EnCompass led the IDEAS consortium to help USAID design and implement open innovation programs that accelerate development impact. Through this mechanism, we supported the Agency to surface novel and scalable solutions by bringing together evidence, co-creation, and cutting-edge innovation practice. Our team delivered integrated services across the innovation lifecycle, reflecting USAID’s priorities in stakeholder engagement, surge and programmatic support, strategic communications, innovation facilitation, and performance tracking.

IDEAS services included:

• Open Innovation Program Design: Conceptualizing and co-creating prizes, challenges, hackathons, and Grand Challenges; conducting problem definition and tailored research; facilitating stakeholder engagement; developing incentive structures; and building USAID staff capacity in open innovation approaches.

• Program Execution Support: Managing full Grants Under Contract (GUC) processes—from solicitations and due diligence through award and disbursement—along with monitoring, evaluation, and learning, knowledge management, administrative support, and strategic communications for public-facing initiatives.

• Acceleration Services: Providing technical assistance, market readiness support, blended finance pathways, and peer learning programs to help high-potential solutions gain traction and scale.

By the end of 2024, IDEAS had delivered 25 advisory engagements, completed multiple technical assistance requests, and led six co-creation processes, earning recognition for fast-turnaround design support and achieving significant cost efficiencies through strategic vendor management.