Harnessing Innovation and Collaboration at STFC in the development of long-lasting mosquito repellent products

By making them more appealing to wear, users can be better protected from vector-borne diseases such as malaria. By also tackling regulatory challenges, LIVFUL is establishing pathways to protect vulnerable communities who are most at risk.

Challenge

LIVFUL, a Health-Tech company specialising in long-lasting biting insect repellent products, were faced with an array of decisions when choosing where to situate in order to develop both their product and business. These included gaining access to advanced scientific facilities for product development, finding a knowledge base for a growing team, and establishing a strong local network of partners and collaborators. With their commitment to delivering high social impact, scientifically proven solutions for vector-borne disease prevention, LIVFUL needed a supportive innovation environment to accelerate progress, enhance credibility and overcome global regulatory challenges.

Solution

Engaging with the Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC) at the Daresbury Laboratory provided LIVFUL with the platform they needed to grow. Through their growing network in the USA, their founder, Hogan Bassey, identified Sci-Tech Daresbury as a globally central location with the recognition and prestige they wanted to grow their business.

Rather than an office in a generic industrial unit, they wanted somewhere that would make a good impression of a high-tech company in a state-of-the-art facility. Being based at Daresbury immediately gave LIVFUL access to operations space at the Innovation centre and two small lab units within the Innovations Technology Access Centre (I-TAC). This has allowed them to upscale at their own pace and take advantage of equipment when they needed it.

The low level to entry was also helpful with the LIVFUL team citing Daresbury as a, “Very good landing spot with low capital outlay for us. We were able to move in, pay the rent and gain access to a lot of equipment immediately”.

The STFC business development team played a central role, offering tailored support to integrate the company into the innovation ecosystem. This included introductions to grant funding opportunities (such as Innovate UK), access to advanced laboratory infrastructure, and connections with other high-tech businesses and academic partners.

Benefits

Moving to Daresbury has benefited LIVFUL by integrating them into the infrastructure of the site, providing them the flexibility and access to equipment. By being part of the site network they have gained access to business advice and support in areas such as HR, IP and contract law.

They moved into their initial offices and lab space with little equipment and have since expanded, utilising the I-TAC team’s guidance and discounts available through the I-TAC procurement platform.

As a result of their engagement with STFC Daresbury, LIVFUL experienced a significant boost in both technical capability and market positioning. They established valuable partnerships with other innovators and researchers, fostering collaborative opportunities that contributed to product enhancement and new lines of enquiry.

Leveraging STFC’s facilities and expertise allowed LIVFUL to deepen their scientific approach, resulting in higher performing, more reliable repellent solutions which moves them closer to achieving their goal of changing insect repellents from a middle-class cosmetic product to a disease intervention tool.

Being based at a renowned science campus also bolstered the company’s reputation, opening doors to strategic partnerships and UK-based investment opportunities. As well as taking advantage of the many networking opportunities at the Daresbury site, they have also become a key contributor to the STFC community.

Their Daresbury team has grown to eight people and they expect to continue to grow. They have secured funding from the US and other venture capitalists and their product has been approved for commercialisation in in several African countries, in Singapore, Hong Kong, Australia, New Zealand, Malaysia, and they have just achieved regulatory approval in the United States.

This strategic move has positioned LIVFUL to continue expanding its impact, with ongoing innovation and growth fuelled by the resources and relationships built through STFC Daresbury.