|
|
|
|
|||
|
|
||
|
Allotments and community gardens have long been a refuge for gardenless city dwellers wanting to grow their own food. But for garden newbies, the commitment and work involved can be daunting; not to mention having to deal with waiting lists and established social dynamics on a shared piece of land. Which is where our latest (sub)urban farming spotting fits in: Meine Ernte—German for My Harvest—rents out vegetable gardens for a season, and takes care of soil preparation and planting. Once the plants start growing, members come in and spend 1-2 hours a week caring for their plants and harvesting their crops. Prior gardening experience isn't required. A professional is available onsite once a week to answer any questions the amateur gardeners may have, and detailed information on plant care and harvesting is accessible through a members' area on the company's website. Meine Ernte provides members with the necessary tools, and offers gardens in three sizes: Small (enough veggies for 1-2 people, for EUR 149 per season), Standard (3-4 people, EUR 289) and Large (5-6 people, EUR 433). According to Meine Ernte, members can easily get EUR 600 worth of produce from a standard size garden. In advance, Meine Ernte sows and plants over 20 varieties of vegetables, while a section of each plot is left open for gardeners to add varieties of their own choosing. Launched this year by Natalie Kirchbaumer and Wanda Ganders in cooperation with local organic farmers, Meine Ernte currently operates garden sites near six German cities, which it hopes to double in 2011. There's no doubt about it: consumers are increasingly interested in growing their own food, helped by smart entrepreneurs who turn those novice (sub)urban farmers into paying customers. (Related: Remote-controlled farming for city dwellers — Homegrown vegetables, no green thumb needed — More homegrown veggies without the sweat — Five new business ideas for urban gardening — Matching would-be vegetable gardeners with arable land.) Website: www.meine-ernte.de Spotted by: Anna Brones |
|||
|
|||
|
|
||
|
Rebelling against generic, not-made-here products that are piled to the rafters in tourist shops everywhere, an Italian town is inviting artists and designers to come for a visit and rethink the concept of souvenirs. For its Unconventionall Holiday Market, the southern town of Rivello hopes to attract 149 artists, designers and artisans from around the world, for a minimum stay of one week in July or August. As artists in residence, they'll be charged an accommodation fee of around EUR 90 per week. The market's organizers hope that visiting creatives will enjoy nearby beaches during the day, before coming back into town to exhibit and sell their alternatives to—as UHM puts it—"trivial, mass-produced objects, quite often camouflaged as fake local handcrafts". The concept was developed by creative agency Unconventionall, which is accepting submissions from artists and designers until 10 June 2010. It's a great example of combining creativity and commerce to reinforce a town or region's uniqueness. For more on businesses that are countering globalization, check out trendwatching.com's still-made-here. (Related: In London, a free retail space for small creative businesses — Souvenirs meet style in Canada — Austrian village asks tourists to set their price.) Website: www.unconventionall.com/uhm |
|||
|
|||
|
|
||
|
Learning a new language is often best achieved outside the classroom—when one is eating lunch, for example, or practicing one's profession. Aiming to bring a similar philosophy to the education of children, Parisian Baby-speaking is an in-home childcare service that includes foreign language instruction in day-to-day activities. With services for children aged one and up, Baby-speaking was developed with the help of language-acquisition experts to incorporate a new language into everyday activities. Care providers are all native-speakers in the language they offer, and are carefully trained in Baby-speaking's method, which includes a plethora of games and activities to work into the day. “Simon Says” and “Go Fish” are both among the games that Baby-speaking uses to create fun immersion time for young kids, as are songs, skits and cooking recipes. For kids six and up, Baby-speaking adds activity books of interactive games and a conversation notebook to enrich what's learned in school; teen services are designed to complement the language fundamentals learned in high school. Baby-speaking's prices range from EUR 12 per hour for children under 6 to EUR 35 for teens. Baby-speaking has already won several awards, including one in the 2009 European Innovative Enterprise Competition. Time to target all the future little polyglots near you...? Website: www.baby-speaking.fr Spotted by: Hugo Cahuzac |
|||
|
|||
|
|
||
|
