About me
Jarah Meador is the Director of the Open Innovation Program at the General Services Administration and leads the crowdsourcing, citizen science and prize competition open innovation portfolio that includes the Challenge.Gov and CitizenScience.gov. Challenge.gov hosts over 120 prize competitions each year helping federal agencies source innovative solutions from American startups, citizens, innovators, researchers, etc. In 2022, federal agencies disbursed over $103 million through prize competitions (total prize purse) with an average cash award of $1.53M. Prior to GSA, Jarah led the innovation sourcing program at the Department of Veterans Affairs Center for Innovation and this portfolio included prize competitions, broad agency announcements, and pay for success/social impact financing. An AAAS Science and Policy Technology Fellowship brought her to the federal government at the US Agency for International Development where she led development of a large-scale desalination technology prize competition. Jarah earned her PhD in Cancer Biology at the University of Texas Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences and is an Air Force Veteran. (https://digital.gov/authors/jarah-meador/)
Iliriana Kaçaniku is the founder and CEO of Open Solve Studio, a boutique consultancy that helps businesses innovate through strategic consultancy and learning experiences. Open Solve Studio specializes in innovation challenge design and implementation, accelerating business growth and driving innovative solutions. With over 20 years of experience, Iliriana has a proven track record of leading large-scale, innovative strategies for startups, federal government, for-profit, and philanthropic organizations, driving positive societal impact through openness and innovation. Her expertise in systems and design thinking, coupled with strong data and analytics skills, allows her to identify innovation opportunities and drive impactful actions. A seasoned expert in innovation competitions, Iliriana recognizes the value of prize competitions for startups. She holds an MBA from Hult International Business School, a MALD in International Relations from The Fletcher School at Tufts University, and an MA in International Politics from the University of Bradford. Iliriana is also the producer and host of the Beyond Visibility Lounge podcast, which explores openness and innovation in the logistics industry. Previously, she produced and hosted The Solver’s Edge podcast, focusing on open innovation from the perspectives of participants, sponsors, and platforms.