As part of his effort to get reelected, Florida Gov. Rick Scott has proposed an XPRIZE-style reward for innovation to attract entrepreneurship to the state. Scott wants private investors to contribute half the cost of the $10 million Risk Taker Reward.
Scott announced the proposed reward on a recent campaign stop, where he compared it to the $25,000 incentive luring Charles Lindbergh to fly across the Atlantic. Scott released a policy paper saying the goal is pushing companies to solve societal problems including water shortages, transportation issues and cancer.
And some in the tech sector think it’s a good idea. Vinnie Fiordelisi is spokesman for the Boca Raton–based tech company 3C Interactive.
“Awards or recognitions similar to this one are always great for a company like us,” he says.
He says 3C Interactive CEO Mike Fitzgibbon won another of the governor’s prizes for innovators under age 40—and that’s helped with recruiting.
In addition to the Risk Taker Reward, Scott is proposing annual startup competitions with $100,000 matching grants at universities.