Roberts’ winning business, MOM Incubator, has developed an inflatable incubator which can be flat-packed down for easy storage and powered for hours from a car battery. The incubator could be sold for 1/30th of the price of traditional incubators, opening it up to a mass market across the developing world.
As well as a £15,000 prize, Roberts will join the Royal Academy of Engineering Enterprise Hub, which helps the most promising UK engineering entrepreneurs to develop their skills and realise their ideas. As a member of the Enterprise Hub, Roberts will receive specialist mentoring, training, and access to a national network of business leaders and investors comprising over 100 volunteer mentors from the Academy’s Fellowship, whose expertise will help take the technology to the global market.
“If we’re to maintain a vibrant technology industry and economy here in the UK that’s based on engineering innovation, we need to inspire children from an early age and show them the exciting career paths that engineering and entrepreneurship offers,” Said David Gammon, CEO of Rockspring and the primary benefactor of the JC Gammon Award. “The Launchpad competition is set up to do just that, providing the very best support through the Academy’s Enterprise Hub to give them every chance of success.
“James’ innovation stood out to us because he is dealing with a real world issue that is as applicable to our own country as it is to developing nations.”
