Explore our challenge prizes
Want to help solve some of society’s biggest problems? You’re in the right place
This could be your opportunity to help solve some of the world’s biggest problems.
Challenge Works supports smart ideas and ingenious solutions, wherever they come from. We believe inventors can come from any background or sector, so we work to break down barriers, support long-term success and nurture innovation talent every step of the way.
We have worked with thousands of innovator teams and dozens of funders to find solutions to problems, draw attention to societal issues, and bring about real change.
Read on to find out more about our current and past portfolio of challenge prizes.
Good Start Challenge
The Good Start Challenge is a global challenge to accelerate innovation to promote the wellbeing of parents of children aged 0-6 years
Tackling Health Inequalities: The West Yorkshire Mayor’s Big Ideas Challenge
Tackling health inequalities: the Mayor’s big ideas challenge is a £1 million challenge funded by the West Yorkshire Combined Authority to accelerate innovative solutions, products, or services to overcome health inequalities among communities in the region.
Detroit City Challenge
We are looking for innovators to demonstrate solutions that decrease fossil fuel use and reduce costs of freight operations in Detroit’s Eastern Market.
Venice City Challenge
We are looking for innovators to create solutions that increase the use of existing low and zero-carbon transport modes in the city of Venice.
Varanasi City Challenge
We are looking for innovators to create innovative, data-driven solutions that make crowded areas of Varanasi’s old city of Kashi safer and more accessible for all.
The Sustainable Cities Challenge
The Sustainable Cities Challenge aims to harness the power, creativity and energy of innovation to improve access to safe, equitable and sustainable mobility solutions for all. Through two stages, the global Sustainable Cities Challenge will award $9 million to improve mobility solutions in cities around the world.
European Social Innovation Competition 2013
The first edition of the Competition ‘New forms of work’ sought innovative solutions for creating new opportunities for work, and for better work.
European Social Innovation Competition 2014
The European Social Innovation Competition 2014 ‘The Job Challenge’ sought innovative solutions for creating new types of work and address social needs.
Inclusive Economy Partnership Financial Inclusion Challenge
Enabling innovations to scale-up through partnerships to build financial inclusion.
Inclusive Economy Partnership Mental Health Challenge
Enabling innovations to scale-up through partnerships to address mental health
Inclusive Economy Partnership Transition to Work Challenge
Enabling innovations to scale-up through partnerships to support young people’s transition to work
Rapid Recovery Challenge – Job Stream
The Rapid Recovery Challenge Job Stream aimed to find, inspire and accelerate innovations relating to jobs that will support one million people across the UK.
Challenge prizes
Discover how challenge prizes work, why they attract the right innovators and how they can help solve urgent problems where solutions are lacking.