Hub picks a winner at Innovation Awards
Now in their 15th year, the awards attracted 105 entries for staff research and innovation, staff research with student involvement, student innovation, student social enterprise and graduate enterprise. The panel of judges included Ian Goodyer from the East Sussex Enterprise Hub, which works with local companies and entrepreneurs to create new, innovative and prosperous businesses.
Stephen Britt was judged outright winner in his category by a panel of judges which included Ian Goodyer, Hub Consultant. The Innovation Award is for the most original idea for a new product or concept offering commercial potential and/or environmental benefit.
The ingenious winning entry is based on retrofitting a pair of powered pedals to a standard bicycle, each incorporating a battery, motor, gearbox, freewheel device and the necessary control elements. The powered pedals enable speeds of 15.5mph for a range of ten miles. They can also be recharged at any time – LEDs display the current charge level of each battery – and operate normally when flipped over.
Winners of the Innovation and Research Awards share the £20,000 prize fund and receive advice from the University of Brighton’s Business Services department and beepurple, its entrepreneurship network.
14 Aug 2009