[UEL] Innovative Mosquito-Repellent Ingredients for Skin Contact

OVERVIEW

Shanghai Jahwa, one of China’s leading personal care and consumer goods companies and the Seeker for this Innocentive Challenge, is seeking innovative mosquito-repellent ingredients that are safe and effective for direct application to human skin.

This Prize Challenge is designed to uncover novel compounds for this purpose or discover innovative formulations that can meet or exceed the efficacy of industry standards like DEET, Picaridin, and IR3535, while also offering improved safety, length of coverage, and simplified regulation pathways.

Submissions must be detailed, well-documented, and supported wherever possible by available data/reports on efficacy, safety, and formulation compatibility.

Any successful solution to this Challenge will detail a new type of natural mosquito-repelling ingredient that could be integrated into cosmetics while retaining the following features:

• High efficacy
• Long length of effect
• Safe for use for children and pregnant women
• Cost-effective to implement

Beyond the direct award, there may be further commercial discussions with promising or awarded Solvers, with any contract to be negotiated with Shanghai Jahwa directly.

Your IP Rights are protected in this Prize Challenge; Shanghai Jahwa must pay you an award to obtain them.

The best solution has the opportunity to win the award of $1,000 for meeting all must have solution requirements. This Challenge requires a written proposal to be submitted and Awards will be contingent upon the theoretical evaluation of your proposal by Shanghai Jahwa against the Solution Requirements.

To receive an Award, Solvers are required to grant non-exclusive ownership rights to the Intellectual Property (IP) in their proposed solution. Shanghai Jahwa is also willing to consider the granting of non-exclusive license rights for a partial award if exclusive IP cannot be assigned by the Solver. Solvers will retain all rights to any proposal not Awarded and there is no assignment.

Shanghai Jahwa is willing to consider a collaboration agreement if non-exclusive IP rights cannot be transferred by a Solver that is an organization owning the IP rights in their proposed solution.

Submissions to this Challenge must be received by 11:59 PM (US Eastern Time) on January 5, 2026.

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

- Login or register your interest to start solving!


ABOUT THE SEEKER & ELIGIBILITY

Founded in 1898, Shanghai Jahwa is one of the time-honored national enterprises in China's daily cosmetics industry. With a deep commitment to science-driven innovation and heritage-quality products, Jahwa’s portfolio spans skincare, personal hygiene, homecare, and beauty products. Shanghai Jahwa demonstrates globally advanced R&D and manufacturing capabilities, serving a broad consumer base in China and internationally.

Employees of Shanghai Jahwa United Co., Ltd are ineligible to receive an award for this Challenge.

 

THE CHALLENGE

Background

In China, current mosquito-repellent products rely heavily on two broad categories of active ingredients: synthetic and natural. Both present significant limitations, in terms of regulatory burden, consumer acceptability and applicability, or performance.

Synthetic ingredients such as DEET (N,N-Diethyl-meta-toluamide), Picaridin (also known as Icaridin), and IR3535 (Ethylhexyl methoxycinnamate) offer between 4-8 hours of protection, but are subject to strict pesticide regulations in China. Products containing these actives must obtain both a pesticide registration certificate and a production license, often requiring years of review before full market entry.

Natural repellents, such as lemon eucalyptus oil, are often perceived as safer but are only typically effective for between 20 minutes and 2 hours: a much shorter duration. Many of these repellents are also not suitable for use by children under 3 years old, or their efficacy is inconsistent depending on formulation or application.

Shanghai Jahwa is looking to bridge these shortcomings, by sourcing or developing next-generation natural mosquito-repellent ingredients. Better alternatives to incumbents could offer a new standard of performance, safety, cosmetic integration, and enable Jahwa to accelerate product development across multiple consumer lines.

The Challenge

Shanghai Jahwa invites submissions of novel natural mosquito-repellent ingredients that meet the following criteria:

• Safe for direct skin application
• Effective against common mosquito species
• Outperform current synthetic ingredients (DEET, Picaridin, IR3535) and natural alternatives in protection duration or repellency
• Exhibiting lower toxicity, enabling applications for children and pregnant women
• Offer good formulation compatibility in cosmetics or personal care products

Additionally, Jahwa’s commitment to green chemistry, sustainable ingredients, and cutting-edge R&D means they are also interested in the following differentiators vs. incumbent products:

• Improved skin sensory experience
• Pleasant or neutral fragrance
• High formulation stability: for instance, across pH, temperature, and emulsification
• Low production cost at scale

Solutions must not require pesticide classification within China, or should present a compelling case for exemption based on their regulatory status within China or other markets.

