Google: 'May those who help the most win'

Here's heartening news: On Wednesday, Google kicked off its 10-year anniversary with a contest aimed at turning world-changing ideas into reality.

Called Project 10¹⁰⁰ , the initiative promises $10 million to help get the winning idea off the ground. Entries will be judged on the following five criteria from the contest's announcement page:

Reach: How many people would this idea affect?

Depth: How deeply are people impacted? How urgent is the need?

Attainability: Can this idea be implemented within a year or two?

Efficiency: How simple and cost-effective is your idea?

Longevity: How long will the idea's impact last?

Similar projects are out there – see Ideas That Can Change The World and Pop!Tech – but the arrival of Google's cash and cachet promises to shed new light on the next great thing.

Entries must be submitted by Oct. 20 and can include a 30-second YouTube video to help explain entrants' goals. Suggested idea categories include community building, education, energy, environment, health, opportunity, and shelter – but anything that doesn't fit into one of those is fair game as well. Voting on the 20 semifinalists begins Jan. 27.