IGLOO Software
Encyclopedia
IGLOO Software is a Canadian-based company that develops online communities and social software
software for business. Headquartered in Kitchener
, Ontario
, IGLOO utilizes Web 2.0
and social technologies to help organizations improve business processes, increase employee productivity
and enhance stakeholder engagement inside and outside the organization.
While originally established by The Centre for International Governance Innovation
(CIGI) in 2004, IGLOO has been a private company since its commercialization in 2008.
Since this time, the Canadian Innovation Exchange (CIX) identified IGLOO as one of the 20 most innovative companies in Canada and Nemertes Research tagged IGLOO as an emerging social platform.
In March 2009, IGLOO launched a BlackBerry Client application. The app allows community members to access and contribute content to their online communities via a BlackBerry Smartphone.
In April 2010, IGLOO unveiled the industry's first Social Media Playbook. The Playbook provides free access to a number of resources for building online communities from the ground up.
, served as a community portal for strengthening international governance research.
The collaborative effort of a diverse group of technology organizations produced the first IGLOO platform. Contributing organizations included the likes of CIGI, Open Text
, the University of Waterloo
, and the Ontario Ministry of Research and Innovation.
In accordance to CIGI’s agreement with the Ontario Ministry of Research and Innovation, the commercialization of the IGLOO software platform began in 2008. The transition commenced with the establishment of IGLOO Incorporated – a stand-alone company that develops, markets and sells the platform.
The name IGLOO comes from traditional snowhouses built by the Inuit people of Canada's far north. The Inuit people constructed igloos for many reasons. They provided shelter and served as meeting places to discuss and collaborate on vital community issues. Today, igloos remain an enduring symbol of community, cooperation and ingenuity.
, community building
, social networking and content management
tools.
Delivered via a Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) model, the IGLOO platform combines document management and collaboration tools with social software capabilities to help build and support communities both inside and outside an organization.
In March 2010, IGLOO launched a free edition of their online communities.
, co-chief executive officer of Research In Motion
Ltd., is the chair of IGLOO's board and RBC Venture Partners Group provides venture capital funding.
Social software
Social software applications include communication tools and interactive tools. Communication tools typically handle the capturing, storing and presentation of communication, usually written but increasingly including audio and video as well. Interactive tools handle mediated interactions between a...
software for business. Headquartered in Kitchener
Kitchener, Ontario
The City of Kitchener is a city in Southern Ontario, Canada. It was the Town of Berlin from 1854 until 1912 and the City of Berlin from 1912 until 1916. The city had a population of 204,668 in the Canada 2006 Census...
, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
, IGLOO utilizes Web 2.0
Web 2.0
The term Web 2.0 is associated with web applications that facilitate participatory information sharing, interoperability, user-centered design, and collaboration on the World Wide Web...
and social technologies to help organizations improve business processes, increase employee productivity
Productivity
Productivity is a measure of the efficiency of production. Productivity is a ratio of what is produced to what is required to produce it. Usually this ratio is in the form of an average, expressing the total output divided by the total input...
and enhance stakeholder engagement inside and outside the organization.
While originally established by The Centre for International Governance Innovation
Centre for International Governance Innovation
The Centre for International Governance Innovation is an independent, non-partisan think tank on global governance. Led by experienced practitioners and academics, CIGI supports research, forms networks, advances policy debate and generates ideas for multilateral governance improvements...
(CIGI) in 2004, IGLOO has been a private company since its commercialization in 2008.
Since this time, the Canadian Innovation Exchange (CIX) identified IGLOO as one of the 20 most innovative companies in Canada and Nemertes Research tagged IGLOO as an emerging social platform.
In March 2009, IGLOO launched a BlackBerry Client application. The app allows community members to access and contribute content to their online communities via a BlackBerry Smartphone.
In April 2010, IGLOO unveiled the industry's first Social Media Playbook. The Playbook provides free access to a number of resources for building online communities from the ground up.
History
In November 2004, CIGI established IGLOO (International Governance Leaders and Organizations Online) as a free online research network. The original IGLOO Software platform, supported in part by the Government of OntarioGovernment of Ontario
The Government of Ontario refers to the provincial government of the province of Ontario, Canada. Its powers and structure are set out in the Constitution Act, 1867....
, served as a community portal for strengthening international governance research.
The collaborative effort of a diverse group of technology organizations produced the first IGLOO platform. Contributing organizations included the likes of CIGI, Open Text
Open text
In semiotic analysis, an open text is a text that allows multiple or mediated interpretation by the readers. In contrast, a closed text leads the reader to one intended interpretation....
, the University of Waterloo
University of Waterloo
The University of Waterloo is a comprehensive public university in the city of Waterloo, Ontario, Canada. The school was founded in 1957 by Drs. Gerry Hagey and Ira G. Needles, and has since grown to an institution of more than 30,000 students, faculty, and staff...
, and the Ontario Ministry of Research and Innovation.
In accordance to CIGI’s agreement with the Ontario Ministry of Research and Innovation, the commercialization of the IGLOO software platform began in 2008. The transition commenced with the establishment of IGLOO Incorporated – a stand-alone company that develops, markets and sells the platform.
Name
IGLOO stands for “International Governance Leaders and Organizations Online.”The name IGLOO comes from traditional snowhouses built by the Inuit people of Canada's far north. The Inuit people constructed igloos for many reasons. They provided shelter and served as meeting places to discuss and collaborate on vital community issues. Today, igloos remain an enduring symbol of community, cooperation and ingenuity.
Product
The company’s flagship product is a corporate social networking platform that includes a suite of online collaborationCollaboration
Collaboration is working together to achieve a goal. It is a recursive process where two or more people or organizations work together to realize shared goals, — for example, an intriguing endeavor that is creative in nature—by sharing...
, community building
Community building
Community building is a field of practices directed toward the creation or enhancement of community among individuals within a regional area or with a common interest...
, social networking and content management
Content management
Content management, or CM, is the set of processes and technologies that support the collection, managing, and publishing of information in any form or medium. In recent times this information is typically referred to as content or, to be precise, digital content...
tools.
Delivered via a Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) model, the IGLOO platform combines document management and collaboration tools with social software capabilities to help build and support communities both inside and outside an organization.
In March 2010, IGLOO launched a free edition of their online communities.
Management
Jim BalsillieJim Balsillie
James Laurence "Jim" Balsillie is a Canadian businessman and co-CEO of the Canadian company Research In Motion. He is a member of the Trilateral Commission, a private political organization...
, co-chief executive officer of Research In Motion
Research In Motion
Research In Motion Limited or RIM is a Canadian multinational telecommunications company headquartered in Waterloo, Ontario, Canada that designs, manufactures and markets wireless solutions for the worldwide mobile communications market...
Ltd., is the chair of IGLOO's board and RBC Venture Partners Group provides venture capital funding.