Sphirence, DIVERSA Technologies' technological brand for the cosmetic sector, is entering the final stretch of its Open Actives Call, an open innovation call aimed at companies owning active ingredients that want to explore their vehiculization through lipid encapsulation. Open since August 3, the call accepts applications until September 14, 2026.
The initiative responds to a frequent situation in the development of cosmetic ingredients: active ingredients with a solid scientific profile whose real performance is limited by formulation difficulties (low solubility or dispersibility in aqueous formulas, sensitivity to oxidation or light, poor thermal or pH resistance, color or odor changes, precipitation and stability or bioavailability problems).
But the proposal goes beyond solving a technical problem. Incorporating an advanced delivery system transforms an active ingredient into a differentiated ingredient: it adds a layer of technological innovation to the dossier, allows conveying performance and ease-of-use arguments to the formulator that did not exist before, and opens up communication territories that the active ingredient alone could not sustain. In a market where suppliers compete less and less on the molecule and more and more on what they can demonstrate about it, vehiculization has become a lever for positioning and added value, not just a corrective resource.
Two application profiles
The call considers two complementary profiles. The first groups active ingredients with technical limitations that a delivery system can solve. The second, high-value active ingredients seeking differentiation through the functional benefits of the platform itself: biotechnological active ingredients, low molecular weight lipophilic molecules, retinoids or astaxanthin, lipids and natural extracts of marine or plant origin, and cationic proteins, enzymes, and peptides. The optimal fit is active ingredients that can rely on the territory of antioxidant protection, protection against environmental and UV factors, reinforcement of the skin barrier, and biomimetics.
Ingredient suppliers, biotechnology startups, active ingredient owners, university spin-offs, and research and technology centers can participate. This first edition prioritizes applications from the EU/EEA, the United Kingdom, and Switzerland, although it accepts proposals from other regions.
What the selected asset receives
The winning asset gains access to an initial technical screening performed by the Sphirence technical team, with a technical report, sample, and results meeting. This is an initial screening where a positive result would lead to a subsequent and independent phase of development and commercialization, aimed at building a new Sphirence ingredient together with the asset owner.
The process is structured in two stages: an initial open and non-confidential candidacy, via an online form, and a second, confidential stage, reserved for finalists. Candidacies are evaluated based on criteria of technical compatibility with the platform, market potential, innovation, fit and synergy of claims, scientific evidence, safety and regulatory status, potential clients, and price and scalability.
“There is a lot of talent formulating excellent molecules that never perform as promised, and it is almost never a problem with the molecule: it is a problem with the vehicle. But delivery is not just a solution to a problem: it is what turns an asset into a distinct proposition, with its own technical story to tell the formulator. The Open Actives Call is our way of making the platform available to one of those molecules and demonstrating it with data and real efficacy.”