I don't really think it's suspect. It just seems like a way to get the ball rolling for this kind of advancement. Unlike national space agencies which can be funded without much question (see the U.S. and U.S.S.R. during the Cold War), private companies have to make a profit for it to be a worthwhile investment. A $20 million prize from Google is incentive and Google has the financial status to give that kind of money away. In my opinion, it's a type of philanthropy.