Now live: Innocentive Marketplace. Get shortlisted for funded opportunities today.

Frequently Asked Questions

  • Want to learn how to get started as an Innocentive Solver? Follow our Solver tutorial:

    Getting Started & Tutorial

  • To register for a Solver account and join Innocentive:

    • Go to the Innocentive Challenge Center registration page.
    • Enter your email address – Please Note: use your organization email if you are registering on behalf of your organization.
    • Select a password.
    • Click Next.
    • Agree to the Terms and Conditions.
    • Enter the basic information we need for your personal profile to get started.
    • Your Display Name gives you the opportunity to remain anonymous to the Seeker and across the Innocentive platform and website, if this is your preference.
    • Click Submit.
    • Check your email account and enter the 5 digit code we sent you.
    • Click verify my email.
    • Following successful verification, you can then decide to add your organization to your personal Solver account.

  • If you have been a member of the Innocentive Solver community for a while you can access your account on our Challenge Center.

    To access your existing account:

    1. Click the Login or Register link in the header and then click Reset password.
    2. Enter the email address you used when registering as an Innocentive Solver.
    3. Click the Reset my password button.
    4. You will receive an email with a link to reset your password.
    5. Follow the instructions in the email to reset your password.
    6. Login to the Innocentive Challenge Center platform using your email address and the newly reset password.

    If you do not receive the email with instructions for resetting your password, please contact support@innocentive.com for assistance.

  • To submit a solution to an Innocentive Challenge as a member of the Solver community:
    1. Go to the Innocentive Challenge Center.
    2. Navigate to Challenges, by selecting from Innovation Management from the left side bar or selecting directly from the Challenges featured on the home page.
    3. Click Register Interest and Accept Agreement (this term can vary depending on the challenge).
    4. Agree to the Challenge Agreement (if required).
    5. Click Add Solution (this term can vary depending on the challenge).
    6. Enter any required information (you can save as a draft).
    7. Complete the submission form, with attachments if required.
    8. Click Publish Solution.

    You will receive an email confirmation of receipt of your submission to your registered email address.

  • Use the Challenge Message to ask any Challenge-related questions. Please be sure to access the correct Challenge Message Center to ensure you receive a timely and accurate response.

    To submit a Challenge-related question:

    1. Access the specific Challenge.
    2. Click the Messages tab on the Challenge page.
    3. Enter your message and click the Submit button.

    The Challenge Manager will receive a notification of the message and respond through the Message Center.

  • For some Innocentive Challenges, the Seeker’s Challenge Manager may message you about your submission with feedback or seeking additional detail of clarifications. You will be able to directly respond to them.

  • Yes, Solvers can submit to Innocentive Challenges as individuals or as part of a team. If you wish to submit as a team, a ‘Team Project Room’ (TPR) is created: a secure online workspace that allows groups to collaborate as a team to submit to Innocentive Challenges. The team’s solution is developed and agreed among Team Members in the TPR, and is submitted to the Innocentive Challenge as a single submission by the Team Leader.

    Team Members who accept the invite to a team will no longer be contacted for final approval before the submission is posted into the Challenge, so please raise questions with your Team Lead during the creation of your solution or proposal.

  • The Challenge Agreement (formerly Challenge Specific Agreement or CSA) is a legal document that outlines a Solver’s rights and responsibilities if they elect to submit a solution in response to an Innocentive Challenge. The Challenge Agreement specifies if and how IP will be transferred between Solver and Seeker; it may also specify any special rules, such as exclusionary rules for categories of Solvers, that apply to the Challenge.

    You may be required to accept a Challenge Agreement to be able to submit a solution to the Challenge. Be sure to read and understand the Challenge Agreement for each Challenge because you will be subject to the applicable Challenge conditions.

    Challenge Agreements provide Solvers with clear details around participation, legal IP transfer (if applicable), and details around Innocentive Challenges.

  • Prize Challenges: The Award

    Prize Challenges are any Challenge where a Solver can be awarded a cash prize. These may differ in their treatment of IP transfer or criteria for award – please read the Challenge Agreement you accept and the text of the Challenge thoroughly.

    Scouting Challenges: The Collaboration

    Scouting Challenges are designed to find innovative partners, start-ups, and relevant collaboration opportunities.

    Other Challenges

    There are other types of Innocentive Challenge posted from time to time like Coding Challenges (a Prize Challenge variant) and Marketplace Expertise Challenges.

