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 where he 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 Creative solutions to existing challenges ... A day when our employees get to flex their creative muscles and come up with ideas that could 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: Let's do away with silo thinking!
Above all, DONI is a day of cross-departmental, creative collaboration – for teams that rarely, if ever, get together during their day-to-day work. This helps foster the development and advancement of new ideas and innovations.
DONI at hello again: Give me the ideas!
„Day of New Ideas“ has been held annually at hello again since the company was founded in 2017. Why? Innovation is one of our core values. „one step ahead“ and is therefore deeply ingrained 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, that is, „Artificial Intelligence.“.
And the results were impressive. The proposals for innovations and improvements were developed, refined, and finally pitched to a high-caliber panel 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 2023 (Focus: AI/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)
In 2026, DONI took place once again at hello again—this time under the theme „execution.“ In keeping with our corporate value of the same name, the focus this time was less on pure idea generation and more on actually putting ideas into practice. to actually put it 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 the DONI so effective in "Hello Again"?
In addition to a well-thought-out setting during the DONI event itself, one thing is needed above all else: Team Commitment. After an opening presentation, participants work for hours in a hackathon-style setting—highly focused but in a relaxed atmosphere—accompanied by music, coffee, and snacks.
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 for creative thinking. DONI offers a safe space where our employees can focus exclusively on innovation. No distractions, no guilt, no unread or unanswered emails.
- Cross-functional teams: When our employees from different departments work together, they combine diverse perspectives and skills, leading to more comprehensive and innovative solutions. Developer resources were particularly in demand for AI-related projects, but other topics can also be developed much faster and more effectively in teams with cross-departmental expertise.
- Focus on current technologies: A focus on cutting-edge 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 to 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 keeps all team members up to date—and highlights successes like our 1,000-Customer Milestone we can celebrate together.
Because for hello again, one thing applies in particular: TEAM - Together Everybody Achieves More. #oneteam
Conclusion: Room for innovation through the DONI
Every company, regardless of its size or sector, can benefit from innovation techniques such as DONI. It's about creating a safe space in which 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. The DONI offers companies a platform to promote this innovation and ensure that they are always one step ahead. You can learn more about our corporate culture at 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.
