FAQ Frequently Asked Questions and Answers

IPMP is built to support both product- and service-based industries that require structured innovation and complex project portfolio management. While we work extensively with companies in the Food & Beverage sector, IPMP is equally suited for any multi-brand enterprise or organization managing cross-functional teams, multiple workflows, and large-scale product or service development. Its flexibility makes it a strong fit for a wide range of industries seeking to streamline innovation, improve execution, and gain portfolio visibility.

The core components include:
• IPMP (Integrated Project Management Platform) – structured project and portfolio management.
• Cortex – AI-powered assistant for insights, predictions, and automation.
• Crowdsourcing Module – for capturing and managing external and internal idea input across campaigns.

IPMP is highly configurable and scalable, making it suitable for both startups and large enterprises. It supports companies of all sizes through adjustable workflows and tailored implementations.
Dedicated customer support is provided throughout implementation and post-rollout. Clients are assigned a dedicated support representative, and the support plan is tailored based on user count and platform usage. Support is available via email with defined weekly hours depending on the plan.
Yes. IPMP is specifically built around the Phase-Gate methodology and supports full customization to reflect your company’s specific process structure, including stages, gates, and deliverables.
Each project stage in IPMP includes clearly defined deliverables. These are tracked throughout the lifecycle and reviewed at gates to determine project progression. All deliverables can be customized per project type.
We specialize in creating automated PPTX presentations based on project data. We can replicate existing templates and populate them with project data collected from project information, tasks, online forms, etc. We can have templates for different project types, Gates, and approvals.
IPMP enables detailed tracking of feasibility studies and prototypes by linking project phases with deliverables, data inputs, and decision points, and by integrating feedback loops and evaluation checkpoints.
All changes are logged and versioned in the platform. Audit trails, user activity tracking, and governance rules ensure transparency and accountability across the lifecycle.
Yes. IPMP is ideal for multi-brand, multi-region organizations, enabling portfolio segmentation, visibility across geographies, and prioritization based on local or global criteria.
No. The applications offered in IPMP cover the entire Innovation process, from Ideation (top-down or bottom-up) to New Project Development. However, companies can focus on just one part of the process and later decide to incorporate other parts. You could start with the Project application only and then expand to the Ideation process when you are ready, or you could do the reverse.
IPMP can support different processes for various needs. For example, you could have one (or more) processes used by one Division and a different process for another.
Yes! We can demonstrate the approval configuration on Gates, and we can set up any rules you can think of, including the order of approval, inviting specific approvers based on project parameters (market, type of project, type of innovation, etc.), setting approvers as required or mandatory, and allowing approvers to override others.
Yes, we often integrate post-launch data for our clients in a format that suits them. We can either use it to show the performance of the project directly on the project for PLs or create a specific report for Portfolio managers. We support virtually any kind of integration, from obsolete SAP systems to modern data lakes.
We support SSO for your company users; however, we can allow a different login procedure for external users, and we can manage visibility for external users based on your needs.
Yes. IPMP provides role-based access control, allowing fine-grained permissions per user, team, or department. Access to features, projects, and data can be customized according to user roles.
Absolutely. IPMP allows you to segment visibility so that users only see content relevant to their department, region, or product line. This ensures data confidentiality and reduces clutter.
Yes. IPMP is fully integrable and supports integration with ERP, PLM, and other enterprise systems, allowing seamless data exchange across your digital ecosystem.
Yes. IPMP can operate within your infrastructure if deployed on-premises, or as a secure SaaS solution with dedicated, single-tenant environments. It’s designed for full compatibility with enterprise IT standards.
IPMP is highly customizable. You can configure workflows, reports, roles, forms, and data structures. Additional programming can deliver tailored features based on your business needs.
Yes. IPMP can exchange data with legacy systems through standard file formats, APIs, or custom connectors, ensuring interoperability without disrupting your existing tools.
Through integrations or data feeds, market or sales data can be imported into IPMP and analyzed for portfolio simulations and performance forecasting.
Yes. Cortex runs on a dedicated, single-tenant AI platform (both hardware and software) with no reliance on public AI services. It complies with enterprise-grade security standards.
Yes. Cortex identifies patterns and gaps in product pipelines, enabling automated idea scoring, prioritization, and even suggestion of new product opportunities.
Cortex performs similarity analysis by comparing new projects or ideas against historical data and identifying overlaps, duplications, or risks based on previous outcomes.
Yes. Cortex scans project workflows and identifies missing documents, incomplete inputs, and potential compliance issues, ensuring completeness and audit readiness.
IPMP and Cortex provide real-time access to structured data, enabling informed decisions through performance tracking, scenario simulations, and AI-powered insights. Decisions are aligned with strategy and supported by concrete data points.

