Need

The Seeker for this Innocentive Prize Challenge is looking for innovative material systems that can be delivered as a low-viscosity fluid and subsequently form discrete, mechanically functional microparticles in situ after delivery to a target location.

Many applications require materials to be transported into confined or difficult-to-access environments where direct placement of solids is not feasible. A promising approach is to enable fluid delivery followed by controlled transformation into solid microparticles after reaching the intended location.

For this approach to be effective, two key conditions must be met: the material must remain fully fluid during delivery, and transformation must occur only after the target location is reached.

This Challenge seeks solutions that reliably achieve this sequence: fluid transport → controlled transformation → functional particle formation.

Prize/IP

By taking part in and submitting to this Prize Challenge, you are granting the Seeker a non-exclusive right to use your submitted information. However, the Seeker must determine the award winners within 60 days from the start of evaluation; otherwise, the Seeker loses this right.

At the end of the 60-day evaluation period, one or more Solvers will share the total guaranteed award amount of $40,000, with a main prize minimum of $20,000 and no prize smaller than $5,000. The Seeker retains its non-exclusive right of use to all the solutions not awarded.

In addition, for all awarded solutions, the winning Solvers will be required to keep their submitted solutions confidential for a period of 2 years from the start of evaluation, during which the Seeker may conduct further feasibility testing; at any time during this 2-year period, the Seeker reserves the right to obtain exclusive ownership rights to the awarded solutions, for an additional one-time prize of $60,000, at the Seeker’s discretion, to obtain exclusive ownership rights to a selected awarded solution.

Submissions to this Challenge must be received by 11:59 PM (US Eastern Time) on September 8th, 2026.

Please review the later Participation Guidance section before submitting a proposal.

- Login or register your interest to start solving!

Challenge

Background

Current approaches to this strategy often face key limitations, including:

• Premature transformation during delivery
• Incomplete or non-uniform placement
• Uncontrolled or irregular particle formation

These limitations frequently prevent reliable placement and reduce overall effectiveness, limiting the applicability of current approaches.

New material systems are needed that maintain fluid behavior during transport while enabling controlled transformation at the target location.

The Challenge

The objective is to identify systems that:

• Can be introduced as a low-viscosity fluid
• Remain stable and fully fluid during transport
• Undergo controlled transformation after reaching the intended location
• Produce discrete microparticles that meet the defined performance requirements

1. Transport / Delivery Phase

Proposed systems should:

• Be a liquid system
• Have viscosity ≤10 cP
• Remain fully fluid during delivery
• Maintain stability as a fluid until the intended transformation is triggered
• Operate under:
• Temperatures up to ~150°C (300°F)
• Pressures up to ~10,000 psi during transport and ~6,000 psi after transformation
• Be compatible with typical fluid-handling systems

2. Controlled Transformation

Proposed systems should:

• Undergo predictable and controlled transformation after delivery
• Be activated by one or more of:
• Temperature
• Pressure
• Chemical environment (e.g., pH, salinity)
• Catalysts
• Time delay or programmed activation (i.e., transformation triggered after a defined period following deployment)

Expected transformation window: ~25–75 minutes after pumping (i.e., after deployment but not before reaching the target location).

Solutions outside this range may be considered with clear technical justification.

3. Resulting Microparticles

Proposed systems should produce particles that meet the following:

• Are discrete microparticles (not gels or bulk solids)
• Have a size in the range of ~70–600 microns
• Have spherical or near-spherical morphology (where applicable)
• Exhibit minimal inter-particle adhesion or agglomeration
• Exhibit load-bearing mechanical strength
• Maintain integrity under compressive stresses (~4,500–6,000 psi)

System-Level Performance

The resulting particle system should:

• Remain evenly distributed throughout the target region after formation
• Maintain open pathways enabling continued fluid transport
• Allow fluid to flow through and around the particle assembly

Solution Requirements

Submissions must clearly describe a credible physical or chemical mechanism addressing transport, controlled transformation, and particle formation. Purely conceptual or speculative ideas without a plausible, actionable approach will not be considered.

