Case Study: UK Cabinet Office achieves 355 SME proposals and streamlined innovation sourcing with Planview IdeaPlace

Surfacing Innovative Solutions For Government Working With Small & Medium Enterprises

The UK Cabinet Office needed fresh, cost-saving products and services from small and medium enterprises (SMEs) but faced two problems: SMEs often felt disadvantaged by government procurement and the Office needed a way to objectively surface and evaluate hundreds of proposals in a short time. The goal was to prove SMEs could deliver high-value solutions and to connect them directly with procurement decision-makers.

To do this it launched the Innovation Launch Pad, a six-week, six-stage open challenge run on Mindjet’s Spigit platform. The programme attracted over 2,100 registered users, 355 proposals, nearly 13,000 votes, 25 teams awarded intensive mentoring and nine finalists in a Dragon’s Den–style presentation; the site was viewed more than 170,000 times by visitors from 85 countries. The initiative not only exceeded engagement targets but left participating SMEs better positioned to work with government and pitch their value.

Cabinet Office

David Gigg

SME Programme