There have been many challenge prizes over the past few centuries, often backed by governments, national academies, businesses or philanthropists.

In 1775, the French Academy of Science offered 2,400 livres for anyone who could cheaply produce sodium carbonate. The winner was the Leblanc Process.

In 1863, New York manufacturers Phelan and Collender offered $10,000 for a material to replace ivory billiard balls. The winner used an early form of plastic.

Starting in the 1910s, financier Jacques Schneider offered a prize (the Schneider Cup, later the Schneider Trophy) and £1,000 for feats of fast flying. Winning designs strongly influenced important WW2 planes like the Spitfire and the Mustang.

These examples come from this guide to historical challenge prizes from UK innovation foundation Nesta, which also covers other historical prizes, including the margarine prize and the canned food prize.

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