    Challenges may contain reference to a desired ‘Technology Readiness Level (TRL)’ of solution, a measurement system used to show the maturity or commercial readiness of a particular solution.

    Formerly, Innocentive Challenges were broken down into four categories: Ideation (the brainstorm); Theoretical (the design); Reduction to Practice (the prototype); and Electronic Request for Proposal (the collaboration).

    Ideation: The Brainstorm

    A global collaboration for producing a breakthrough idea. This could include ideas for a new product line, creative solutions to technical problems, a new commercial application for a current product, or even a viral marketing idea for recruiting new customers.

    Ideation Challenges guarantee that at least one Solver will win an award. Additionally, the posting period is typically shorter than with other Challenge types, resulting in quicker time-to-solution. Ideation Challenges involve intellectual property licensing; a Solver grants the Seeker a non-exclusive license to use solution, awarded or non-awarded.

    Theoretical: The Design

    A feasible design that may not yet be reduced to practice. A solution to a Theoretical Challenge will solidify the Solver’s concept with detailed descriptions, specifications, supporting precedents, and requirements necessary to bringing a good idea closer to becoming an actual product, technical solution, or service.

    A Solver can expect a substantial financial reward if their submission is chosen as the winning solution by the Seeker, but an award need only be made if all the Challenge criteria are met. Depending on the Challenge requirements, Solvers will be required to either transfer or license the IP in their solutions to the Seeker.

    Reduction to Practice (RTP): The Prototype

    A prototype that shows an idea in actual practice (though on a non-commercial scale). In an RTP Challenge, in addition to a detailed description, Solvers are asked to present physical evidence that proves their solution will work within the Seeker’s specific needs, decision criteria, or manufacturing parameters. Solvers are given more time to generate data needed to support their proposals and prepare a response, and the financial awards are typically larger to reward the greater commitment required to work on these Challenges.

    Like the Theoretical Challenge, an award need only be made if all the Challenge criteria are met. Depending on the Challenge requirements, Solvers will be required to either transfer or license the IP in their solutions to the Seeker.

    Electronic Request for Proposal (eRFP): The Collaborator

    A request for a partner or supplier to provide materials or expertise to help solve a business Challenge. Seekers use the Innocentive marketplace to find businesses or consultants that have already developed the technology they need or have the experience to help them develop it.

    Unlike other Challenges where a cash award is granted for the winning solution, eRFP winners typically negotiate the terms of the contract directly with the Seeker.

  • To view your existing Solutions:

    1. Go to the Innocentive Challenge Center login page.
    2. Log in using your email address and password.
    3. In the header, click on the Profile icon.
    4. Click ‘My content’ from the menu.
    5. A list of all of your solutions will display. To view a specific solution, click the Solution name.

  • Are you interested in creating a Challenge on the Innocentive Platform and becoming a Seeker?

    For further information on how to post a Challenge on the Innocentive Platform please visit the Wazoku website and find out how you can harness the power of our global crowd.


  • There is the opportunity with some Innocentive Challenges to welcome Solvers to participate in the challenge as Scouts, if you can refer relevant partners or experts from your network, and then invite and encourage them (your referee) to take part in the Challenge.

    As a WIN Scout, by referring a relevant partner you will be recognised with a share of the stated recognition award if your referral meets certain minimum criteria of detail, relevance, and format. Wazoku welcomes WIN Scouts and referred partners to become active members of Wazoku Innovation Networks (WIN).

    1.      Go to the Innocentive Challenge Center.

    2.      Select an eligible Challenge.

    3.      Click Register Interest & Accept Agreement.

    4.      Agree to the Challenge Agreement.

    5.      Click Add Solution.

    6.      Select the relevant Participation Type – WIN Scout.

    7.      Enter the required WIN Scout referral information.

    8.      Click Publish.

  • Congratulations! After winning a Challenge, Wazoku requires Solvers to provide additional information in order to verify your identity and conduct awards (in Prize Challenges).

    As a WIN Scout or Solver, you may be eligible for a Recognition Award, Referral Fee or Honorable Mention.

    Further information about Solver Verification, Award Information, Recognition Awards and other related FAQs are available here.

  • If you’re a start-up, scale-up, more established business looking for new opportunities for your technology, or a university research spin-off it is simple to join the Innocentive Marketplace.

    Simply register your organisation here and you’ll automatically be added to the Marketplace, plus you’ll receive details of Challenges our Global Enterprise customers run which could open more commercial opportunities for you!