Proposals must explicitly address how the solution maintains fluid stability during delivery and prevents premature transformation prior to reaching the target location.

Solutions should clearly demonstrate how the proposed system meets the defined particle performance and system-level requirements.

Preference will be given to submissions supported by prior art, experimental evidence, or analogous systems demonstrating feasibility, and that show a credible pathway toward practical implementation.

Submissions that do not address transport, transformation, and particle formation as an integrated system may be deprioritized.

Approaches Not of Interest

• Solutions exhibiting premature transformation during delivery
• Solutions that do not produce discrete microparticles
• Submissions without a plausible mechanism or actionable approach

Solutions with Technology Readiness Levels (TRL) 3-5 are invited.

This Prize Challenge has the following features:

1. By taking part and submitting, you are granting the Seeker a non-exclusive right to use your submitted proposed solution(s). However, the Seeker must determine the award winners within 60 days from the start of evaluation; otherwise, the Seeker loses this right. You will receive notification about the status of your proposal.
2. The Challenge requires a written proposal to be submitted, and the award distribution (or allocation) will be determined after theoretical evaluation of the proposed solutions by the Seeker.
3. At the end of the 60-day evaluation period, one or more Solvers will share the total guaranteed prize pool amount of $40,000, with a main prize minimum of $20,000 and no prize smaller than $5,000. The Seeker retains its non-exclusive right of use to all the solutions not awarded.
4. The winning Solvers will be required to keep their submitted solutions confidential for a period of 2 years, during which the Seeker may conduct further feasibility testing; at any time during this 2-year period, the Seeker reserves the right to obtain exclusive rights to the awarded solutions, for an additional one-time prize of $60,000, at the Seeker’s discretion, to obtain exclusive ownership rights to a selected awarded solution.
5. The Seeker may issue “Honourable Mention” recognitions for notable submissions that are not selected for monetary awards.
6. The Seeker may wish to partner with the Solver at the conclusion of the Challenge. Please indicate your interest in partnering.

Your Submission

Please login and register your interest, to complete the submission form.

The submitted proposals must be written in English and include:

1. Participation type – you will first be asked to inform us how you are participating in this challenge, as a Solver (Individual) or Solver (Organization).
2. Partnering - there may be an opportunity to partner at the conclusion of this Challenge. Please indicate if partnering is of interest to you.
3. Solution Overview - detail the features of your solution and how they address the SOLUTION REQUIREMENTS, consider including a description of the Technology Readiness Level (TRL) (200 words, there is space to add more in the summary field, and attach supporting data, diagrams, etc.).
4. Experience - Expertise, use cases and skills you or your organization have in relation to your proposed solution (up to 200 words).
5. Solution Risks & Uncertainties - outline any risks or uncertainties you see with your solution and describe how you would plan to address them (up to 200 words).
6. Timeline, capability, and costs - describe what you think is required to deliver the solution, estimated time and cost (up to 200 words).
7. Online References - provide links to any publications, articles or press releases of relevance (up to 200 words).

Participation Guidance

1. Submission Close Date: Submissions to this Challenge must be received by 11:59 PM (US Eastern Time) on September 8, 2026.
2. Late submissions: Late submissions will not be considered.
3. Multiple submissions, 3 Maximum: In case of multiple submissions by the same Solver, only 3 submissions – the final 3 submitted – will be considered. Any other submissions will be deleted prior to evaluation.
4. Submission form and attachments: Your submission will be evaluated by the evaluation team first reviewing the information and content you have submitted at the submission form, with attachments used as additional context to your form submission. Submissions relying solely on attachments will receive less attention from the evaluation team.
5. Evaluation notification steps: After the Challenge submission close date, the Seeker will review and select the winning ideas/solutions according to the timeline in the Challenge header. Everyone who submits a proposal will be notified about the status of their submissions.
6. Use of AI: Please note that any submissions produced solely with generative AI are not of interest.
7. Learn more: Find out more about participation in Innocentive Challenges