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Google Struggles To Give Away $10 Million

Posted by samzenpus on from the catch-you-tomorrow dept.

theodp writes "On Google's 10th Birthday in 2008, the search giant promised $10 million to the best five ideas for using technology to improve the world, through Project 10^100. CNN reports that while Google's intentions were good, of course, the company's follow-through leaves much to be desired. Google announced the cash prize contest in September 2008 and closed public voting on 16 finalists chosen from over 150,000 ideas in October 2009. Over eight months later, the company has yet to announce the winners. 'While genocide and other pressing problems relentlessly advance,' remarked contest finalist Daniel Meyerowitz to Wired.com, 'it would seem that Project 10^100 does not.'"

5 of 145 comments (clear)

  1. Not Good Enough by BiggoronSword · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Maybe Google just didn't think the ideas were good enough to meet the requirement of "using technology to improve the world."

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    1. Re:Not Good Enough by blahplusplus · · Score: 4, Interesting

      I don't buy that for a second, I think google's problem is underestimating the $ required to actually _do anything_ suggested by the 150,000+ people that makes those things they suggested worthwhile.

  2. here's an idea by nopainogain · · Score: 1, Interesting

    we can use the ancient servers flooding the world's (and my cmompany's)data centers to plug the hole in the gulf of mexico.

  3. Science is not Automatic by jazman_777 · · Score: 2, Interesting

    You don't just input money and people and voila! out comes good Science, automatically. Mostly you get fraud and junk and research jobs programs. At least it shows Google is looking for good Science, not just any Science.

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  4. Re:Serious lack of forethought by dzfoo · · Score: 2, Interesting

    >> It's a damn shame Google hasn't done more to help the world, but to criticize them for only starting? What harm will have Google done by not following through? People gotta remember that most companies don't even care enough to try.

    Google is not being criticize for "only starting" to help the world, but for setting this so-called contest for what appears now to be largely a PR stunt, and then brushing it off. In that light, what Google did is perhaps worse than other companies not caring enough.

          -dZ.

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