What is a prize-backed competition?
‘It is a procedure through which the government selects the best idea to solve a social problem. Sometimes this involves deciding what to do with an old building, or, conversely, designing a new one. The government may also seek an innovation, such as using AI to improve healthcare. Competitions are also used for social initiatives. For example, a local council might name the ‘greenest entrepreneur’ to promote sustainability. Furthermore, the government uses competitions to reward exceptional achievements. In the field of science, for instance, this is reflected in the cash prizes awarded by the NWO, the Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research, including the Spinoza Prize and the Stevin Prize.’
Why did you want to investigate public competitions?
‘I believe the government cannot use this tool effectively if it does not understand what it is doing from a legal perspective. There is no single legal framework for public competitions, yet, such a competition is never unregulated. This can lead to ambiguity, an unlawful outcome, or the granting of unlawful state aid. That is not exactly conducive to solving the underlying social problems.’