Submissions that include efficacy test results, toxicity profiles and descriptions, and/or cosmetic compatibility studies or data will be prioritized.

SOLUTION REQUERIMENTS

Solvers must provide a comprehensive, technical proposal that details and describes the ingredient, its properties, and supporting data/findings that demonstrates its value: both above the current industry incumbents listed and against the below requirements.

Shanghai Jahwa is primarily interested in solutions that meet the following requirements:

Must have:

1. Ingredient identification and description: chemical or ingredient name, structure, and fit for the Challenge goal – mosquito-repellent ingredient that can be used in skin contact formulations.
2. Demonstrated efficacy in application: going beyond the industry standards (DEET, Picaridin, IR3535) in protection duration, repellency, and mosquito species applicability.
3. Toxicology/safety descriptions: including demonstrable data, case studies, or research around the ingredient’s toxicity, allergenic profile, and safety for core profiles (children, pregnant women)
4. Regulatory considerations: Jahwa is looking for ingredients that will not have to be classified as pesticides in China. Please detail any current classifications, analogue products or applications in other markets that may provide exemptions, and any supporting data/references.
5. Ingredient formulation compatibility: e.g., stability in creams, lotions, sprays, and any detail regarding ingredient interactions with pH, temperature, or emulsification that may be of interest.

Nice to have:

1. Cost-effectiveness of ingredient: achieving a lower cost than synthetic repellents, or scalability in production.
2. Improved sensory profile: pleasant or neutral scent, skin feel, and absorption.

Solutions with Technology Readiness Levels (TRLs) 4-9 are invited.

This Prize Challenge has the following features:

1. Your IP Rights are protected; Shanghai Jahwa must pay you an award to obtain them.
2. Beyond the direct award, there may be further commercial discussions with promising or awarded Solvers, with any contract to be negotiated with Shanghai Jahwa directly.
3. The best solution has the opportunity to win the award of $1,000 USD for meeting all must-have solution requirements, as solely determined by Shanghai Jahwa.
4. Awards will be contingent upon the theoretical evaluation of your proposal by Shanghai Jahwa against the Solution Requirements.
5. To receive an Award, Solvers are required to grant non-exclusive ownership rights to the Intellectual Property (IP) in their proposed solution. Solvers will retain all rights to any proposal not Awarded and there is no assignment.
6. Shanghai Jahwa is willing to consider a collaboration agreement if non-exclusive IP rights cannot be transferred by a Solver that is an organization owning the IP rights in their proposed solution.
7. Shanghai Jahwa may also issue “Honorable Mention” recognitions for notable submissions that are not selected for monetary awards.

YOUR SUBMISSION

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

The submitted proposals must be written in English and can 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. Solution Level - the Technology Readiness Level (TRL) of your solution.
3. Partnering - there may be an opportunity to partner at the conclusion of this Challenge. Please indicate if partnering is of interest to you.
4. Problem & Opportunity - highlight the innovation in your approach to the Problem, its point of difference, and the specific advantages/benefits this brings (up to 500 words).
5. Solution Overview - detail the features of your solution and how they address the SOLUTION REQUIREMENTS (500 words, there is space to add more in the summary field, and attach supporting data, diagrams, etc).
6. Solution Feasibility – Supporting Information and Rationale, such as references and precedents, that will help Shanghai Jahwa evaluate and validate the feasibility of the solution (up to 500 words).
7. Experience - Expertise, use cases and skills you or your organization have in relation to your proposed solution.  (up to 500 words).
8. Solution Risks - any risks you see with your solution and how you would plan for this (up to 500 words).
9. Timeline, capability and costs - describe what you think is required to deliver the solution, estimated time and cost, and implementation plan (up to 500 words).
10. Online References - provide links to any publications, articles or press releases of relevance (up to 500 words).

PARTICIPATION GUIDANCE

1. Submission Close Date: Submissions to this Challenge must be received by 11:59 PM (US Eastern Time) on January 5, 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, Shanghai Jahwa 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.

Learn more: Find out more about participation in Innocentive Challenges.