Purpose – This study has two different purposes. First, we aim to understand and describe the new phenomenon of extreme openness within the area of open innovation by answering the following question: How can this new concept of extreme openness within the Fuzzy front-end be understood and described? The second purpose of this study is to investigate how Fuzzy front-end activities can be held at a distance by answer the following question: Which technology-based communication can facilitate distance-based Fuzzy front-end activities? Method – This study was conducted as an abductive single case-study of the Fuzzy front-end process where extreme openness is performed at a multinational conglomerate company. Interviews have been held with both employees at the case company as well as external actors.  In total, 41 interviews were conducted, where 35 were unique respondents. The results were generated through the use of thematic analysis.  Findings – The findings from the study are summarized in two different frameworks in which the first framework explains the phenomenon of extreme openness and gives insight into why and how large companies provide innovation power to external actors. The second framework illustrates which communication technologies to use in the Fuzzy front-end process and provide necessary information about needed functionality and criteria when having Fuzzy front-end activities distance-based.  Theoretical and practical implications – The study provides implications for research on open innovation by empirically explicating the new phenomenon of extreme openness and connect the open innovation literature with the social exchange theory. Our findings reveal that business-to-business relational exchange can result in future benefits and that top managers can use this strategy to build long-term relationships and achieve financial improvements. Further, we also provide implications into the research on the Fuzzy front-end by empirically clarifying functionality and criteria that are specifically needed when having these activities distance-based. Our result provides implications relevant to both top managers and project managers. Limitations and future research – The study is limited by a single case study of the new phenomenon of extreme openness and which communication technology to use in distance-based Fuzzy front-end activities. We recommend future research to validate and extend findings from this study in new contexts.