J&J Seeks Partners

You can't say J&J isn't eager to work with startups. During the past two years, the multibillion-dollar multinational has launched an array of programs and contests in an effort to uncover novel technology. As part of its latest effort, Johnson & Johnson Innovation LLC, in collaboration with Johnson & Johnson Consumer Inc., launched the Digital Beauty QuickFire Challenge to encourage startups to create the most novel, future-forward digital beauty solutions in an effort to provide better skin care outcomes for consumers around the world. The winner(s) of the challenge will receive up to a total of $50,000 in funding to help advance their product prototype toward commercialization. In addition to funding, Johnson & Johnson Innovation will also provide the winner(s) with access to a network of experts, residency for up to one year at an available Johnson & Johnson Innovation, JLABS (JLABS), and admission to a Johnson & Johnson Consumer Experience Center (CxC). At the CxC, the winner(s) will be able to custom design and execute one free research initiative.


“True innovation doesn't just elevate product experiences and outcomes—it challenges the very definition of skin care itself,” said Sebastien Guillon, president, global beauty, Johnson & Johnson Consumer Inc. “The next beauty tech disrupters are out there, and this Challenge will help us identify the most promising potential partners in the co-creation of meaningful, future-forward skin solutions.”


The QuickFire Challenge, an initiative from JLABS—the no strings attached incubators—seeks to empower and enable groundbreaking science and health solutions by encouraging students, entrepreneurs, researchers, and start-up companies to apply. The Digital Beauty QuickFire Challenge will focus on three innovation areas:


• Insights-Generating Tools that empower consumers to make better informed skin care choices, such as at-home skin assessments, coaching engines and personalization tools to simplify product selection and build regimen.
• Impact Tracking Devices and Adherence Solutions that help improve consumers' skin health management by monitoring skin-impacting factors such as pollution, UV and skin biomarkers.
• Digital Technologies or Devices that increase efficacy beyond traditional topical applications to progress skin health for consumers with hard to treat concerns such as acne, photoaging and eczema.


“To achieve this, we are seeking innovative devices and digital technology solutions to make the invisible visible and tackle the toughest skincare challenges,” said Naomi Furgiuele, VP-global face and sun R&D, Johnson & Johnson Consumer Inc. “By creating powerful connected experiences with those outside of our company walls, we are able to build consumer preference, loyalty, and unique personalization.”


Information about entering the challenge and entry guidelines can be found online at https://jlabs.tv/DigitalBeauty. The deadline to submit an application is January 19, 2018. Qualifying entries will be evaluated and the winner(s) will be selected and announced in Spring 2018.