Simpl Challenges is the challenge platform for local government and organisations, helping them to run events that kick start and support brilliant ideas for local and social good. Launched in September 2012, the site powers local councils and organisations to reach out to their community, local businesses and entrepreneurs for bright ideas to tackle social and city challenges close to their heart and support them to turn those ideas into active projects, businesses and services.

Simpl Challenges was developed in partnership with Coventry City Council and Coventry University for CityCamp Coventry in September 2012.

CityCamp Coventry is the first of what hopes to be many Challenges hosted on the site. Local councils and organisations can set up a Challenge page in conjunction with an event (typically a hack event, unconference, or ideas fair type event), asking a Challenge Question. People, from innovators, students, and entrepreneurs to community members and enthusiasts can then submit their Ideas for a solution to the Challenge Question. These Ideas can then be voted and commented on by the Simpl Challenges community, before being taken forward to the event.

Prior to the launch of Simpl Challenges, FutureGov ran several successful challenges on the previous Simpl platform – formerly the social innovation marketplace. These included two Google Interactivism Hack Weekends – one to help make the web more accessible to older people, and the other to use technology to get young people into the work, education and training that is right for them. Part of the idea and development of the new Simpl Challenges came out of the lessons learnt from these hack weekends.