Company Spotlight: LivFul, Inc.

Growing up in Nigeria, Hogan Bassey had to deal with the same problem that plagues people in many African nations – the constant onslaught of mosquitoes. Mosquitoes in Nigeria, like mosquitoes everywhere, are annoying. But being annoyed is only a very small part of the problem – mosquitoes in some parts of the world are often deadly. 

More than 700 million people worldwide contract some form of mosquito-borne illness every year. In addition to malaria, an ever-present threat in the tropical regions of Africa and otherwise, mosquitoes carry diseases like Dengue and yellow fever, presenting a constant threat to the health of anyone subject to a mosquito bite. The ubiquity of mosquito-borne illness in tropical regions results in over 1 million deaths per year. So, after suffering bouts of malaria as a child, Hogan dedicated his life’s work to preventing vector-borne disease. 

He started early at the age of 10, mixing up batches of homemade insect repellent in his family bathtub. His early homemade product was somewhat successful, but Hogan knew he could do better. After moving to the United States as a young man, Hogan began work on an insect repellent formula to change the world. The true breakthrough for his new company, LivFul, came after partnering with a physical chemist to create and apply a brand-new technology to his insect repellent, what is now known as STAYTEC™ technology, which allows the repellent to remain on top of the applicant’s skin for 14 hours at a time. This severely reduces the need to reapply repellent and allows the wearer to remain bite free and reduce his or her exposure to the life-threatening diseases caused by insect bites. 

With a dynamite product developed, LivFul needed assistance in a few key areas in order to get it ready for market. Namely, LivFul needed to gather information to begin the regulatory approval process in the United States. For this, they contacted the Georgia Centers of Innovation who were extremely helpful in connecting LivFul with the critical market research it needed to perfect its product and go-to-market strategy as well as access to the information it needed to begin the regulatory process.  

The Georgia Centers of Innovation (COI) are a division of the Georgia Department of Economic Development that connect businesses operating in the state with the resources and expertise they need to overcome challenges to growth. The COI program was ideally positioned to help LivFul navigate its challenges securing regulatory certifications and finding a packaging contractor.

With the help of the Centers of Innovation, LivFul was able to make contact with the EPA to begin the process of certification in order to sell their product in the United States. Hogan and LivFul were also assisted by the Center of Innovation for Manufacturing to secure a contract manufacturer to package their AKIVA brand insect repellent, which is now available in the Bahamas, and will hopefully soon be available everywhere. 

From a childhood spent grappling with bouts of malaria, Hogan Bassey is creating a better world. LivFul’s STAYTEC™ technology has the potential to change the lives of millions of people who are affected every day by mosquito-borne illnesses.  By working with the Centers of Innovation, LivFul is turning the dreams of millions into a reality. 

Learn more about how the Georgia Centers of Innovation can help your business connect, compete and grow here.