If a music band's fans are essentially its customers, it stands to reason that the band should make every effort to understand and please them. That can include maintaining close contact through a band-specific iPhone app or band-management tool, but sometimes, there's no substitute for good, hard analytics. That's where Finnish GigsWiz comes in, with tools designed to give bands new insight into where their biggest fans are and what they want to hear. Just launched into beta earlier this month, GigsWiz includes a website, a Facebook application and a software widget. The Facebook app and widget are both for collecting data—specifically, during GigsWiz's beta period, they're focused on asking fans, “where do you want us to play live?” The app is designed for the band's Facebook fan page, while the widget can be installed on the band's own website or MySpace page. Responses to that question can then be viewed plotted on a map or as charts and lists. Either way, the results show where interest is greatest for a live performance, enabling the band to make better decisions on when and where to play. Not only that, but the data can also help sell gigs to gig organizers, who are more likely to be convinced that the demand will be there. GigsWiz statistics and analytics services are free of charge for artists, agents and promoters. GigsWiz is currently in closed beta, so users must apply for a beta code on the company's site. It's a local world out there, and today's cheap—or free—tools make it relatively easy to amass, regionalize and map out useful data. What other industries or niches could use a little mapmania of their own...? (Related: 'Sex map' reveals erotic-spending trends by city — Nightlife mapping tool uses GPS to reveal hotspots — Import/export intelligence service.) Website: www.gigswiz.com Spotted by: John Greene |
|||
|
|||
|
|
||
|
Anyone who spends a lot of time online will have used a file sharing service to send large files to friends or colleagues, or maybe even to download a music track or two. While functional (and free), those services aren't harbingers of style or user-friendliness, bombarding users with off-target banners and frequent prompts to upgrade to premium services. Which is why Dutch startup WeTransfer thinks there's money to be made by offering a more appealing alternative. WeTransfer's feature list isn't unusual: it's free and allows users to send big files (up to 2 GB) without registering. Files are available for two weeks, and can be transferred to up to twenty people. The main difference with other online file transfer services is WeTransfer's approach to design and sponsorship. Like its competitors, the company relies on advertising for revenues. But instead of running questionable banner ads, WeTransfer sells wallpaper advertising—those pretty pictures in the background. Since WeTransfer's own interface is minimal, that leaves a lot of space for a sponsor's brand. (The screenshot above shows a wallpaper for Blyk, the mobile network operator we've written about in the past.) In addition to buying wallpaper space on WeTransfer's main site, companies can also sponsor their own channels—Blyk, for example, can send its audience to blyk.wetransfer.com. No stranger to this flavour of online advertising, one of WeTransfer's founders is lifestyle and music blogger Nalden, whose design-heavy nalden.net has sold wallpaper space to brands like Nike, Vodafone and Apple. The lesson here? Take an existing service, make it more enticing for consumers and, with a little coaxing, brands will follow. Oh, and don't forget the free love! Website: www.wetransfer.com |
|||
|
|||
|
|
||
|
Toy rental is a concept we've already seen implemented on more than one occasion, including one in Texas and one in France. Just recently, however, we came across another contender in Canada that targets not just consumers but also businesses that keep toys in their waiting rooms. Serving Vancouver, B.C., Lucky Duck Toy Box provides a wide assortment of toys for kids aged newborn through five years old. Parents or grandparents simply choose a subscription plan--ranging from CAD 24 to CAD 69 per month for 3 to 12 toys--and pick out which toys they'd like to start with. Lucky Duck then delivers those within days. A month later, customers login once more to choose their next set; when their delivery date arrives, Lucky Duck swaps the old ones for the new ones. For businesses, Lucky Duck Toy Box offers a like-minded solution to the problem of old, dirty, worn out toys in waiting rooms. Instead, it delivers a fresh assortment of sanitized playthings to keep businesses' youngest customers safe and entertained. All toys are lead-tested, inspected and cleaned with environmentally friendly products. Weekly and custom delivery plans are also available. Whether for transumers or for businesses that cater to kids, toy rental seems to be an idea whose time has come. Something to emulate for all the pediatricians, kids' dentists and other toy-laden professional offices near you...? Website: www.luckyducktoybox.com Spotted by: Melanie McIntosh |
|||
|
|||
|
|
||
|
