Innovation Minds Launches Release Ubuntu, The Next-Gen Engagement and Performance Platform - A Timely Game-Changer for SMBs

FREMONT, Calif., Oct. 9, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Innovation Minds, a leading employee experience solutions provider, today announced Release Ubuntu, its breakthrough SMB-focused platform designed to redefine how small and midsize businesses engage their people, elevate performance, and thrive in today's volatile world of work.

The release features the much-anticipated I'M Identity framework, Wizzy™ AI Engagement Copilot, and OKRise module, supported by an impactful set of Powerpacks that bring enterprise-grade capabilities into the everyday reality of SMBs.

"SMBs are under immense pressure to do more with less, while keeping their teams motivated and future-ready," said Bala Balasubramaniam, CEO of Innovation Minds. "Our new release is more than software but a lifeline for SMBs in these times. We're putting the power of AI, daily engagement, and fair performance insights in their hands, at a fraction of enterprise cost."

Why SMBs Need This Now

For decades, engagement and performance platforms were built for enterprises, with complex systems that were too expensive and too rigid for SMBs. The result? Smaller organizations either went without or relied on piecemeal tools that didn't integrate, leaving employees with fragmented experiences.

Now, with talent retention, culture, and productivity top of mind for every business leader, SMBs can no longer afford to be left behind.

I'M Identity is the foundation of the new release. It reframes employee experience around five affirmations that employees can live every day:

• I'M Connected – Building real belonging through challenges, events, and shared spaces.
• I'M Celebrated – Recognition that feels authentic, with rewards that employees actually want.
• I'M Elevated – Growth fueled by transparent feedback and fair performance calibration.
• I'M Valued – Surveys and Hall Talks that turn feedback into visible action.
• I'M Inspired – Innovation tools that empower employees to co-create the future.

With I'M Identity, employees no longer see engagement as a program pushed by HR. Instead, they see themselves connected, celebrated, valued, elevated, and inspired.

The Power of AI + Human-Centered Design

The general release also includes Wizzy™, the AI Engagement Copilot, built to simplify daily communication, amplify recognition, and surface insights in real time. Wizzy isn't just another chatbot; it's a co-pilot designed to make engagement feel natural and frictionless, especially for SMB teams without large HR departments.

Complementing Wizzy is the OKRise module, which replaces outdated annual reviews with transparent, fair, and ongoing development practices. Anchored by Proprietary Fair Calibration, this module ensures employees are evaluated equitably eliminating bias and building trust in career growth opportunities.

Powerpacks That Change the Game

To further close the gap between enterprise and SMB capabilities, Innovation Minds is releasing Powerpacks that make culture-building part of the everyday flow of work:

• Amazon Marketplace Rewards Integration - Meaningful, instant recognition with millions of product options.
• Hall Talks - Always-on digital watercooler for feedback, ideas, and sentiment.
• Culture 360 Tools - Daily, continuous engagement practices that replace one-off HR events with sustained cultural momentum.

Together, these Powerpacks give SMBs access to the same caliber of culture tools that enterprises use without the cost or complexity.

What Clients Are Saying

Early SMB adopters are already seeing measurable outcomes.

"As a growing healthcare company, we struggled to balance engagement with cost," said the CHRO at SPL Inc., a North American Oil & Gas client. "With I'M Identity and the Powerpacks, our employees feel more connected and celebrated than ever - and we've done it at a scale that finally works for us."

"Our employees used to see recognition as something transactional. Now they say things like, *'I'M Celebrated' and 'I'M Valued.' That language shift reflects a deeper culture shift," noted the CHRO at SRP, an utility SMB client.

A Movement, Not Just a Release

While the platform is a technical breakthrough, Innovation Minds emphasizes that this launch is also a cultural one. It's about making identity-driven engagement accessible to every SMB, regardless of size or resources.

"Engagement doesn't have to mean another survey or another HR program," said Bala. "It's about creating a workplace where employees see themselves, and that's the experience we're now putting in the hands of SMBs everywhere."

About Innovation Minds (https://innovationminds.com)

Innovation Minds is an employee engagement and recognition platform designed to help organizations build thriving cultures where people feel connected, celebrated, and inspired. By combining recognition, rewards, performance management, surveys, and innovation challenges in a single seamless experience, Innovation Minds empowers employees and drives business results.

With the I'M Identity, Wizzy Engagement Copilot, and Performance Rollout, Innovation Minds is setting a new standard for SMB employee experience platforms, one that transforms company culture from the inside out.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Bala Balasubramaniam,
CEO, Innovation Minds.
+1 408 605 8471, bala@innovationminds.com

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SOURCE Innovation Minds