Patent reform struggles on the Senate floor while presidential hopefuls debate NAFTA’s influence not just on business, but innovation. Yet even with innovation under fire, American entrepreneurs step up to a stellar challenge.
Google’s Lunar X Prize non-profit organization recently announced the 10 teams participating in its robotics competition to the moon. Out of 560+ inquiries from 53 nations, 5 out of the 10 teams hail from the US. The organizing committee dealt with an enormous number of qualified entrants. In comparison, the Ansari X Prize only received interest from 2 teams in the same time period.
The mission asks a lot of its potential champions. The first team to land a lunar rover, travel 500 meters and send images/ data back to Earth will win $20 million. The 2nd team to do the same walks away with $5 million. Though the jackpot incentivizes applicants, the overall cost of the endeavor will easily exceed the prize purse. Most note the inspiration to win is the innovation itself.
Take a page from the competitive, blindly-encouraging vision of Google, and give your team an ‘impossible’ task. One small step for your business, one giant leap for mankind.
Katie Sherman is a NY-based freelance writer. After years of multi-tasking at downtown ad agencies, she’s recently returned from a European backpacking sabbatical. During the day she works as a Copywriter in Soho. In the off-hours she concentrates on analyzing social/ cultural trends, business innovation and local entertainment. Her work has been published on PSFK.com, CoolBusinessIdeas.com, EatDrinkSleepny.com, and Glamourite.com. Email her at katie_sherman@hotmail.com