There's no doubt sports matches and other large events offer advertisers the potential of an engaged, enthusiastic crowd of consumers; how to make the most of that potential, however, is much less clear. Finnish Uplause has developed a series of social games for use on giant stadium screens that aim to entertain and engage participants while conveying positive brand impressions. Uplause games can be shown on-screen during breaks in the action at any game or large event. Shouting, waves and other crowd favorites are included among the games on offer, as are games that challenge the audience to battle for a better score in volume, rhythm and more. One game, for example, requires the audience to clap together at specific times in order to match the rhythm of the song, “We will rock you.” At least as important as the entertainment value, however, is that sponsorship can be inserted in a matter of minutes, Uplause says. The technology's in-game ad system lets event organizers earn additional revenues by selling product placement to partners and sponsors. The games can also be used to move large crowds of people, such as over to the bar, Uplause says. Operated for event organizers by the Uplause team, the system was already used in Finland's SM-Liiga Ice Hockey Play-Offs this spring; a YouTube video demonstrates the technology in action. There's little doubt that content has become far more effective than advertising when it comes to engaging individual consumers, so it only makes sense that the same would be true on a crowd level. Uplause aims to expand internationally with its licensing-based business model, according to a report in ArcticStartup; one to partner with toward that end...? Website: www.uplause.com Spotted by: Jan Ameri |
|||
|
|||
|
|
||
|
We've seen numerous examples of pop-up restaurants in recent years, including the Müvbox, the Yellow Treehouse and Charlie's Burgers. Recently one of our spotters alerted us to a monthly event in Paris, however, that starts with a community brunch and offers a whole day of eco-minded activities. Founded by Nadege Winter—who, incidentally, is affiliated with Wool and the Gang, which is no stranger to our pages—BrunchBazar is a series of community get-togethers that take place on the first Sunday of every month at the Comptoir General in Paris. The last one, for example, took place on May 2, running from noon to 7 p.m. Organic catering was provided by Cococook, as was a series of cooking workshops throughout the day. Creative workshops for kids were provided by PetitHOOD, while Wool and the Gang served up something similar for knitters. Also on hand were a fashion swap sponsored by Good Storage, dance classes by I Could Never Be a Dancer, music from Big Festival, eco-minded education from Winter's online magazine Greenkiss, and more. The price of admission was EUR 3—50 cents of which went to the World Wildlife Fund—with small additional fees for some of the workshops. Besides the obvious attraction for consumers and benefits for the community, BrunchBazar clearly has much to offer local vendors and brands as well—namely, a way to get close to customers in a relaxed setting that's focused on education and entertainment rather than making a sale. (Related: Pop-up cafe is a (straw) monument to sustainability.) Website: www.brunchbazar.com Spotted by: Elisabeth Dien |
|||
|
|||
|
|
||
|
Tolstoy said "music is the shorthand of emotion" and, as marketing gurus insist, people buy emotionally. With an audience that extends to just about everyone, the music business can be a great source for new business ideas. Here are five we spotted recently: 1. MOOD TRAXXER — Traxx.fm's Mood Traxxer aims help users find music to match their mood by getting them to describe their current state of mind, activity, needs and 'drug', and then serving them tunes according to those choices. Options include moods such as "Darth Vader on a Bad Hair Day". Stereomood is based on the same concept. 2. THE COOL TV — Ever come out of a great gig and wished you could relive the experience straight away? As part of its hyper-localised strategy, digital music TV network The Cool TV is selling recordings of concerts as soon as they finish—both online and as CDs and DVDs available outside the venue. 3. CORONA HOTEL — Rock fans at the Rock in Rio event in Madrid next month will get a taste of an unusual promotion from beermaker Corona: a branded, pop-up hotel. Winners of an international contest get flights and tickets to the festival and will stay in purpose-built, luxury accommodation at the festival site. Of course, there's complementary Corona beer for all guests. 4. MIXMATCHMUSIC — MixMatchMusic is a music community featuring a suite of tools that emphasise and facilitate musical collaboration. Content creators upload individual tracks which can be mixed online by fellow musicians and remixed by fans. Royalties are shared by all those involved. 5. CHARTFIXER — Those who habitually complain that the charts are fixed may derive some grim satisfaction from the advent of Chart Fixer in Australia—a service that pledges to get a single into the charts for those who can afford it … and to do so legally. By paying private individuals to download tracks (and taking a cut) the website promises to generate a buzz that may even lead to what it calls 'natural sales. Spotters: Murtaza Ali Patel, Jim Stewart, Leticia Pérez Prieto, Jake Bishop |
|||
|
|||
|
|
||
|
