The Blackwood Design Awards, a Dragons’ Den-style competition to recognise innovations and inventions that improve the lives of older and disabled people, has announced this year’s three winners.
The successful shortlisted inventors joined together to showcase their entries before the winners were announced at the V&A Dundee, Scotland’s design museum, the same location where they pitched to a panel of eight of the sector’s leading experts five weeks prior.
Koalaa Soft Prosthetics, from London, was recognised as the winner of Best New Aid, Equipment or Accessible Technology for its comfortable and affordable prosthetics devices.
While Nick Fitzpatrick from Edinburgh picked up Best New Concept for his kettle redesign to help users independently and safely operate at home.
Charlie Wilson and the University of Strathclyde won Best Collaboration for the restructure of an electric plug to work on a push mechanism for removal instead of pull.
Fanchea Kelly, Blackwood’s chief executive, said: “The inventions created by all the shortlisted entrants are inspiring and it was tough for the judges to decide on the winners. Nate from Koalaa, Nick and Charlie are worthy winners, and it was great to host an event that gave all the entrants the opportunity to share their experiences in this showcase in the V&A."
Sponsors of the design awards include Hyper Luminal Games and Social Telecoms whose generosity provided overall awards sponsorship and £2000 prize money for the two new-to-market inventions so that they can develop their designs further. Scotland-based Global Intellectual Property experts, Murgitroyd, are also supporting the winners and shortlisted candidates with advice and support on how to protect the rights of their inventions and the V&A Dundee has been a proud host and supporter of BDA 2022 too.
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