek out new and innovative ideas of all shapes and sizes.

Free Simpl Social Innovation Platform Registration Available at www.simpl.co

At this time, Simpl registration is free, and available to social innovators, individuals, government agencies, entrepreneurs, volunteers, and small businesses.  Users can quickly sign in using their existing Facebook or Twitter login credentials, or they may create another standalone account on the Simpl site. Interested innovators, agencies and non-profits should visit www.simpl.co for more information or to register.

About Simpl

Simpl is a social innovation marketplace that connects people with good ideas for radical social change with people in the public sector who want to do things differently.  For more information, visit www.simpl.co.

Media Contacts:

Dominic Campbell
303 668 5052
[email protected]

Carrie Bishop
44 7788 666 872
[email protected]

SOURCE Simpl