Finding that next big thing for your business or project can feel like searching for a needle in a haystack. But what if you didn’t have to do it alone? Crowdsourcing sites let you tap into the collective brainpower of many, offering fresh perspectives and innovative solutions. In 2026, using these platforms is more important than ever. Let’s look at some of the best crowdsourcing sites out there to help you find your next great idea.

Key Takeaways

• Lego Ideas lets fans submit and vote on new Lego set designs, turning community favorites into actual products.
• Threadless uses crowdsourcing for t-shirt designs, allowing artists to submit work and the community to vote on what gets produced.
• NASA’s HeroX platform invites the public to solve complex scientific and technical challenges, speeding up innovation.
• Google Maps Local Guides contribute data like reviews and place information, keeping the maps accurate and up-to-date.
• The BridgeBuilder Challenge, launched by the GHR Foundation, sought global solutions for urgent issues, showing the power of crowdsourcing for social good.

1. Lego Ideas

If you’ve ever built a Lego set and thought, “I could design something even cooler than this,” then Lego Ideas is the place for you. It’s a platform where fans can submit their own designs for potential LEGO sets. Think of it as a giant digital suggestion box, but with the chance that your idea could actually become a real product on store shelves.

The magic of Lego Ideas lies in its community-driven approach. It’s not just about submitting an idea; it’s about building support for it. Once you submit a design, other Lego enthusiasts can browse, comment, and most importantly, vote for their favorites. If a project gets 10,000 votes, it moves on to an official LEGO review. This is where the real possibility of it becoming an official set comes into play. It’s a fantastic way for the company to tap into the creativity of its most dedicated fans and for fans to see their dreams built brick by brick.

Here’s a quick look at how it works:

• Submit your creation: Design a Lego model, whether it’s a vehicle, a building, or something completely out of this world.
• Gather support: Share your project with the community and encourage others to vote for it.
• Reach 10,000 votes: This is the key milestone that gets your idea considered by Lego designers.
• Lego review: If your project hits the vote target, Lego’s team will evaluate its playability, safety, and overall fit with the Lego brand.

It’s a pretty neat system that has brought some really unique and popular sets to life, like the Saturn V rocket and the Ship in a Bottle. Plus, with innovations like the upcoming LEGO SMART Play system starting in 2026, the future of building is looking even more interactive. It really shows how a brand can connect with its audience and create something special together. It’s a testament to how powerful community can be in driving innovation.

2. Threadless

Threadless is a really cool spot if you’re into T-shirt designs, or if you’ve got some artistic talent yourself. Basically, it’s a company that built its whole business model around crowdsourcing designs from independent artists. They put out calls for specific types of artwork, and people from all over the world submit their ideas. The community then votes on their favorites, and the winning designs get printed on Threadless apparel. It’s a pretty neat way for artists to get their work out there and potentially earn some money, while Threadless gets a constant stream of fresh, crowd-approved designs without needing a huge in-house art department.

Here’s a quick look at how it generally works:

• Submit Your Design: Artists create and upload their original artwork according to the current theme or brief.
• Community Voting: The Threadless community checks out the submissions and votes for the designs they like best.
• Selection & Production: Threadless selects the top-voted designs, prints them on T-shirts and other products, and credits the artist.
• Artist Compensation: Winning artists usually receive a share of the profits or a set payment for their work.

This approach is a great example of how a company can tap into a global talent pool for creative assets. It’s not just about getting designs; it’s about building a community around shared creativity. If you’re looking to understand how brands can collaborate with external partners for innovation, checking out how Threadless operates can offer some insights into open innovation networks.

Threadless shows how a business can thrive by letting its audience directly influence the products it offers. It’s a win-win: artists get exposure and rewards, and customers get unique apparel they helped choose.

3. NASA HeroX

When you think about big, complex problems that need solving, NASA probably comes to mind. They’re the ones sending rockets to space and exploring the unknown. So, it makes sense they’d have a platform for tackling some of their toughest challenges. That’s where NASA HeroX comes in.

