Are You Up to the Challenge?

Are You Up to the Challenge?: From GovGab: "
I love a challenge! Right now I am competing in a running challenge with friends to determine who can run the most miles in two months. Each week, we post our mileage, while checking who has the lead. I'm not quite winning right now, but in the last month I've gotten a little faster and improved my endurance. In the end, we'll all be better runners, and the winner will win a pair of shoes and bragging rights. Talk about incentives!

Now Uncle Sam is challenging you! Yesterday the government launched Challenge.gov, the federal government’s new online home for innovation challenges and contests. On Challenge.gov, the government invites you to identify solutions to problems or accomplish a particular goal. Challenges can range from fairly straight forward idea suggestions and video submissions to more difficult contests, like the creation of online games and mobile phone applications. Some are even game changing -- such as building a vehicle that gets over 100 mpg or developing an alternative to the common lightbulb. And like my plight to win shoes, many of these contests offer prizes (monetary or non-monetary) to the winning contestant.

Issuing challenges and prizes has been done throughout the world, dating back to the late 1700s! And the outcome of some challenges has had a major impact on life as we know it. For example, when hotelier Raymond Orteig offered a $25,000 prize for the first solo nonstop flight between New York and Paris, Charles Lindbergh accepted the challenge. He made history in the "Spirit of St. Louis" and sparked American interest in aviation for generations to come.

Even if you don’t have solutions to offer, you can still get involved. Log on to add your name as a Supporter of challenges that interest you and to subscribe to updates. Spread the word about specific challenges and ideas with your friends and family through email, Facebook or Twitter. Some challenges may even allow you to vote for what you think is the best solution.

So log on to Challenge.gov and tell us what you think of the site and whether you are going to enter one of the more than 25 challenges on Challenge.gov.
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