IPMP tracks a wide range of metrics such as:
• Project status and progress
• Stage deliverables and timelines
• Portfolio performance
• ROI and risk indicators
• Resource allocation
These can be extended and customized based on business needs.

Yes. Cortex and IPMP allow for benchmarking new projects or products against historical data, helping you assess expected performance, time-to-market, and risks.
Yes. Cortex uses AI to provide predictive analytics, including success probability, risk exposure, and expected market performance for each project.
Yes. IPMP includes executive dashboards that summarize portfolio status, key metrics, and KPIs. These are customizable to suit different stakeholder needs.
Innovation Cloud Crowdsourcing is a module/plugin that enables organizations to capture ideas, insights, and feedback from internal and external contributors. It helps teams identify opportunities, validate concepts, and align innovation with market needs.
Yes. The platform allows you to manage multiple crowdsourcing campaigns in parallel, each with its challenge topic, form, rules, and access settings.
Yes. Each campaign can have a custom submission form, including tailored fields, classifications, instructions, and evaluation workflows.
Cortex ranks and scores ideas based on historical success data, alignment with strategic goals, and predictive potential, helping innovation leaders focus on what matters most.

The platform supports multiple methods, including:
• Voting
• Expert scoring
• Peer review
• Managerial assessment
These can be configured per campaign.

Feedback can be shared via automated notifications, public comments, or manual messaging from moderators, ensuring contributors are kept informed throughout the process.
Cortex performs similarity detection to flag duplicates, suggest merges, and reduce redundancy in submitted ideas.
All submitted data is handled under the same enterprise-grade security protocols as the rest of the platform—single-tenant infrastructure, encrypted data storage, and full access control.

Onboarding includes:
• Platform setup
• User import and configuration
• SSO integration
• Domain and SSL setup
• Two-week hyper-care period

All users are trained and supported during rollout, with dedicated guidance from the support team.

Support plans are customized by user volume and usage level. They include:
• Defined weekly support hours (e.g., 20–80 hrs/week)
• Dedicated support representative
• Priority email support and progress tracking
Service-level commitments are in place depending on the agreement.

Clients can report issues via email support and participate in regular meetings (weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly) with the support or implementation team. Custom requests can be submitted for roadmap review or direct implementation.
Yes. IPMP supports custom module development, with additional programming available for unique workflows, data models, or analytics.
Yes. IPMP is designed with data privacy in mind and operates within secure, ISO 27001-certified environments.
User access is managed through role-based access control (RBAC) and optional Single Sign-On (SSO) integration. Password policies, user roles, and permissions are configurable to align with corporate security protocols.
Yes. IPMP includes full audit trails and activity logs, enabling tracking of user actions, document changes, and access history for compliance and security purposes.

While the exact ROI depends on company size and usage, IPMP enables measurable benefits such as:
• Faster innovation cycles
• Reduced project failure
• Better resource allocation
• Increased innovation throughput
These gains directly translate to higher returns on innovation investments.