Crowdsourcing sites like HeroX go beyond collecting ideas; they help find real solutions to global problems. People from around the world work together on challenges like protecting astronauts from radiation or managing lunar dust. HeroX also partners with groups like the NIH Common Fund to speed up important research, with recent challenges running into early 2026. It’s a strong example of how crowdsourcing can drive progress in science and space, and a great place to start if you want to contribute.

4. Google Maps Local Guides

You know how Google Maps just seems to know everything? A lot of that is thanks to its massive army of Local Guides. This isn’t your typical idea-submission platform, but it’s a huge crowdsourcing effort nonetheless. People who love exploring and sharing their findings can contribute reviews, add photos, answer questions about places, and even correct map information. It’s basically crowdsourcing the world’s most detailed and up-to-date map.

Think about it: instead of Google hiring tons of people to check every single restaurant, park, or shop, they let users do it. And people seem to like doing it, probably because it helps others and gives them a little recognition within the Google Maps community. You get points for your contributions, which can unlock certain perks or just give you bragging rights. It’s a smart way to keep information fresh and useful for everyone using the app.

Here’s a quick look at what Local Guides do:

• Write reviews for businesses and locations.
• Upload photos to give others a visual sense of the place.
• Answer specific questions about places (e.g., “Does this restaurant have outdoor seating?”).
• Add missing places or edit existing information for accuracy.
• Verify details like opening hours or accessibility features.

This kind of crowdsourcing is all about building a shared resource. The more people contribute, the better and more reliable the map becomes for everyone. It shows how everyday users can collectively build something incredibly useful without a central command dictating every detail.

5. BridgeBuilder Challenge

The BridgeBuilder Challenge, launched by the GHR Foundation back in 2017, was a big deal in the world of crowdsourcing for good. It wasn’t just about coming up with any old idea; they were looking for radical solutions to some pretty serious global problems. Think big, think different, that was the vibe.

This challenge really showed what happens when you open the door to a global community. They ended up getting 650 ideas from people in 185 different countries. That’s a lot of minds working on tough issues! One of the standout ideas tackled a massive problem in Myanmar, where a huge chunk of forest mangroves had disappeared, making coastal restoration a slow, uphill battle. The winning idea offered a way to help fix that.

Crowdsourcing for global challenges like this isn’t just about finding a quick fix. It’s about tapping into a vast pool of human ingenuity and diverse perspectives that you just can’t get from a small team in a boardroom. It shows that sometimes, the most effective solutions come from unexpected places.

What’s cool is how these challenges can lead to real-world impact. The ideas generated aren’t just theoretical; they aim to address pressing needs. It’s a great example of how bringing people together, no matter where they are, can spark innovation for a better future.

6. Q-ideate

When you’re looking to really get the ball rolling on new ideas within your company, Q-ideate is a platform worth checking out. It’s built specifically for companies that want to run focused innovation campaigns. Think of it as a structured way to gather suggestions that actually align with what your business is trying to achieve. It’s not just about collecting random thoughts; it’s about directing that collective brainpower towards specific goals.

Q-ideate helps manage the whole process, from getting the ideas in to evaluating them. It has built-in workflows and automated checks, which means less manual sorting for your team. This makes it easier to spot the really promising concepts and move them forward. It’s about turning internal potential into tangible business outcomes.

Here’s a quick look at what makes it stand out:

• Structured Campaigns: Run targeted innovation drives with clear objectives.
• Automated Evaluation: Streamline the review process with smart tools.
• Collaborative Review: Get different teams involved in assessing ideas.
• Goal Alignment: Ensure submitted ideas fit with your company’s strategic direction.

The real power of a platform like Q-ideate lies in its ability to make innovation a repeatable process, not just a one-off event. It helps build a culture where good ideas are consistently surfaced and acted upon.

If you’re struggling to manage the influx of suggestions or want a more organized approach to innovation, Q-ideate offers a solid solution. It’s part of a suite of tools designed to help businesses gather and manage input effectively, making sure that great ideas don’t get lost in the shuffle.

