OPEN INNOVATION: INTUIT ENTREPRENEUR DAY

Modern innovation doesn’t take place in a windowless building. Instead, many organizations reach out to customers, fans, independent developers, and other companies. These open innovation organizationsare looking for everything from simple feature improvements to entire projects. Intuit, home to tools like Quicken and Mint, is looking for startup companies and individual innovators to participate in theirEntrepreneur Day. From their press release:

Whether it’s mobile applications, cloud computing, or data analytics technology, Intuit is seeking companies that can help support its mission: improving the financial lives of its millions of customers.

The selected entrepreneurs will have the chance to pitch to a selection from twleve different business units. For example: Full agenda:

• Lunch discussion about Intuit’s developer platforms
• Q&A with Intuit founder and CTO
• 30-minute strategy discussion with leaders of Intuit’s business units
• Four 25-minute “speed dates” where entrepreneurs pitch their idea to Intuit leaders and get immediate feedback
• Cocktail reception and demos from all companies that choose to participate

Applications are due September 9th for the Mountain View, California event on October 6th, 2011. From Intuit Entrepreneur Day, the Cisco I-Prize, Y Combinator, Plug and Play, and Kickstarter, our opportunities to participate in collaborative innovation continue to grow and diversify. Have you taken advantage of any of these outreach/education events? What are the pluses and minuses you see in the collaboration process?