At Challenge.gov, our mission is to empower the federal government and the public to participate together in equitable forms of innovation through prize competitions. To highlight how government agencies leverage prize competitions to engage the public, drive innovation, solve national problems, and advance critical technologies, Challenge.gov hosted an informational webinar in September 2024 with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) American-Made Program. This session was the first in Challenge.gov’s series, Federal Innovation Through Prize Competitions.
+ +We heard from Anna Yee (Contractor at the U.S. Department of Energy Water Power Technologies) and Debbie Brodt-Giles (Program Manager and Strategic Advisor for the National Renewable Energy Laboratory's Joint Institute for Strategic Energy Analysis). Both speakers shared how prize competitions fit into DOE’s innovation strategy and the framework they use to implement them. Their presentations provided valuable insights for both members of the public seeking opportunities to contribute to energy innovations as well as employees of other federal agencies interested in successfully implementing prize competitions.
+ +The America COMPETES Act gives DOE, and all federal agencies, the authority to run prize competitions. In 2018, DOE established a contract with the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) to administer prizes through American-Made Challenges, a resource available to all DOE offices.
+ +DOE uses prizes to incentivize scientific and technological innovation through cash awards and non-cash assistance. Prize competitions vary in type, ranging from technology, entrepreneurship, student and workforce opportunities, federal funding for communities in need of clean energy solutions, and photo and video. Compared to other federal funding mechanisms, prize competitions have a low barrier to entry and no (zero) cost share, making them ideal for people with innovative ideas who lack the necessary access to compete for funding. For example, DOE’s Solar Power Technologies Office runs the Technology Prize to identify, develop, and test disruptive solutions to solar industry needs. This prize first launched in 2018 and is now in its eighth year.
+ +The American-Made Program promotes innovation through prizes, training, and mentoring. To date the program successfully launched more than 80 prizes, offered over $400M in cash prizes and support, and built a 450+ network of members to support competitors. Their infrastructure has allowed them to create a pipeline for winners and competitors to further their success. American-Made gives away prizes and vouchers in phases, increasing barriers to entry with each proceeding phase. They sponsor a variety of clean energy and science and technology prizes including prizes empowering Minority Serving Institutions (MSI) and Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCU) communities such as the MSI Contract Readiness Prize and the Energy and Food Sovereignty Nexus Prize.
+ +Through the American-Made Program, offices at DOE have access to the experience and infrastructure to design and run a prize competition. With these resources, DOE can inspire the next generation of scientists, engineers, and entrepreneurs to advance new thinking in the energy sector.
+ +For the rest of the series, Federal Innovation Through Prize Competitions, Challenge.gov is hosting conversations with the National Institutes of Health, the U.S. Agency for International Development, and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. Through this webinar series the audience will learn of the diversity of approaches that different federal agencies are using to implement prize competitions as part of their innovation strategy. The series offers valuable lessons for other federal innovation implementers and illustrates the opportunity for members of the public to innovate alongside the federal government. Learn more about these events at Challenge.gov/events.
+ diff --git a/assets/images/DOE Webinar Event Banner Iconsets v2.png b/assets/images/DOE Webinar Event Banner Iconsets v2.png new file mode 100644 index 000000000..244691e42 Binary files /dev/null and b/assets/images/DOE Webinar Event Banner Iconsets v2.png differ diff --git a/pages/events.md b/pages/events.md index 59ad45ca5..747c47384 100644 --- a/pages/events.md +++ b/pages/events.md @@ -47,6 +47,7 @@ title: EventsThe second session of our Federal Innovation Through Prize Competitions webinar series featured the National Institutes of Health (NIH). This one-hour webinar explored how NIH is using prize competitions to develop innovations that address important problems.
Participants learned about the impact of prize competitions in NIH's innovation efforts, the factors that led to NIH’s growth in prize competitions, and ways the public can contribute to important health solutions.
+Watch the event recording.
As the first in our series on Federal Innovation Through Prize Competitions, leaders from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) American-Made Program and DOE Prize Competition Community of practice shared how they are revolutionizing problem-solving through prize competitions.
-In this session, participants learned about the strategic role of prize competitions in DOE's innovation strategy, valuable lessons for other federal agencies, and how members of the public can be part of roundbreaking energy solutions.
-Watch the event recording.
+In this session, participants learned about the strategic role of prize competitions in DOE's innovation strategy, valuable lessons for other federal agencies, and how members of the public can be part of groundbreaking energy solutions.
+Watch the event recording. +
+Read the event summary.