7. Q-optimize

When you’re looking to really fine-tune your operations and find those hidden gems of efficiency, Q-optimize steps into the spotlight. This isn’t about dreaming up brand new products; it’s about making what you already do better, cheaper, or faster. Think of it as a digital suggestion box, but way more organized and focused on continuous improvement.

It’s designed to capture those small, but mighty, ideas from everyone in the company that can add up to big savings or process boosts. Whether it’s an employee suggesting a tweak to a workflow or a customer pointing out a minor annoyance, Q-optimize provides a structured way to collect, evaluate, and implement these suggestions. It’s particularly useful for teams working with lean methodologies or Six Sigma principles, aiming for that constant upward trend in performance.

Here’s how it generally works:

• Idea Submission: Anyone can submit an idea related to improving efficiency or cutting costs.
• Evaluation: Ideas are reviewed, often with clear criteria, to see their potential impact.
• Implementation: Promising ideas get the green light for testing and rollout.
• Tracking: The results are measured to confirm the benefits.

The real power of Q-optimize lies in its ability to turn everyday observations into tangible business improvements. It makes innovation accessible to everyone, not just a select few, fostering a culture where small changes are recognized and rewarded.

This platform is a great way to keep your business agile and responsive. By tapping into the collective wisdom of your workforce, you can identify and act on opportunities for improvement that might otherwise go unnoticed. It’s a smart move for any organization serious about getting the most out of its resources and processes. If you’re looking for enterprise-grade solutions to manage this kind of initiative, exploring idea management software can give you a clearer picture of what’s available.

8. Q-scout

When you’re looking to tap into innovation happening outside your own company walls, Q-scout comes into play. Think of it as your organized way to connect with the wider world for specific challenges or opportunities. This platform is designed to manage your interactions with external partners, like startups, research groups, or specialized consultants. It’s not just about finding someone who can help; it’s about having a structured process to manage those relationships and track progress.

Q-scout helps you keep tabs on everything from scouting for new technologies to overseeing projects developed by outside teams. It brings a level of transparency and order to what can often be a messy process of open innovation. Instead of scattered emails and unclear responsibilities, Q-scout provides a central hub.

Here’s a bit more on what it helps with:

• Finding External Expertise: Locate specific skills or technologies you don’t have in-house.
• Managing Partnerships: Keep track of collaborations with universities, research institutions, or other companies.
• Tracking External Projects: Monitor the development and progress of solutions being built by third parties.

Using Q-scout means you can approach external collaboration with a clear plan. It helps ensure that when you bring in outside help, you do so efficiently and with measurable outcomes in mind, turning external opportunities into tangible results for your business.

9. Forbes

Forbes, a name many of us associate with business news and rankings, also plays a role in the crowdsourcing conversation, particularly for how businesses can use it effectively. They often publish articles and insights on how companies, big and small, can tap into the collective intelligence of people to solve problems or generate new ideas.

It’s not just about finding ideas; it’s about building a system. Forbes emphasizes that for crowdsourcing to really work long-term, it needs to be part of a company’s strategy, not just a random project. When businesses link their crowdsourcing challenges directly to their main goals, like improving customer service or finding ways to be more efficient, the ideas that come back are usually much more useful.

Here are some key takeaways Forbes often highlights:

• Clear Goals: Every crowdsourcing effort should start with a specific objective. What problem are you trying to solve? What outcome do you want?
• Right People: Think about who you’re asking. For a technical issue, you might need experts. For creative ideas, a wider group could be better.
• Good Incentives: People are more likely to contribute if they feel their input is valued. This could be through recognition, leaderboards, or even just knowing what happens to their ideas.
• Keep it Going: Instead of one-off campaigns, Forbes suggests making crowdsourcing a regular part of how the company works. This builds a culture of innovation.

The idea is to make crowdsourcing a repeatable process that drives real results, not just a one-time experiment. It’s about getting people invested in the company’s success by letting them help shape it.

