Pipe dreams become reality for Scottish plumbing entrepreneur
Posted by BusinessZone.co.uk in Business trends on Fri, 19/08/2011 - 12:55
Dickinson was judged by Karen Darby, a serial entrepreneur; Carl Hopkins, marketing expert and star of Channel 4’s The Secret Millionaire and Amanda Boyle, Bloom VC founder and non-executive director at Young Enterprise Scotland.
The creator of an ingenious device which provides a temporary fix to burst water pipes has won the Scottish heat of The Pitch 2011, BusinessZone’s search for Britain’s best new companies.
Ross Dickinson, founder of Kibosh, won over three expert judges in the grand surroundings of Edinburgh’s Signet Library. The event, organised in association with marketing solutions company Yell, was an official part of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe.
Dickinson was judged by Karen Darby, a serial entrepreneur; Carl Hopkins, marketing expert and star of Channel 4’s The Secret Millionaire and Amanda Boyle, Bloom VC founder and non-executive director at Young Enterprise Scotland.The entrepreneur’s invention is a device which can be clamped around damaged pipe work to provide a temporary repair solution in an emergency.
An enthusiastic pitch and an original and innovative product secured Dickinson, who has been a plumber for 10 years, a place in the grand final of The Pitch 2011 at London’s Pacha night club on 18 November. The overall champion will receive £50,000 worth of business support.
Carl Hopkins said: "It is fair to say that the initial submission from Ross of Kibosh almost read as too good to be true. But following a very competent pitch presentation he demonstrated the simple and effectiveness of his Kibosh invention.
"An invention borne from necessity and real experience. Here is a man who has spotted a very specific but common problem and solved it in an innovative and memorable way. I always ask myself two questions, would I buy it or would I invest in it and the answer this time on both accounts was a resounding yes."
As well as his victory, Norma Corlette, a serial entrepreneur and speaker at The Pitch Scotland, agreed to mentor Dickinson for the final.
Finalists from England and Wales have also already been selected.
Cara Sayer, creator of SnoozeShade will represent England and Helen McAvoy and Naomi Kibble, co-founder of Rocktails will represent Wales.
The remaining regional finalist will be decided at the Northern Ireland heat in Belfast on 21 September. Small business owners can still enter at www.thepitch2011.com/enter. Entrepreneurs who could like to be in the audience can register for free at www.thepitch2011.com/national-heats.
The prize package for The Pitch 2011 champion includes advertising solutions from Yell, 12 months mentoring from Karen Darby, a year’s membership of the Forum of Private Business and London private members club Adam Street and £3,000 worth of brand consultancy.
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