Kluster's 72 Hour TED Challenge

Kluster, founded by friend and young punk Ben Kaufman is in full force here at TED. The former iPod accessory entrepreneur recently (ie: last week) launched his new platform to allow groups of people (just like you and me) to affect decision making processes inside what for has long been a buttoned up-decision making process. I encourage everyone to pop by the site, check out some of the open projects and watch the tutorials to learn more. It’s a truly unique and game changing proposition.

The deal at TED is simple; Kluster is going to create a brand new product in the next 72 hours, with the help of the “1000 brightest people in the world” and all of you. That time is broken down into phases starting with the inception (the idea), through industrial design, naming, engineering, identity and branding, ad campaign, and finally packaging. There’s a good 7 hours left in the first phase (brainstorming the product idea), where users can contribute ideas (sparks) as well as invest their currency (watts) towards the future of the project. The team has kitted out a hotel room suite with all the fixings of a true prototype lab, 3D printers and tools. 72 hours from now, we’ll see what idea rises to the top and into the hands of everyone involved.

To make the deal a little sweeter, the team at Kluster put up $15,000 in rewards. Fancy yourself an innovator and think you can contribute? Time is running out. Go get involved!