"Challenge: Create a game. The game can be of any theme or genre you desire, but there is one restriction: You're creating a 'new classic,' like Chess, Tag or card games. So, create a game to be enjoyed by generations of players for a thousand years. Prize: $1,000 to the winning entrant, to be announced and awarded January 1, 2012." Daniel Solis' Thousand-Year Game Design Challenge. [more inside]
posted by bayani on May 23, 2011 - 61 comments

Inducement Prizes -- Best known for the Ansari X Prize, the DARPA Grand Challenge and the Clay Mathematics Millennium Problems, inducement prizes have a long history, but their recent successes have led to increased government interest, viz. challenge.gov, and resulted in the development of vaccines, thanks in large part to the work of Michael Kremer.^* [more inside]
posted by kliuless on Jan 6, 2011 - 8 comments

10k Apart — Fond memories of the 5K Awards resurface with this modern spin on the idea. It’s time to get back to basics — back to optimizing every little byte like your life depends on it. Your challenge? Build a web app in less than 10 kilobytes.
posted by netbros on Aug 2, 2010 - 29 comments

The George W. Bush Presidential Library : visualizations
posted by Gyan on Mar 4, 2008 - 42 comments

The Buckminster Fuller Institute is now accepting submissions for it's new, annual design challenge contest. Submissions must be applicable with real-world technology, solving real-world problems with a minimum of ecological impact. The offered prize is $100,000, on par with some of NASA's challenges. ( Buckminster Fuller on Wikipedia, and E2 )
posted by loquacious on Jul 20, 2007 - 9 comments

Design Lab 2006 (flash and sound) Are you a college student with an eye toward design? Design a cool appliance and win 5,000 Euros. For the rest of us there are previous winners, such as this airwash waterless washing machine.
posted by caddis on Aug 2, 2006 - 13 comments

Some of the results from the city of Vancouver's Art Underfoot contest. "The competition invited anyone who lives, works, or goes to school in Vancouver to submit design ideas for new manhole covers..."
posted by dobbs on Sep 16, 2004 - 11 comments

What makes for a great champagne chair? Design Within Reach sponsored a holiday contest to design a chair constructed from the cork and wire cages of champagne bottle. Judges had a difficult time deciding from the 400 entries that poured in. (via Buzz.)
posted by madamjujujive on Jan 19, 2004 - 7 comments

"Get some respect, be some patriot." The Department of Homeland Security really, really needs "a piece of identity ware." Adbusters culture-jammers need not apply.
posted by luriete on Dec 16, 2002 - 25 comments

Given up on the TiVo wallpaper design contest? Submit a design to the Japanese Ministry of Public Management, Home Affairs, and Telecommunications' Postage Stamp Design Contest. This year's theme is "Peace". Eight winning designs from anywhere in the world will be chosen, and the grand prizes of up to 200,000 Yen (~$1700 USD) awarded to their creators. Check out some of the previous years' winners for inspiration.
posted by Danelope on Jul 16, 2002 - 3 comments

Blogger Template Design Winners are up. Finally.
posted by JParker on Jul 18, 2001 - 17 comments

Win Stuff! DynaGirl is having a Design-A-Ballot contest. One printed form and one electronic form will win $75 worth of 'swag'
posted by Mick on Nov 10, 2000 - 2 comments