About Challenge Prizes

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Challenge prizes change the world

From tackling plastic waste in Africa to helping solve problems around global antimicrobial resistance.

We’ve defined, designed and delivered prizes that have helped make a difference to the world.

Changing the world, one prize at a time.

What is a challenge prize?

Great question. A challenge prize is a competition that offers a reward to whoever can solve a problem first or most effectively.

How do challenge prizes work?

We set an airtight brief with clearly defined goals, opening it to people and organisations all over the world. By offering incentives for the best solution, our rigorously-designed challenge prizes attract world-class innovation talent to an issue facing society. We work to motivate those who take up the challenge with both cash and other profile-raising opportunities.

Got a problem that needs a solution?

Funding a challenge prize is an opportunity to fast-track problem solving, improve society and bring about real change for people who need it. We work alongside our partners, carefully planning the challenge and prize to attract and motivate teams. It’s about balancing the ambition of the task with the level of support, ensuring that the best ideas grow, evolve and thrive.

Find out more about funding a challenge prize

Got an idea that could solve a problem?

For the people who take part in our challenge prizes, it’s an exciting exploration into the unknown. Encouraged to think differently and challenge existing ways of working, our teams of innovators are supported every step of the way. From funding and networking to developing new skills, it’s a chance to test bold ideas and progress through each stage towards the prize.

Find out more about entering a challenge prize

Getting Started – how challenge prizes can drive positive change

Could innovation solve this problem?

We can help define a clear goal to work towards, setting really clear parameters for every challenge prize.

Does the problem need more thinkers?

We can attract more creative thinkers and more relevant talent to a problem, helping to solve it faster.

Is there a possibility for real change?

The best way to attract great innovation talent is to provide an opportunity to make real-world change, rather than only ideas and theories.

Will this system help?

We can help build a clear vision of how a challenge prize could help solve a problem quickly, effectively and with real impact.

What resources are required?

Prize money, yes, but we also work to incentivise people with support, networks, funding and profile-raising opportunities.

Our challenge prize method

How do we make this happen?

Discover our method

Challenge prizes…

Create breakthrough innovations: we’re in the business of problem-solving. Finding the can in can’t be done. Our prizes guide creative thinkers towards breakthrough ideas, motivating them to find the best solutions fast.

Help innovators thrive: funding, expertise, profile-raising, access to investment and networks – when it comes to helping people succeed, we have the resources. And because prizes only pay out when a problem’s been solved, it means there’s an opportunity to support long-shots, radical ideas and unusual suspects with very little risk.

Unlock systemic change: we’ve seen it throughout our work – this sort of innovation can truly shape the future. From the development of new tech to the creation of new markets, our challenge prizes have not only helped to raise awareness, but have identified best practice, shifted regulation and driven lasting policy change.

Discover our impact