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Innovation/InnoCentive® FAQs
Frequently Asked Questions
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1) What is the Rockefeller™-InnoCentive® Partnership?
2) What is InnoCentive®?
a) How did InnoCentive® get started?
b) What is a Seeker company?
c) What companies currently post their challenges on InnoCentive.com?
d) What is a Solver?
e) Who determines the best solution?
f) What are award amounts for solved Challenges through the conventional InnoCentive platform?
g) How is Intellectual Property protected for the Seeker and Solver?
h) What scientific disciplines are represented in the InnoCentive Challenges?
i) How many Challenges have been awarded through the InnoCentive platform?
j) Where can I view sample Challenges?3) What is The Rockefeller Foundation’s role in the Partnership?
4) What kind of Seeker organizations is the Rockefeller™-InnoCentive® Partnership best suited for?
5) Where can I see sample Challenges posted by Seeker organizations?
6) How can I apply to become a Rockefeller sponsored Seeker?
Questions & Answers
1) What is the Rockefeller™-InnoCentive® Partnership?
The Rockefeller-InnoCentive Partnership will provide a web-based platform to organizations, institutions and companies that are developing products and services for poor or vulnerable people so that they can access InnoCentive’s network of more than 100,000 registered “solvers” – scientists representing a wide variety of disciplines – from 175 countries.2) What is InnoCentive®?
InnoCentive is the first online, incentive-based scientific network created specifically for the global research and development (R&D) community. Launched in 2001, InnoCentive is an unbiased knowledge broker between major global companies and the worldwide scientific community, enabling them to collaborate and solve difficult R&D problems. Scientists or researchers who deliver the solutions that best meet the company’s requirements receive a financial award for their work.2a) How did InnoCentive® get started?
Developing a new product, chemical or drug is a race against time and money. In fact, a single product introduction can take 12 to 15 years and a budget of about $800 million. To accelerate product delivery without ballooning R&D costs, the e.Lilly division of Eli Lilly and Company funded InnoCentive, a global scientific community where world-class scientists and innovation-driven companies can collaborate to solve difficult R&D problems. InnoCentive offers Seeker companies the opportunity to increase their R&D potential by posting challenges without compromising their confidentiality and intellectual property interests to the worldwide scientific community.2b) What is a Seeker company?
A Seeker is a global innovation-driven company that has specific scientific problems for which it needs solutions. InnoCentive confidentially posts the Seeker’s problem (referred to as an InnoCentive Challenge) on the InnoCentive Web site. After a careful review by both InnoCentive and the Seeker company, an award is issued by InnoCentive for the best solution that meets the Seeker’s requirements.2c) What companies currently post their challenges on InnoCentive.com?
While the names of the Seeker companies remain confidential throughout the challenge process, companies that regularly post challenges include Dow AgroSciences, Eli Lilly and Company and Procter & Gamble as well as other global R&D innovators.2d) What is a Solver?
A Solver is someone, typically a researcher or scientist, who submits solutions to InnoCentive Challenges. Currently, more than 110,000 registered Solvers in 175 countries around the world are eligible to submit solutions to challenges by logging onto the InnoCentive web site at www.innocentive.com.2e) Who determines the best solution?
The InnoCentive Scientific Operations Team provides the Seeker with the solutions that best meet the Challenge requirements and the Seeker then determines which solution(s) will receive awards. The name of the Seeker remains completely confidential and secure throughout the entire process.2f) What are award amounts for solved Challenges through the conventional InnoCentive platform?
Awards vary from $5, 000 up to $1,000,000. To date, more than $1.5 million has been awarded.2g) How is Intellectual Property protected for the Seeker and Solver?
InnoCentive prides itself on taking all the necessary precautions to protect the interests of both Seekers and Solvers. For each challenge, InnoCentive requires that three important measures be taken to ensure that all intellectual property is protected. Only InnoCentive and the Seeker posting the Challenge can see the proposed solutions. Both the Seeker and the Solver sign an agreement protecting confidential information. Lastly, as defined in the Solver Agreement, when the Seeker deems a solution “best”, the Solver must transfer all intellectual property rights in the solution over to the Seeker prior to receiving any financial award.2h) What scientific disciplines are represented in the InnoCentive Challenges?
InnoCentive initially started with chemistry Challenges (organic, inorganic, bio-organic, medicinal, biological, structural, etc.) and has since expanded its offerings into other scientific disciplines, including biology (microbiology, genetics, proteomics, genomics, pharmacology, bioengineering), biochemistry and materials science. InnoCentive regularly introduces new, exciting challenges in multi-disciplinary areas of science.2i)How many Challenges have been awarded through the InnoCentive platform?