They also point out that involving employees in solving business challenges can make them feel more connected to the company and more willing to support changes that come from those ideas. It’s a way to get people excited about the company’s future by giving them a voice in it.

10. Idea Meritocracy

An idea meritocracy is basically a system where the best ideas win, no matter who they come from. It’s not about who has the loudest voice or the highest title, but about the quality of the suggestion itself. Think of it like a big brainstorming session, but with a structured way to make sure good ideas actually get noticed and used. Companies use these kinds of systems to tap into the collective intelligence of their employees, customers, or even the general public. It’s a way to get fresh perspectives and find solutions that might not have surfaced otherwise.

The core principle is that good ideas should be recognized and acted upon, regardless of their origin. This approach can really help businesses stay ahead by constantly bringing in new concepts. It’s about creating an environment where everyone feels comfortable sharing their thoughts, knowing they’ll be judged on their merit.

Here’s how it often works:

• Submission: People submit their ideas through a platform or a specific process.
• Evaluation: Ideas are reviewed, often by a diverse group, using clear criteria. This might involve peer reviews, expert opinions, or even community voting.
• Selection: The strongest ideas are chosen based on their potential impact, feasibility, and alignment with goals.
• Implementation: The selected ideas are put into action, with feedback provided to the contributors.

This method is particularly useful for complex problems or when a company is looking for innovative product development. For instance, some platforms help manage the entire process, from collecting ideas to evaluating them and even tracking their progress. This structured approach helps avoid good ideas getting lost in the shuffle. It’s a smart way to manage innovation and make sure that the most promising concepts get the attention they deserve. It’s also a great way to foster a culture of continuous improvement and problem-solving across an organization. For startups, especially in fields like life sciences, finding innovative solutions can be key to securing future funding.

Building an idea meritocracy means actively encouraging participation and being transparent about how ideas are handled. It’s about creating a feedback loop where contributors understand the process and see the impact of their contributions, even if their idea isn’t chosen immediately. This builds trust and encourages more people to share their insights in the future.

In section 10, we explore the idea of an idea meritocracy. This is where the best ideas win, no matter who they come from. It’s a system that values smart thinking and good suggestions above all else. Want to learn how to build a place where great ideas can shine? Visit our website to discover more!

Wrapping It Up

Crowdsourcing sites aren’t just a trend, they’ve been around for years and still work well for finding new ideas. Today, it’s less about posting once on social media and more about building a community where sharing ideas is ongoing. For businesses of any size, choosing the right platform and making it easy to contribute can lead to valuable insights. Keep listening, stay open, and you may discover your next big idea.

Frequently Asked Questions

What exactly is crowdsourcing?

Crowdsourcing is like asking a big group of people for their thoughts or help on a project or problem. Instead of just a few experts deciding, you open it up to many minds, often using the internet, to get a wide range of ideas and solutions.

Why is crowdsourcing still important for businesses?

Even though the internet has changed, crowdsourcing is still super useful. It helps businesses find new ideas, connect with customers, and solve tough problems by tapping into the creativity of many people. It’s a smart way to innovate and grow.

How can companies get the best ideas from crowdsourcing?

To get great ideas, companies should make crowdsourcing a regular thing, not just a one-time try. They need to clearly state what they need help with, pick the right people to ask, and make it easy and rewarding for them to share their thoughts.

What’s the difference between old and new ways of crowdsourcing?

In the past, social media made it easy to just post and get ideas. Now, with social media changing and becoming noisier, companies should create their own spaces for ongoing ideas and build a community around their brand, as Lego does.

Can small businesses or startups use crowdsourcing?

Absolutely! Crowdsourcing is fantastic for startups and smaller businesses. It’s a cost-effective way to brainstorm, get design help, test ideas, and connect with customers without needing a huge budget.

What happens to the ideas after they are submitted?

Good crowdsourcing involves being open about what happens next. Companies should let contributors know if their ideas are being considered, used, or why they weren’t chosen. This builds trust and encourages more people to participate in the future.