Yes. You can track custom KPIs such as:
• Time-to-market
• Gate conversion rates
• Forecasted vs. actual ROI
• Resource utilization
• Portfolio balance
These can be configured per user or executive view.

Yes. IPMP is built for multi-brand, multi-region enterprises, with support for localization, access control by region, and complex organizational structures.
IPMP embeds governance, real-time data, and predictive analytics into every step of the process, allowing early risk detection and mitigation before full-scale investment is made.
Unlike generic tools like SharePoint or SAP, IPMP is a specialized NPD solution built on the Phase-Gate methodology, designed specifically to structure and streamline innovation from idea to launch, with deep configurability, governance, and real-time visibility tailored to innovation workflows.
IPMP supports product development by structuring workflows, aligning teams, tracking deliverables, and embedding gate review processes. It ensures transparency, accelerates decision-making and reduces risks in innovation initiatives.
Innovation Cloud solutions, including IPMP, are accessible via web browsers, making them cross-platform compatible with Windows, Mac, and Linux systems.
Yes, Innovation Cloud supports SSO integration.
Yes. IPMP allows for tailored workflows by division or unit, supporting diverse governance models, custom classifications, and configurations at every organizational level.
Yes. IPMP includes automated report generation, including PowerPoint presentations and executive summaries, customized for gate reviews and decision-making processes.
Yes. IPMP allows stage-specific form creation and management, which can be customized for each product type or workflow, ensuring compliance and consistency in documentation.
Yes. IPMP enforces a structured transition through each phase, ensuring traceability and accountability from ideation to launch via its gate-based governance and automated task tracking.
Yes. You can define custom project templates that include predefined workflows, forms, deliverables, and approval structures for commonly repeated project types.
IPMP offers many more features that support the NPD process, as it is a platform built from the ground up with this sole purpose in mind. The extensive process modeler allows you to define the Phase-Gate structure, approvers for each gate, tasks, and forms for each Phase, and much more. The built-in notification and email system, integration with other software and databases, and limitless customization make it a go-to tool for large companies.
Yes, we can collaboratively decide how the visibility will work within the Project application. You could define it so that Project Leaders only see their projects, or you could allow market users to see all projects from their market. We could even add another dimension, such as Division, and set rules based on that.
We can define specific online forms that need to be filled out by the Project team, such as the Business Case and Product Development Checklist. We can specify in which Phasees and processes they appear, and even determine which fields show up based on different project parameters.
IPMP can integrate with your other applications to transfer specific information to any part of it.
Working with large clients usually requires us to solve unique challenges. Our platform is extremely open to customization, and we are always looking for a good challenge.
IPMP is designed to support organizations with thousands of users. Pricing tiers scale up to 55,000 users (50,000 Light + 5,000 Regular), with no architectural limits on further growth.
Yes. External users such as partners or suppliers can be granted limited, secure access to participate in specific processes, such as idea contribution, project updates, or review steps.
We can allow a different login procedure for external users and manage their visibility based on your needs.
All data is hosted on single-tenant, bare-metal servers with military-grade encryption, isolated private networks, and compliance with ISO 27001:2013. Access is strictly managed through authentication and authorization protocols.
IPMP supports custom APIs for data import/export and automation. API capabilities can be configured or extended to match your infrastructure and integration needs.
Yes. During implementation, custom classifications, labels, and naming conventions can be imported and configured to match your internal processes and terminology.
Yes. IPMP supports data exports and integration with BI platforms, allowing your team to create dashboards and analytics using real-time or historical project data.
Yes. IPMP can be connected to external systems or tools (e.g., Jira, SAP, CRM), enabling automated task creation or updates based on defined triggers or events.
Cortex leverages advanced language and mathematical AI models to assist with data input, analyze complex parameters, and generate actionable insights. It supports project teams with real-time recommendations, risk detection, and intelligent automation.
Yes. Cortex can automate data entry, task updates, and status reporting. It also assists in managing project documentation, freeing up teams from repetitive administrative work.
Yes. Cortex generates executive summaries, dashboards, and high-level reports, offering concise, AI-curated overviews of project portfolios and KPIs.
Yes. Cortex can be connected to external systems for data input and analysis, including ERP, CRM, PLM, or custom platforms.
Cortex uses a combination of internal project data, market intelligence, and historical performance datasets to provide its AI-powered analysis and predictions.
Yes. IPMP supports granular data tracking, including SKU-level inputs for product development, evaluation, and portfolio analysis.
Yes. With integration into BI tools or CRM systems, real-time sales data and consumer feedback can be imported for portfolio evaluation and decision-making.
Yes. IPMP supports multi-region data analysis, enabling comparisons across markets and regions for better localization and performance optimization.
Strategic decision-making is supported through dashboards, simulations, and scenario modeling—providing leadership with evidence-based insights to prioritize investments and mitigate risks.

