GreyTideas was founded in 2018 to respond to an increasing numbers of ageing customers in today’s society. At GreyTideas, we believe that when companies and entrepreneurs offer innovations which create value for older customers, they do not have to consider ageing as a problem but an opportunity instead. GreyTideas is specialised in exploring how value can be created by guiding product developers and users through a process of co-creative product design, with the aim to explore how (prospective) customers think, act and dream.
Co-creation stands for utilising the wisdom, knowledge and experience of people into the development of innovations. Working in co-creation with (prospective) clients does not only respond to a growing desire of people to be involved in the creation of innovations, but can also enhance the product or service effectiveness. In addition to this, recent studies have shown that products which are developed in co-creation with end-users tend to be purchased sooner since they might give consumers a feeling of trust when being involved in the innovation process.
GreyTideas aims to provide organisations, willing to co-create with (prospective) customers, the knowledge and insight how a co-creative process can be arranged. GreyTideas can also facilitate the process of co-creation by bringing product developers and users together with the aim to create value with and for (prospective) customers.
GreyTideas is specialised in the co-creation application on three different levels, which can be either be combined or separately be selected:
When innovators and customers are exploring potential opportunities for innovations which are expected to be of value to prospective customers.
When an idea for an innovation already exists and both developers and prospective customers are working together on the development of the idea.
When an innovation is already developed and both developers and prospective customers are exploring the value of the product/service and investigate how it can be further enhanced.
Each of the above levels contain a variety of methods and tools to initiate co-creation. However, they all share one characteristic; equality. In order to successfully co-create, it is important that all parties are equal in the collaborative process and share the same responsibilities and benefits.
GreyTideas was founded by Lars Hopman, who started
his career as a volunteer in the Dutch senior citizens healthcare sector where he became passionate about ageing.
'There is nothing more valuable than life experiences. The fact that today’s society has an increasing number of senior citizens is a huge potential of knowledge which we should embrace and utilize to create valuable innovations for our future selves’
Lars Hopman completed his Bachelor of Science in Applied Gerontology to learn more about ageing and utilising his wisdom using co-creative approaches. He completed his Master of Science in Entrepreneurship and Innovation to gain skills in managing changes and innovation development processes and running his own business.
'It is my goal to make our society a more age-friendly place. I believe that this can only be achieved if we work together as generations and by utilising each other’s strengths. As a freelance consultant in age-friendly co-creation, it is my task to initiate and facilitate co-creation between both product developers and users within innovation development processes.’
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