A seed of an idea has resulted in two innovative businesses being shortlisted for the 2015 Spark Business competition, organised by Stockport Council’s Stockport Business Innovation Centre (SBIC) and supported by Novomodo, Tangent Design, Souter PR, Clarke Nicklin, RBS and Gorvins.
Michael Boylan (above left) is part of a new wave of horticultural entrepreneurs with big ideas and a drive to modernise the way we garden. Michael’s brilliantly simple horticultural idea is TwistPot, a height adjustable plant pot and tray system which allows water to drain and air to circulate promoting healthy, more productive plants.
While Chris Jarratt’s seed of an idea (above right) hopes that his ‘Bariquin’ can provide a way in which safety concerns about moving and handling people classed as obese can be addressed.
TwistPots – just the beginning …
Michael is keen to develop his TwistPots product range to suit all situations:
“From day one I have been asked for different sizes of pot, so providing a range of pots of various sizes is a major part of my growth strategy.
“With TwistPot’s advantages, and because it’s priced the same as a standard pot and tray, choosing TwistPot is a no-brainer, and it’s why I’m confident my idea is sound. I also have another idea with a patent pending and I hope to add this to my company’s offerings, which, I’m sure will be equally as successful as TwistPot.”
So why a bariatric mannequin, a Bariquin …
Chris explains:
“I found myself in a situation where I thought I would have to administer first aid to a man who was having breathing difficulties. He weighed around 28 stone. Fortunately, he recovered his breathing, but it made me think how do emergency personnel and healthcare workers train to lift obese people?”
Chris researched the subject and went on to design and produce a bariatric mannequin, which he later dubbed a Bariquin.
Bariquins aim to produce 25-stone mannequins which will be used to train emergency personnel and healthcare workers to safely and efficiently lift obese people, reducing the risk of injury to the patient or those in attendance.
Chris continues:
“Society needs to tackle the root causes of obesity, but that change in lifestyle and mind-set is going to take generations. That leaves today’s generation with the challenge of how we deal with the problem. Bariquins offer a solution to the serious issue of how obese people can be safely lifted and helped.”
The winner of the Spark competition …
can look forward to a package of support from the sponsors worth £15,000, including a year’s free office space at SBIC which is owned by Stockport Council and part funded by the European Regional Development Fund, giving whichever business wins, the boost it needs to take off.
The winner of the Spark Business competition will be announced at a gala evening on June 23rd.
You can take a look at TwistPot at http://twistpot.com/.