The Incyte Ingenuity Awards in Hidradenitis Suppurativa (HS)™

Encouraging innovation within the HS community

The application period is open and will close March 31, 2026.

Offering Awards for Impactful Initiatives

Two award categories: One up to $35,000 and another up to $100,000

The Incyte Ingenuity Awards in HS aims to support the HS community by funding innovative initiatives that address specific needs for people impacted by HS, including patients, caregivers and their healthcare providers, through a thoughtful, creative and original approach.

HS is a chronic inflammatory skin condition characterized by painful nodules and abscesses that can lead to irreversible tissue destruction and scarring. Given the debilitating nature of the condition, it can have a profoundly negative effect on a person’s life.

Incyte, a global pharmaceutical company, is deeply dedicated to positively impacting the lives of patients with serious medical needs and supporting them every step of the way. As a part of this commitment, the company is excited to launch the Incyte Ingenuity Awards in HS to foster collaboration among key stakeholders to address the specific needs of the HS community.

The theme for this year is “Empowering patients on their HS Journey.” The theme can serve as a guide for applications, as well as inspire innovative ideas, but is not mandatory. The program will support novel innovative initiatives that fall within two categories: one up to $35,000 and another up to $100,000 to support projects of different scales.

Submit your application by March 31, 2026, for the chance to make a real difference for people living with HS.

Eligibility

Eligibility Information

The following groups and individuals are eligible to apply for the Incyte Ingenuity Awards in HS:

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Non-profit 501(c)(3), patient, policy and caregiver organizations

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Healthcare providers, junior faculty from healthcare organizations*

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Individuals or other companies collaborating with these organizations and institutions**

Proposed programs or projects must be distinct from any established ones within the community. Additionally, programs cannot include indirect costs with the proposed budget. To be eligible, you and your organization must be US based (including Washington DC and Puerto Rico).

*Applications must be submitted in the name of an institution, not on behalf of an individual.

**Individuals or other companies interested in applying must partner with either a non-profit organization or a healthcare facility (i.e., hospitals, academic research centers, etc.) to be eligible.

Applications will be disqualified if:

  • Focus is on a particular therapeutic agent, translational research or clinical research that is interventional in nature
  • Proposed program is based on an existing project or initiative, with no evidence of ingenuity; additionally, any portion of a project already completed or underway will not be considered
  • Organization is improperly identified as a 501(c)(3) organization
  • Application is submitted by a healthcare professional as an individual (individuals will need to partner with a not-for-profit or other organization to be considered; all payments will be made directly to the organization)
  • Defined scope does not serve or plan to address a specific need of the HS community
  • A primary objective of a project is revenue generation
  • Project proposes to provide access or other benefits to Incyte. For clarity, Incyte will not 'partner' with any organization, provide input into a project, nor collaborate with a requesting organization on any project
  • Request in funding exceeds 25 percent of an organization's overall annual budget and/or includes indirect costs
  • Application is submitted by an employee of Incyte, Real Chemistry and/or other vendors, or members of the immediate family of any such persons
  • Program is duplicated, with multiple copies of an application submitted by the same organization
  • Program exceeds the maximum application limit per organization (more than five)
  • Program includes financial support, gifts, incentives or other items of monetary value to patients or healthcare providers, either directly or indirectly. For clarity, a stipend or similar financial support may not be provided to patients or healthcare providers to cover personal costs (e.g., travel, housing). If the program proposes to provide a stipend for services in connection with the project, the stipend amount and other relevant details must be detailed in the proposal.
  • Program reimburses or defrays the costs of travel, lodging, attendance or other personal expenses of any participating patients, healthcare professionals or government employees
  • Applicant and/or organization are not based in the United States

While multiple applications may be submitted by an eligible applicant, only one application can be selected for the award per applicant.

Incyte reserves the right to modify the eligibility requirements at any time.

Have additional questions?
Check out our FAQ page

Meet the Judges

Meet the Judges

Meet our Incyte Ingenuity Awards in HS judging panel!

