Spark purpose-driven innovation
THE PRIZE MODEL: Purpose Built For Today’s Innovators
Open-source innovation is the “lab” of the 21st century. Breakthroughs can come from anywhere and prize competitions function as your innovation search engine.
20th-century innovation relied on centralized R&D facilities such as Bell Labs—isolated, guarded, and closed.
Today, innovation is decentralized, globally connected, and openly shared.
We are mobilizing this open laboratory for scaled impact.
Why do we need prize competitions?
Our challenges are complex
New thinking and perspectives are required
The world is connected
It’s now possible to access solvers across disciplines and around the world
Knowledge is democratized and available for all
The solvers we need aren’t held back
How to Deliver Breakthrough Solutions
Mobilize New Talent
Engage diverse innovators outside your community and move beyond traditional R&D.
Solve a Societal Need
Create an innovation search engine to solve your challenge.
Drive More Impact
Help existing innovations reach their full potential.
How to Be A Source of Inspiration
Engage Employees
An action-oriented program grounded in purpose.
Address U.N SDGs
Deliver progress against your SDG and ESG goals.
The Prize Model - A 6 Step Proven Innovation Process
Our approach provides a highly structured, success-based process to create and launch a competition.
Scoping
8-step process to collaboratively engage stakeholders, build support, and clarify whether the challenge is “prizable.”
Design
Draft functional prize guidelines tailored to the challenge.
Launch
Prize competition is released into the marketplace.
Assessment
Mobilize credible third-party technology assessors and judges.
Objective Testing
Where possible, move from theoretical assessment to direct, objective comparison.
Surface Multiple Winners
One team wins the competition, but other finalists may ultimately have more impact.
Our Partners
Working with these organizations we’ve launched prize competitions to address major global challenges:
“Sustainable Growth Co. was a great help when we were mandated to establish a “challenge” program for food waste and loss. Eric’s approach and frame for challenges were clear, his knowledge and experience were invaluable, and his commitment to innovation and environmental sustainability is unquestionable.”