Brightidea Review - Features, Pricing & Deals

Brightidea is an innovation management software that helps organizations capture and develop employee ideas into meaningful business outcomes. The platform offers tools for idea collection, evaluation, and collaboration, making it easier for companies to foster innovation across their teams.

With over 4,000 organizations worldwide using the software, including companies like Cisco and Dell, the platform has helped generate more than $15 billion in recorded business outcomes. Users can create customized idea campaigns, manage innovation pipelines, and collaborate through features like real-time whiteboards and discussion forums.

The software includes practical tools such as customizable submission forms, evaluation systems, and comprehensive analytics dashboards. Teams can work together in private workspaces to develop concepts, while social features like point systems and leaderboards help keep employees engaged in the innovation process.

Starting at $59 per month with a free trial available, Brightidea can be tailored to match specific organizational needs and branding requirements. The platform works on both mobile and desktop devices, making it accessible for teams working from different locations.

• Comprehensive Idea Collection: Capture employee innovations through global crowdsourcing with customizable submission forms and targeted idea campaigns.
• Advanced Evaluation System: Automate idea screening with sophisticated rules engines and private team workspaces to develop concepts from inception to implementation.
• Real-Time Collaboration Platform: Enable employees to interact, comment, and vote on ideas using social networking features that foster an engaging innovation culture.
• Intelligent Reporting Dashboard: Track innovation metrics, visualize progress, and make data-driven decisions with comprehensive analytics and customizable reporting tools.
• Flexible Innovation Pipelines: Manage multiple initiatives simultaneously using drag-and-drop interfaces and seamless integration with Brightidea Whiteboard.
• Interactive Brainstorming Whiteboard: Collaborate on an infinite canvas with multiplayer capabilities, preloaded templates, and smart idea prioritization matrices.
• Universal Accessibility: Access the platform from mobile and desktop browsers with single sign-on, custom branding, and intuitive user interfaces.

• Monthly pricing starts at $59 per user, offering a basic innovation management solution for organizations.
• Annual pricing begins at $5,000, designed for larger enterprises with more comprehensive innovation management needs.
• Custom pricing is available upon direct consultation with Brightidea's sales team to match specific organizational requirements.
• Free trial offered without requiring a credit card, allowing potential customers to explore the platform's features before committing.

Brightidea stands out with its proven track record of generating over $15 billion in recorded business outcomes across 4,000+ organizations. Unlike basic idea collection tools, Brightidea offers a complete innovation ecosystem with 21+ customizable templates, private team workspaces, and a unique infinite canvas Whiteboard feature. The platform's drag-and-drop innovation pipelines let you move ideas through custom stages while the built-in social features (like point systems and leaderboards) keep teams engaged. Many users particularly value how Brightidea bridges the gap between casual brainstorming and structured idea implementation.

Most customers find Brightidea relatively straightforward to implement. The platform works through standard web browsers with single sign-on capabilities, so there's no complex software to install. You can customize the interface to match your company branding, and the 21+ templates give you ready-made starting points for different innovation needs. That said, some users mention there's a learning curve for new team members due to the platform's many features. The customer support team gets high marks for helping with setup and troubleshooting, which smooths the implementation process.

Yes, measuring ROI is one of Brightidea's strengths. The platform includes comprehensive dashboards and analytics that track key metrics like user engagement, idea progression, and financial impacts. You can visualize data in real-time to identify which innovation initiatives are generating the best returns. The system lets you tag and categorize ideas with potential value, making it easier to report on outcomes to leadership. Users particularly like how the Smart Matrix feature helps prioritize ideas based on both feasibility and potential impact, giving you a clear picture of where to invest your innovation resources.

Brightidea works quite well for distributed teams. The platform supports real-time and asynchronous collaboration from any location, which means your teams can contribute regardless of time zone. The crowdsourcing capabilities help break down silos between departments and global offices. All users need is a web browser to access the platform through desktop or mobile devices. One limitation some users mention is that the mobile experience isn't as robust as the desktop version. Overall, if global innovation is your goal, Brightidea's collaboration tools make it possible to tap into ideas from across your entire organization.

Brightidea users consistently praise the quality of customer support. Their team helps with initial setup, ongoing questions, and strategy development for your innovation programs. While specific support packages aren't detailed on their site, reviews suggest responsive service is standard. The platform also includes built-in guidance through templates and frameworks that help structure your innovation processes. For organizations new to formal innovation management, this combination of technical support and methodology guidance proves valuable for long-term success. You'll want to ask about support options when discussing pricing with their team.