Our 2003 book Invisible on Everest: Innovation and the Gear Makers and Gear Timezone,which has grown from it, are dedicated to ‘the next generation of innovators’ . So too is the innov_ex, Innovation Design Prize. When we set it up in 2007 we wanted to encourage and inspire a new generation of innovators. It is on them, their creativity, imagination and sheer hard work, that the future of the outdoor industry depends.
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Victoria Eskdale 2011 innov_ex Design prize winner
So what has happened to past winners of the innov_ex design prize – are they becoming the innovators of the future? The answer is a resounding yes and should encourage new entries for 2012.
Our 2011 winner Victoria Eskdale took up the option of business mentoring to help her develop her company around her winning innovation – her second skin tactile glove and she will be explaining this further at innov_ex 2012 this April . Her experience is shared by previous winners. Jan-Fahrenheit Betros won in 2007 while a student at University of Derby. Since then his company RÖJK has really taken off and Jan is quite clear that winning the innov_ex prize raised his profile.Pete Dollman’s win in 2009 didn’t lead him to set up his own company. But he was recruited directly from the innov_ex conference by Alpkit. As a result his Figfour dry tooling aid went into production for use on climbing walls. Veronica Legg won in 2010 and is now employed by Equip Technology. 2008 winner Lisa Alberti who is a design teacher in inner city Manchester, used her prize to develop her pupils as outdoor designers. This included working with Julie Greengrass at Sprayway.
The innov_ex Innovation Design Prize is open to student designers, recent graduates and independent new designers it is a real spring board for the future.
Further details of innov_ex conference 18th-19th April 2012
