The world is rich with original ideas. After all, we are creative beings by nature. So, why is true innovation such a rarely found gem? Perhaps it’s what I call the ‘innovation gap’. If we understand innovation to be the meeting of original creative thought and focused action, without the action, ideas remain just that – ideas. The innovation gap is therefore the chasm that often exists between ideation and doers bringing these into fruition.
This is the rationale and motivation behind the VerseOne Innovation Fund; to offer real-world expertise, funding and continued mentoring to those with ground-breaking and brilliant ideas for delivering real innovation and effective change within social housing.
We’re all witnessing how innovative digital technologies in particular are increasingly playing a significant role in driving the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of service delivery across all market sectors. Smart devices, personalisation of the user experience and real-time data delivery have enabled the customer-driven adoption of self-service and channel shift, from face-to-face interactions and analogue technologies to online digital interfaces.
VerseOne has been setting the agenda and championing digital innovation within social housing. Being innovative isn’t just about applying technology for the sake of it; it is about taking a customer-centric and collaborative approach as to how new digital technologies and methodologies are best blended to create outstanding business solutions that make a real difference and which deliver tangible benefits. We’re not claiming that being innovative is unique to us; rather, that it is the unique way in which we approach it that has enabled us to become a recognised leader in our chosen markets.
While we’re fortunate to have some of the brightest and most creative people in the sector working at VerseOne, we wouldn’t have been able to deliver innovation in the way that we have without the support and active engagement of our valued customers and business partners.
The VerseOne Innovation Fund is therefore a further extension and a more focused approach to this successful, collaborative model. The fund is intended to encourage and bring to fruition innovative and impactful ideas, with contributions from anyone within the sectors we specialise in or, indeed, wider markets.
To support this initiative, we have set aside dedicated funds specifically for exploring and, if suitable, nurturing, integrating and embedding any such ideas into our portfolio of products and services so that these could be fast tracked into our customer solutions.
If you work in social housing and you have an amazing innovative idea that you believe will make a difference, then please get in touch with us at info@verseone.com or by calling 01483 751 827.
Alan Neilson is the founder and executive chairman of VerseOne.