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Steven Daveluy, MD, FAAD

Dr. Steven Daveluy is a professor and program director at Wayne State University in Detroit, Michigan. He holds special interests in teledermatology, noninvasive skin imaging, skin of color, integrative dermatology and complex medical dermatology, including HS.  He is active on American Academy of Dermatology committees, including MIPS Value Pathway and DataDerm Oversight.  He is the past president of the Wayne County Medical Society and Michigan Dermatological Society. He serves on the board of directors of the HS Foundation, editorial board for the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology (JAAD), Associate Editor for JAAD Case Reports and Co-Chief Editor of the Journal of Integrative Dermatology.

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Vivian Shi, MD, FAAD

Dr. Vivian Shi is a Board-Certified Dermatologist and Professor at the Department of Dermatology, University of Washington, Seattle. Dr. Shi's research and clinical interests are in complex inflammatory skin conditions, including HS. She has published extensively on topics related to disparities and management of patients with skin of color. She has served as the principal investigator for numerous industry-sponsored and investigator-initiated clinical and translational studies and has published numerous peer-reviewed articles. Additionally, she is on the Board of Directors for the HS Foundation.

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Athena Gierbolini

Athena Gierbolini has been a patient advocate since 2017. She is currently the President and CEO of Hope for HS and sits on the board of directors for the HS Foundation. Athena is passionate about raising awareness for HS and loves engaging with both the patient and medical community. Creating support groups for people with HS is at the heart of what Athena does. In her time as an advocate, she also speaks publicly about HS at conferences, for media companies and on podcasts.

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PreShus Lee

PreShus Lee is a filmmaker, writer and entrepreneur. She is an HS patient of 26 years and has turned some tough experiences into creative fuel. Through her own company, PreShus supports projects that lift marginalized voices—from films and digital media to unique community events that spark change. She serves as an ambassador with the Association of Hidradenitis Suppurativa and Inflammatory Diseases, always championing more awareness and support for the HS community. She is also a patient research partner with International Dermatology Outcome Measures (IDEOM), ensuring patient perspectives are front and center in research and innovation.

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Joey Torre

Joey Torre, living with HS, is a passionate advocate, content creator and proud member of the HS Connect Crew. For more than four years, he has dedicated himself to raising awareness of HS through educational content on social media. Joey co-leads HS Brotherhood, an online support group for men living with HS. His content centers on correcting misinformation and addressing common misconceptions about the condition. He is also committed to highlighting the emotional and mental health toll HS can take, emphasizing that it’s more than a skin condition.

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Incyte will not provide any advice or input during the judging process, and all decisions made by the judging panel are made independently and are final. These judges will receive compensation for their services from Incyte, based on fair market value.

Judging Criteria

Judging Criteria – What Makes an
Award-Winning Project?

Our judging panel will consider the following criteria when evaluating each award application:

Checkmark iconDoes the applicant meet the eligibility requirements?

Handshake iconDid the applicant collaborate with any other organizations to optimize the success of the initiative?

Documents iconDoes the application contain all of the necessary details and supporting documents?

Puzzle piece iconDoes the proposal exhibit a thoughtful, creative and innovative approach to address a specific need within the HS community? Does it add a new resource or method of support to the community (without providing financial support, gifts or other items of monetary value to patients either directly or indirectly)?

Stopwatch iconCan the proposal be completed within the one-year time frame?

Target iconDoes the proposal demonstrate a clear purpose and rationale?

Dollar sign iconDoes the proposal include a realistic and appropriate budget?

Upward pointing arrow iconDoes the proposal have clear and measurable outcomes? Does it follow the SMART (specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, timely) methodology for setting goals?

Incyte reserves the right to change the judging criteria at any time.

Program Rules

Program Rules

The application process will occur in two rounds:

Icon of the number 1Round one

Complete a letter of intent that introduces your proposal that includes the following:

  • Confirmation of eligibility criteria
  • Contact and organization information
  • Indicate which award the project is applying for
  • Project proposal, including project name, objectives and summary of how it addresses a specific need for the HS community
  • Identification of any collaboration and connection to the HS community

Icon of the number 2Round two

Applicants who progress to round two will be asked to complete an additional form, further detailing their proposal, as well as specific questions from the judging panel via email that address:

  • Realistic budget breakdown and timeline of milestones to execute initiative within one year of selection
  • Measurable elements and anticipated outcomes that will define success and demonstrate impact
  • Identification of any organizational challenges in execution
  • Specific questions, unique to each application, based on information the judging panel members would like the applicant to clarify and/or expand upon

Have additional questions?
Check out our FAQ page