For architects, engineers, surveyors and others who depend on computer-aided design, working remotely typically means gathering data offsite by hand and then bringing it back to the office for input and use with the CAD software installed there. SitePAD is a new iPhone app that aims to change all that by allowing users to create, manage and exchange CAD files on the go. Launched in March by UK-based Fresh Design Base, SitePAD bills itself as the first truly mobile CAD solution. Rather than having to re-draw hand sketches back at the office, for example, users can employ SitePAD offsite to capture information in a format that integrates directly into their desktop solution. Capabilities included in Release 1 of the software are line, arc, polyline, circle, rectangle, freehand, move, copy, rotate, mirror, offset, trim, extend, group, ungroup, snaps, orthos, numeric input, pan and zoom, among others, with many more coming soon. When accompanied by a SitePAD online account, meanwhile, users don't even have to wait to get back to the office themselves; rather, they can send their drawings ahead as soon as they've finished them, allowing colleagues to begin work on them instantaneously. Compatible with iPhone, iPod touch and iPad, SitePAD is priced at GBP 5.99 in the iTunes store. An online account ranges from GBP 7 to GBP 15 per month, depending on requirements, according to an interview on eggtea.com, but Fresh Design Base is currently offering a free 30-day trial. For all those in design professions, this could be one to try out. For all others: how could you bring some new mobility to professionals in the industry closest to *your* heart...? Website: www.sitepad.co.uk Spotted by: Liv Slack |
|||
|
|||
|
|
||
|
We've already seen a few uses of interactive technology in bars—both at the Adour Wine Bar in New York and in iBar installations around the globe—but until recently, we hadn't yet come across a bar that incorporates an online component in its patrons' interactions. That's exactly what South Africa's MiWorld does, however, with a website, a digital wall and touchscreen tables that facilitate both digital and real-world conversation. To participate in MiWorld, consumers must be invited and given a secret code, which allows them to register online. Then, when they're ready to head out, they can choose one of two bricks-and-mortar locations in Johannesburg: MiBar Martini, a contemporary cocktail bar in the Design District of Rosebank, or MiLounge Martini, a sophisticated cocktail, champagne and wine bar with a lounge atmosphere in Melrose's Blu Bird Shopping Centre. In August, a third option—MiCafe—will launch in Rosebank, and there are occasional pop-up “MiEvents” at varying locations as well. Whichever locale they choose, members must first log in at the door. Then, once inside, they can order off the interactive MiTables, e-chat with patrons at neighbouring tables and even different MiLocations, sign into Facebook, view the menu and access the MiWorld network to view exclusive content and special offers. MiWorld is the brainchild of South African LiquidChefs. We've been writing about what our sister site calls the off=on trend for a while now, but this is surely one of the clearest illustrations we've seen. Hospitality entrepreneurs around the globe: time to infuse some online oxygen into your own offerings? (Related: Hotel helps guests connect online — Airline's social networks connect frequent flyers — Shopping by invitation.) Website: www.mi-world.co.za Spotted by: Jordan Wainer |
|||
|
|||
|
|
||
|
For most expectant parents, travel is something to be minimized during the final weeks of pregnancy so as to increase the chances of giving birth close to home. For “birth tourists,” on the other hand, delivering on foreign soil is the ultimate goal—primarily to obtain foreign citizenship for the newborn. Therein lies both a controversial topic from an immigration point of view and an opportunity for hospitality providers in that foreign land. Thanks to the Fourteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, children born on U.S. soil automatically become U.S. citizens, regardless of where their parents hail from. Hence the phenomenon of U.S. birth tourism, which appears to be a growing trend. Enter New York City's Marmara Manhattan hotel, a Turkish-owned enterprise on the Upper East Side that emphasizes extended stays through packages such as its Suddenly Splitsville option for the newly divorced. For pregnant mothers, "what we offer is simply a one-bedroom suite accommodation for USD 7,750, plus taxes, for a month, with airport transfer, baby cradle and a gift set for the mother," Marmara Hotel spokeswoman Alexandra Ballantine told abcnews.go.com. The hotel estimates the total cost of the package at USD 45,000; most women stay for two months, and they pay for their own medical care, with hospital costs approaching USD 30,000, the site reported. The compensation for that hefty price tag? U.S. citizenship for the child, with the ability to travel freely to and from the U.S. Some, in fact, view the children of birth tourists as “anchor babies,” since they can help bring about the eventual immigration of an entire family. The practice is by no means without its opponents. On the other hand, it also presents an opportunity for hotels and other accommodation providers in the U.S. and other like-minded nations. One to mull over for your own hospitality enterprise? (Related: Global directory lets medical tourists find & review clinics.) Website: www.marmara-manhattan.com Spotted by: Parul Rohatgi |
|||
|
|||
|
| |||
|
|
|
|
