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innocentive.com
What it is
Innocentive connects organizations with registered Solvers who submit proposed solutions to innovation challenges. Solvers can take part in Prize Challenges, Scouting Challenges, or talent opportunities such as Expert and WIN Scout roles; subject matter experts pay no charge to join or respond. The Innocentive Marketplace brings together innovation data, third-party sources, start-ups and experts, while conversational AI Jen can identify technologies from one industry that may fit problems in another. Marketplace opportunities are aimed at enterprise technology scouting, accelerator and incubator cohorts, corporate venturing, supply chains and academic research partnerships. Places are limited by technology segment and country, and a company must request a place for its technology to be assessed. The free Innocentive Crowd is open to companies and individuals and gives access to live enterprise and charity Challenges. Marketplace is listed at $150 a year, billed annually, for one of five companies per country in each mapped segment, with a verified company capability and annual curation and administration. Challenge agreements set participation terms and any intellectual property transfer. Innocentive is headquartered in London, United Kingdom.
Spec sheet
- What it does
- Innocentive connects organizations with a global community to solve innovation challenges.Read 9 Oct 2026 · innocentive.com
- Purpose
- Innocentive connects organizations with problems to registered Solvers who can submit proposed solutions through its services.Read 10 Oct 2026 · innocentive.com
- Support
- Solvers who cannot reset their account password are directed to contact [email protected].Read 10 Oct 2026 · innocentive.com
- Headquarters
- London, United KingdomRead 28 Sep 2026 · innocentive.com
- Founded
- The company launched in 2001 with majority seed funding from Eli Lilly & Company.Read 9 Oct 2026 · innocentive.com
- AI matching
- The Marketplace's conversational AI Jen uses two decades of Problem:Solution data to identify adjacent matches that keyword searches could miss.Read 10 Oct 2026 · innocentive.com
- AI search
- The enterprise page says its conversational AI, Jen, is trained on the Marketplace record and can surface technologies from one industry for problems in another.Read 9 Oct 2026 · innocentive.com
- Award timing and fees
- Wazoku targets processing awards within 30 days after satisfactory verification, and the transferring bank typically deducts a $25 transaction fee.Read 10 Oct 2026 · innocentive.com
- Award verification
- Award recipients may need to provide signed photo identification, an affidavit, a waiver, bank details, and, for US-based Solvers, a W-9.Read 10 Oct 2026 · innocentive.com
- Challenge awards
- Seekers may offer awards for solutions they deem acceptable, with award conditions set out in each Challenge and its agreement.Read 10 Oct 2026 · innocentive.com
- Challenge formats
- Solvers can take part in Prize Challenges, Scouting Challenges, or talent opportunities such as Expert and WIN Scout roles.Read 9 Oct 2026 · innocentive.com
- Challenge terms
- Solvers must accept the applicable Challenge Agreement to submit a solution; it describes participation terms and any intellectual property transfer.Read 9 Oct 2026 · innocentive.com
- Data handling
- Wazoku says it acts as data controller for personal data relating to clients, employees and business partners, and as processor when handling Seeker-shared personal data for a Challenge.Read 10 Oct 2026 · innocentive.com
- Free community
- The Crowd is free to join for companies of any size and individuals, with access to live Challenges from enterprises and charities.Read 10 Oct 2026 · innocentive.com
- Marketplace
- The Innocentive Marketplace combines more than 20 years of innovation data, third-party sources, start-ups and experts from the Innocentive Crowd.Read 9 Oct 2026 · innocentive.com
- Marketplace audience
- The Marketplace is intended for enterprise technology scouting, accelerator and incubator cohorts, corporate venturing, partnering, supply chains, and academic research partnerships.Read 10 Oct 2026 · innocentive.com
- Marketplace benefits
- A paid seat includes early sight of matched funded Challenges, market intelligence, briefings and webinars, quarterly opportunity reports, and access to a pre-negotiated MSA route to pilot.Read 10 Oct 2026 · innocentive.com
- Marketplace limits
- The Marketplace limits places by technology segment and country, and a company must request a place for the team to assess its technology.Read 10 Oct 2026 · innocentive.com
- Marketplace search
- Enterprise customers can search a curated, independently assessed network of startups, scaleups and research spinouts through Wazoku Scout.Read 10 Oct 2026 · innocentive.com
- Ownership
- Wazoku acquired Innocentive in 2020, and the site says Innocentive is integrated with the wider Wazoku proposition.Read 9 Oct 2026 · innocentive.com
- Ownership history
- Wazoku acquired Innocentive in 2020, and the Innocentive brand was relaunched in June 2025.Read 10 Oct 2026 · innocentive.com
- Solver fees
- The Individuals page says subject matter experts pay no charge to join or respond to opportunities.Read 9 Oct 2026 · innocentive.com
- Solver privacy
- Solvers can choose a display name to remain anonymous to the Seeker and across the platform and website.Read 10 Oct 2026 · innocentive.com
- Who it serves
- The Marketplace is aimed at subject matter experts, start-ups, scale-ups and university research spin-offs seeking opportunities with enterprise customers.Read 9 Oct 2026 · innocentive.com
Plans and prices
Innocentive Crowd Free Free solver community for companies and individuals · Respond to live Challenges Read 10 Oct 2026 · innocentive.com
Innocentive Marketplace $150 a year Billed annually; $150 / 12 months One of five companies per country in each mapped segment · For verified company capabilities · Annual curation and administration Read 10 Oct 2026 · innocentive.com
Strong points and limits
Strong points
- Solvers pay nothing to join or respond.
- Crowd members can access live Challenges.
- Jen can identify cross-industry technology matches.
- Challenge formats include prizes and scouting.
- Marketplace access includes annual curation and administration.
Limits
- Marketplace places are limited by segment and country.
- Companies must request assessment for a Marketplace place.
- Marketplace costs $150 a year, billed annually.
- Challenge agreements may include intellectual property transfer.
Who it suits
The free Crowd suits companies and individuals looking to respond to live Challenges. The Marketplace is aimed at enterprises scouting technology and organizations seeking research, supply-chain or partnership opportunities.
Verdict
Innocentive offers a free route for Solvers and a paid Marketplace for curated enterprise scouting. Review each Challenge Agreement for participation and intellectual property terms before submitting a solution.
Where Specifiction places it
- Idea Management Software#3 of 338.7
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