When the Pandemic hit in early 2020, Innovize was recruited to help manufacture face masks for two teams competing in the Next-Gen Mask challenge with XPRIZE.

The XPRIZE Foundation has designed and operated seventeen competitions in the domain areas of Space, Oceans, Learning, Health, Energy, Environment, Transportation, Safety, and Robotics. Each of these competitions has created an industry-changing technology that brings us closer to a better, safer, more sustainable world.

The $1M Next-Gen Mask Challenge aimed to reimagine protective face masks used to prevent the spread of COVID-19 by making them more comfortable, functional, accessible, and even stylish. The XPRIZE Next-Gen Mask Challenge will aid in the fight against COVID-19 by enhancing an effective solution: face masks. The next generation of masks will redefine the norm of mask-wearing behavior and help sustain crucial preventive health measures.

Our two teams, team idMask and team Merlin! had innovative designs that impressed judges, making it to the final round with three other teams, beating out hundreds of other teams around the world.

Team idMask:

Team Merlin!:

Click here to visit the XPRIZE website to see and learn more about the mask competition and to watch the video of last week’s winner announcement, including recaps of each mask and Q&A sessions with the inventors.

Congratulations to team Luminosity Lab on your outstanding mask design. We look forward to seeing your mask in the marketplace!