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Innovation Design Prize prepares to inspire the next generation of outdoor visionaries

Innovation Design Prize prepares to inspire the next generation of outdoor visionaries

Published: 19/02/2010

 The search has started for the most exciting new innovation for the outdoor industries. Together, the Outdoor Industries Association (OIA) and the team behind the eighth Innovation for Extremes conference (Innov_ex 10) have launched this year’s Innov_ex Innovation Design Prize. Judged annually by a panel of industry experts, the prize will be awarded during Innov_ex 10, which will be held on 28th April at Lancaster University Management School and will explore the theme, “Innovation and the outdoors: sustainable products, processes and activities”.

Sustainable innovation in the outdoors sits at the heart of Innov_ex and has also been identified as a key focus for the OIA. One aspect of that sustainability involves encouraging the next generation of innovators to develop their ideas and products for the outdoor sector. The Innovation Design Prize helps to do that, offering a cash prize, along with bespoke business mentoring and, essentially, profile and exposure to many of the movers and shakers in the outdoor sector. Previous winners of the prize have gone on to see their innovation develop into commercially viable products or services.

In 2009, the winner of the Innovation Design prize was Pete Dollman, with his invention Figfour, a pioneering training aid that emulates the action and technique of climbing with ice axes. Essentially, Figfour is a product that combines wooden sticks with durable hoops and allows people to develop the strengths required for climbing with axes (also known as dry-tooling), but on a standard indoor climbing wall.

Pete, 26, first came up with the concept while studying Innovative Product Design at the University of Dundee. A keen dry-tooler himself, Pete investigated the habits and use of equipment by other climbers. Discovering that very limited training facilities existed for climbers during winter, particularly for dry-tooling, Pete knew that there was a gap in the market.

The ‘eureka’ moment came when Pete was preparing for a dry-tooling competition by pulling himself up by loops of rope hung over the jugs on a fingerboard. Pete believed the transition could be made from a fingerboard to a bouldering wall – and he was right.

Pete explains: “I never thought Figfour would change the world, but I felt that it was a strong idea which could help change how people approached winter climbing.”

In 2009, he was encouraged to enter the Innov_ex Innovation Design Prize after showcasing his work at the New Designers show in London. By engaging with Innov_ex, Pete hoped to gain nothing more than quality feedback from outdoor professionals. Instead, he was presented with the prize at Innov_ex 09 for what the judges concluded was a genuinely creative and innovative invention.

Pete adds: “I was given some great development ideas and feedback on the day which certainly helped me in the process of taking Figfour to market. I was lucky enough to have already been working with Alpkit who were really into the idea, but the prize definitely gave me a bit more faith in the concept and a renewed momentum to push on with the project and make it happen.”

Since winning the Innovation Design Prize, Pete Dollman has continued to develop and refine Figfour for market, working with outdoor specialist Alpkit. Winning the Innovation Design Prize put Pete and his product in the spotlight, giving him invaluable publicity and building his reputation with key opinion formers in the outdoor industries.

Pete has a deep understanding of the importance to the outdoor sector of initiatives like the Innovation Design Prize: “I don’t think the importance of supporting future innovators and encouraging them into the outdoor industry can be over-estimated. The prize offers a chance for new designers to get their concepts and ideas out there and I’d hope that the new and inventive products showcased by the prize will inspire those of us already working within the industry to really think about what is possible.”www.innovation-for-extremes.org/prize.html

As sponsor of Innov_ex, the Outdoor Industries Association is playing a role in encouraging young design talent into the sector for the benefit of the long term health of the UK’s outdoor industries. Innov_ex is one of a range of initiatives that the OIA is pursuing to encourage people to consider a career in the outdoors, and to help them find pathways to specialist brands, retailers, service providers and other organisations that operate in the sector.

Louise Ramsay, chief executive of the Outdoor Industries Association, explains: “As the outdoors continues to grow in popularity, competition in the sector is getting fiercer, both among established businesses, but also with new entrants and other activities that offer an appeal to the public during their leisure time. Collectively, we need to continue to innovate in products and services, and that will only be achieved if we can attract the brightest young minds to our industry.

“Innov_ex’s Innovation Design Prize is really important – it showcases some of the best talent around, encourages invention and supports young designers as they start their careers in the outdoor sector. I encourage anyone who thinks that they have a great idea that is applicable to the outdoors to find out more about the prize and consider entering. However, this is just one piece of a much bigger jigsaw. The OIA is working with partners on extensive outreach programmes designed to not only bring more people into the outdoors for recreation, but also inspire the next generation of industry leaders and innovators.”

To find out more about the Innov_ex Innovation Design Prize and how to enter visit http://www.innovation-for-extremes.org/prize.html. For more on Figfour visit http://www.alpkit.com/spotlight/product-guys.