[Discuss] GE and Quirky partnering

[Tom Igoe]

http://www.quirky.com/ge

Quirky, the crowdsourced hardware startup that develops and sells modest gadgets like egg yolk extractors and ear bud holders,announced a partnership on Wednesday with GE, the global corporation that makes jet engines and wind turbines.

These antipodal organizations said they intend to collaborate on two new projects: a platform where GE will open thousands of its patents to the Quirky community for the development of new consumer products, and a product development initiative to build a line of app-enabled connected devices for the home. This new line of products will be branded "Wink: Instantly Connected."

The partnership was announced on the Quirky site with a pair of videos by Quirky CEO Ben Kaufman (@benkaufman) that touted the two companies' shared commitment to invention and innovation. GE will start making the patents available in May.

The new announcement could be the tip of an ambitious new branding initiative by Quirky that was presaged by a recent Advertising Ageprofile of Kaufman, a 26-year-old who wants to "change the way the world thinks about product development."

The Advertising Age story said Quirky's rebranding will be directed by Marina Hahn, a 24-year marketing vet of PepsiCo, who's been charged with turning Quirky into a globally recognized brand that "rewards everyday ingenuity."
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