More than 108 Challenges have been awarded through InnoCentive’s pre-existing platform.2j) Where can I view sample Challenges?
Visit www.innocentive.com to sign up as a Solver and have access to all Challenges.3) What is The Rockefeller Foundation’s role in the Partnership?
The Rockefeller Foundation will be active in screening potential Seeker organizations as well as continually fine-tuning the InnoCentive platform to better handle the unique demands of our target Seeker population. The Foundation will select non-profit entities and others working on products and services for poor or vulnerable groups for sponsorship to use the InnoCentive platform under preferred conditions. The Foundation will pay access, posting and 50% of service fees on their behalf to InnoCentive, as well as 50% of challenge awards to those researchers solving the technology problems posed by Rockefeller Foundation-sponsored Seekers. The Rockefeller Foundation will work with InnoCentive and sponsored researchers to expand and deepen the diversity of the current network of scientists to include more representatives from developing countries, working on appropriate and intermediate technologies.4) What kind of Seeker organizations is the Rockefeller™-InnoCentive® Partnership best suited for?
Examples include:
The Rockefeller Foundation – InnoCentive partnership is targeted towards researchers and entrepreneurs addressing the needs of poor or vulnerable people globally. The expertise of InnoCentive’s current population of Solvers makes the platform most relevant to organizations and individuals working on scientific and technical problems facing poor and vulnerable people.
- Public/Private product development partnership for vaccine development
- Non-profit organization that uses technology to address the needs of the poor
- Local entrepreneur who is creating or adapting a product to address a significant problem facing poor or vulnerable populations
- Agricultural research institution working on the development of crop varieties
The breadth of knowledge on the InnoCentive platform is continuously expanding leaving open the possibility for questions from Seekers involved with packaging, engineering, and social science problems facing poor or vulnerable people.
5) Where can I see sample Challenges posted by Seeker organizations?
The Rockefeller Foundation-InnoCentive collaboration is brand new. No Rockefeller Foundation-InnoCentive Challenges have been posted yet, but below are some examples of the types of Challenges that may be posted on the platform. These are based on prior InnoCentive Challenges posted by companies:1. Simple detector surface for arsenic-contaminated water
Development problem –- 80 million people in Bangladesh are exposed to arsenic-contaminated groundwater and suffer from arsenic poisoning. Lack of access to clean water has had a severe impact on their health and economic productivity. Several groups have developed water filters that can remove the arsenic from the water. One persistent problem is that water that contains arsenic looks and tastes the same as clean water.Potential solution –- Arsenic water filters and other detection devices could be designed to provide a simple visual guide to the presence or absence of arsenic. For example, the surface of the filter might change in color based on the presence of toxic levels of arsenic. Visual detection of the color change would provide a clear indication of the safety of the water.
Challenge – New material -– A surface chemistry is desired such that there is a significant change in color upon exposure to toxic levels of arsenic in water. This is a theoretical challenge which requires a written proposal only. The Seeker is not looking for a literature review on the subject. The Solver should propose a system that meets the requirements and justify it with arguments and relevant references. The proposal will be evaluated on a theoretical basis considering current state of the art knowledge.
2. Food packaging for refugee camps
Development problem –- In the aftermath of the earthquake in 2005 in Pakistan, a large proportion of the population had to face the Himalayan winter without shelter, fuel and food. International aid groups and the Government of Pakistan responded quickly to make sure people had basic needs – clothes, blankets and food. However, food that is both culturally appropriate and appropriate for the affected population ideally requires heating – e.g. hot tea, lentils and rice are the staple. The severe shortage of fuel was a significant problem for survivors of the earthquake.Potential solution –- Self-heating food packages dropped over disaster areas or distributed in refugee camps would contribute to the conservation of fuel and would also allow for the distribution of culturally appropriate food packages. Self-heating packaging has been developed, but needs to be adapted to meet the criteria presented by the Seeker – among others, low cost and low-toxicity for easy disposal.
Challenge – Packaging –- The Seeker Scientist is looking for a new package solution to improve the efficiency of self-heating packaging for food distributed in refugee camps and disaster zones. Current solutions involve unsafe chemicals in the outer packaging (the disposal of which is problematic). Existing packaging options are not cost-effective. The Solver should supply theoretical rationale and practical design for the packaging solution.
You can also visit www.innocentive.com to see other science and technology Challenges that have been posted by companies.
6) How can I apply to become a Rockefeller sponsored Seeker?
Click here to apply to become a sponsored Seeker.