Reports include:
• Gate review presentations (e.g., PowerPoint)
• Executive summaries
• Portfolio performance reports
• Risk assessments
• Market analysis
• Custom data exports for BI tools
And all tailor-made, oraganization/NPD process specific reports that are required.

Both internal employees and external participants (e.g., customers, partners, suppliers) can submit ideas, depending on campaign configuration. Campaigns can be open, restricted, or invitation-only.
You can generate a web form link or embed code directly from the platform, allowing you to place challenges/campaigns on your company website or intranet with full branding and access control.
Yes. Cortex supports AI-assisted evaluation, including idea clustering, relevance scoring, similarity analysis, and identifying high-potential submissions automatically.
Yes. Qualified or selected ideas from Crowdsourcing can be directly transferred into IPMP, where they can be developed into full-scale projects or tracked as portfolio items.
Yes. You can enable gamified elements such as prizes, badges, points, and leaderboards to encourage active participation and community engagement.
Yes. You can launch campaigns for internal use (employees, teams) or public audiences (customers, open communities) with separate access controls and branding.
Yes. You can monitor real-time analytics on submission volume, voting activity, and user engagement across all active campaigns.
Standard IPMP implementation is quick and free of charge, typically completed within a few days unless specific customizations are requested. Custom implementations may take longer depending on complexity.
Yes. Custom training is part of onboarding and can be tailored to your roles, workflows, and tools. It ensures fast adoption and alignment with your internal processes.
IPMP is available in both SaaS (with dedicated single-tenant infrastructure) and on-premise deployment models, depending on client needs.
Innovation Cloud adopted predictive software development life cycle (SDLC) and platform is regularly updated with security patches and new features every 3 months.
Yes. Enterprise clients receive dedicated support contacts and account managers throughout implementation and operation, ensuring continuity and personalized service.
Yes. IPMP offers dedicated single-tenant infrastructure and global data center locations (Tier III/IV certified), allowing clients to choose data residency zones to meet legal and compliance requirements.
All data is encrypted using military-grade encryption protocols. Internal communication between servers is secured with private, isolated networks (40 Gbps VPN) that are not exposed to the public internet.
IPMP reduces time-to-market by providing structured workflows, real-time visibility, and automated decision support via Cortex. This eliminates delays from unclear processes and fragmented tools, ensuring faster execution from idea to launch.
IPMP aligns product development efforts with corporate goals by offering strategic portfolio views, KPI tracking, and governance frameworks that ensure every initiative supports business priorities.

IPMP supports continuous improvement through:
• Retrospective analysis
• Cross-project comparisons
• AI-based insight generation
Cortex identifies performance trends and improvement opportunities across projects.

Yes. With integrated scoring models and AI-based evaluation, IPMP helps you prioritize high-value, low-risk projects aligned with strategic impact.
IPMP centralizes innovation management, reduces fragmentation, enhances decision-making, and supports cross-functional alignment. It’s not just a tool—it’s an operating system for enterprise innovation.