The „Day of New Ideas“, or DONI for short, is more than just a workshop or brainstorming day at hello again. The idea originally came from runtastic, where our CEO Franz Tretter worked before founding hello again—the first DONI took place there as early as 2012.
It’s a day when we challenge ourselves to think outside the box and find creative solutions to existing challenges. A day when our employees flex their creative muscles and come up with ideas that can change the course of our company.
The DONI has now become a well-established tradition at hello again—most recently, it took place in 2026 under the theme „execution.“.
Promoting cross-departmental collaboration: Down with silo thinking!
Above all, DONI is a day dedicated to cross-departmental, creative collaboration—for teams that rarely, if ever, come together in their day-to-day work. This fosters the emergence and advancement of new ideas and innovations.
DONI at hello again: Bring on the ideas!
hello again has held the „Day of New Ideas“ annually since its founding in 2017. Why? Innovation is part of our company value „one step ahead“ and is therefore deeply rooted in our DNA.
That’s when the hello again office in Leonding, near Linz, the capital of Upper Austria, takes on a very special look: The entire team comes together for a day and a half and focuses on ideas for innovations, product improvements, and process optimizations—things that might otherwise have been overlooked in the hustle and bustle of everyday office life.
DONI 2023: Focus on Artificial Intelligence
From time to time, a specific theme is highlighted: For example, the main theme in 2023 was—how could it be otherwise—AI, or „Künstliche Intelligenz“ and „Artificial Intelligence.“.
And the results were impressive. The proposals for innovations and improvements were developed and refined in teams and ultimately pitched to a high-caliber jury of experts. The best ideas were not only recognized and awarded prizes, but may also soon be put into practice. That’s how innovation works in the 21st century.
The business platform Brutkasten also published a detailed report on DONI at hello again.
Top DONI Ideas for 2023 (Focus: AI)
- AI-supported algorithm for suggestions of individual rewards and bonuses within the respective apps
- Automatically generated images and graphics for various applications (marketing, sales, ...)
- Manually configured templates for creating various text content for different internal teams
- AI-supported theme and design builder for previewing customized loyalty club apps
DONI 2026: Focus on Execution (Implementation)
DONI took place again at hello again in 2026—this time under the theme „execution.“ In keeping with our corporate value of the same name, this year’s event focused less on pure brainstorming and more on actually putting ideas into practice.
As in previous years, the best ideas were pitched to a jury of external experts. In 2026, the jury included Wolfgang Reisinger of Tractive and Philipp Jahoda, CTO and co-founder of Ahoi Kapptn! and AhoiSports, among others.
External perspectives like these breathe new life into our internal pitches—and show our teams how their ideas are received outside of hello again.
Follow-up: Why is DONI so effective with hello again?
In addition to a well-thought-out setup during the DONI event itself, one thing is essential above all else: the team’s commitment. After an opening presentation, participants work for hours with intense focus but in a relaxed atmosphere, accompanied by music, coffee, and snacks, in a hackathon-style setting.
To encourage this commitment, ideas and inspiration are gathered in the weeks leading up to DONI. Every employee can sign up for an idea. This not only encourages the flow of ideas but also ensures that the event runs smoothly. In addition:
- Time for Creativity: In the hectic pace of everyday business life, there’s often little time left for creative thinking. DONI offers a safe space where our employees can focus exclusively on innovation. No distractions, no guilt, no unread or unresponded-to emails.
- Cross-functional teams: When our employees from different departments work together, they combine different perspectives and skills, leading to more holistic and innovative solutions. Developer resources were particularly in demand for AI-related projects, but other topics can also be developed much more quickly and effectively in teams with cross-departmental expertise.
- Focus on Current Technologies: A deliberate focus on current technologies such as AI can be particularly helpful in fostering innovation. In a fast-paced world marked by regular technological leaps, DONI has therefore become incredibly valuable for hello again.
- Practical Implementation: It’s not just about having great ideas. It’s about putting those ideas into action. DONI not only encourages the generation of ideas but also their implementation. Our corporate value, #execution, speaks for itself.
By the way: Even the „Success Button“—which has since become famous within the company—was originally a DONI project. To this day, whenever the team achieves a new success—no matter how big or small—a musical interlude automatically plays in the office at the push of a button.
Details are then shared on screens at the Leonding office and in our shared Slack channel with our entire team, accompanied by relevant GIFs. This way, all team members stay up to date—and we can celebrate successes like our 1,000-customer milestone together.
Because for hello again, one thing applies in particular: TEAM - Together Everybody Achieves More. #oneteam
Conclusion: Room for innovation thanks to DONI
Every company, regardless of its size or industry, can benefit from innovation techniques such as DONI. The goal is to create a safe space where employees are encouraged to think creatively and find new solutions to old problems.
In a world that is constantly changing, innovation is not a luxury but a necessity. DONI offers companies a platform to foster this innovation and ensure they are always one step ahead. You can learn more about our corporate culture on our hello again overview page.
FAQ: Frequently Asked Questions About DONI at hello again
What is DONI on hello again?
The „Day of New Ideas“ (DONI) is a company-wide innovation day during which the entire team spends one and a half days working on new ideas across departments. The ideas are then pitched to a panel of judges. The best proposals receive awards, and some are put into practice.
How long has DONI been around?
The idea originally came from Runtastic, where the first DONI took place as early as 2012. At hello again, DONI has been held annually since the company was founded in 2017. This means that innovation has been firmly embedded in the company’s DNA from the very beginning.
Why is DONI so effective?
DONI works because it creates dedicated time for creativity, brings together cross-departmental teams, and places a clear focus on current technologies. It’s also crucial that ideas aren’t just generated—they’re actually implemented. This combination makes it an integral part of hello again’s culture of innovation.
