Mktg - Google swamped with 'great ideas'

Thousands vie for $10mn prize

SILICON VALLEY: A $10 million call by Google for beneficial, world-changing ideas has generated more than 1,50,000 online submissions, CNN.com reported on Thursday. The deadline for people to submit ideas for the initiative, called Project 10^100, was Monday. Google employees will now sift through the ideas, submitted in 25 languages, and choose 100 semifinalists by January 27.

"We're thrilled by the large array of enthusiastic responses to Project 10^100. That number has exceeded our expectations," said Bethany Poole, a product marketing manager at Google. "We're also very impressed by the variety and ingenuity of the submissions across all categories, ranging from health to energy, education and the environment," she said.

Google launched the ambitious project September 24 to help celebrate its 10th birthday. In announcing Project 10^100 (pronounced "10 to the 100th"), the Internet giant said to hoped to solicit and bankroll fresh ideas it believes will have beneficial effects on people's lives.

More than 3,000 Google employees from 50 offices worldwide will whittle down the massive list to 100 finalists. On January 27, Google will make the top 100 ideas available online for public voting for one week. A panel of as-yet-unnamed judges will then review the top 20 ideas and announce up to five winners in mid-February.