PRODRIVE’S RAPID CHALLENGE DISCOVERS MORE WINNING INVENTIONS

The Rapid Challenge, launched in 2019 by Prodrive Ventures, has revealed its third winner.

The competition, aimed specifically at entrepreneurs and start-ups developing innovative physical products, named ACUA Ocean as its 2021 winner.

ACUA Ocean designs and deploys hydrogen-powered uncrewed surface vessels (H-USVs) as an offshore data platform.

Prodrive Ventures is the investment-arm of the world-leading motorsport and advanced technology group based at Banbury.

ACUA Ocean’s zero-carbon emission vessels aim to enable the sustainable economic and environmental management of our oceans, waterways and critical offshore infrastructure.

David Cullimore, head of Prodrive Ventures, said: “Each year the number of entries to our Rapid Challenge grows and the quality gets better and better.

“Any of the three finalists could have picked up the award, the standard was that high, and I am sure we will see them all come to fruition over the coming years.

“The ACUA Ocean team had a clear business plan and answered all the very probing questions we and our partners put to them. While they will receive the largest slice of the prize pot, in terms of financial, commercial and technical support, all three finalists will still receive invaluable support from all the Rapid Challenge partners.

“We look forward to working with ACUA Ocean to help them bring their autonomous, hydrogen powered vessel to a commercial reality.”

The other finalists were a team of students from Imperial College who have developed Paige, an innovative braille technology, and the engineers behind Balance Active a new product to help active standing and balance in older people.

Modern braille technology is limited to single line text, making simple reading tasks time-consuming for the blind, and certain fields, such as STEM subjects, difficult to access. Current devices are also expensive. Paige’s solution incorporates multiple lines of braille, which is key for accessing mathematics and other scientific fields.

Balance Active, developed by Exyo Ltd, has been designed to help the rehabilitation of patients with deconditioning, leg and trunk weakness and fatigue. It is low-tech, low-cost and portable.

Royal Mail trials micro electric vehicles in Swindon in drive to reduce emissions

Royal Mail is trialling micro electric vehicles to deliver letters and small parcels in Swindon in a bid to reduce carbon emissions.

Roughly the size of a golf buggy or a quad bike, the vehicles will be assessed in residential areas as a potential lower-carbon alternative to larger vans, which are typically shared by two posties.

The trial will assess whether giving two posties access to separate vehicles could provide greater flexibility on busy routes in a more environmentally-friendly way.

The temporary and agency worker model has many benefits including providing flexibility, getting people quickly into work and enabling organisations to hire sta in unstable times. However, the pandemic and Brexit has led to significant changes in the labour market, culminating in resource scarcity in many sectors, therefore employers need to seriously consider their approach to candidate attraction, skills development and retention.

Richard East, Chairman of Cheltenham headquartered RE Recruitment, looks at the current challenges in recruiting.

Other challenges in the labour market centre on employee nervousness and the desire for job security.

Employers recruiting for permanent positions must contend with the issue of those currently in roles, too nervous to switch employers due to uncertain times.

So, why is candidate attraction a challenge in the current environment?

Quite simply, it is based on supply and demand – the more vacancies and career options that outweigh labour supply, the more discerning human resources become; people will be attracted to those roles, or other environments, that help service basic, psychological and self-fulfilment needs.

The pandemic has forced us all to assess our health, wellbeing and work-life balance, therefore those roles that afford flexible working, opportunities to develop and in general a rewarding and respectful working environment become more attractive. Pandemic aside, there has been an overarching decline in skills investment over recent years which further tightens the labour market.

Then there is the EU labour market quandary; even though there has been a rise in EU nationals coming to work in the UK over recent years, this labour supply has been thwarted with Brexit red-tape and has limited labour flow into the country, especially for those seeking workers for semi-skilled or unskilled roles.

All these factors have created a ‘perfect storm’ in terms of candidate attraction. Employers need to differentiate themselves as a ‘go to’ employer, combating recruitment difficulties in a fiercely competitive market.

Whilst the previous section may paint a bleak picture, there are several ways in which an employer can stand out from the crowd to effectively attract and retain the right people.

Pay - The tight labour market is putting upward pressure on wages for many workers and employers are beginning to increase starting salaries to counteract recruitment challenges.

Benefits - Employers can look to nonfinancial benefits such as meaningful career progression and flexible working arrangements for differentiation.

Employer Brand - In a discerning labour market, candidates often look to what an employer ‘stands for’ and how it values their people, processes, social issues and the environment.

Manage your ideal candidate expectations - In a labour scarcity situation, employers must manage their expectations regarding person specifications.

Mix it up – Constantly assess the recruitment campaign as new directions may need to be established to attract people to your vacancy.

Recruit to retain – Invest in your workforce to save spending time on recruitment. Develop at strategy with a robust induction and training programme.

RE Recruitment has supported many of our clients, both Blue Chip and SMEs, in making their worker offering fit today’s challenging employment market, contact us today for a no obligation candidate attraction review.

It’s January, and that means cold temperatures and dark days. Those of us with less than perfect willpower have just eaten (and drunk) our way through the festive season. But never fear…. Here are 10 cool brands from across the region that might just help get us through the winter and raring to go for spring.

Jordan rocks the Lycra look after a lockdown side-hustle takes o

J.LUXE.FIT is a new Gloucestershire fitness-wear brand founded by 22-year-old Jordan Tuck during the first lockdown in 2020.

“I started the brand to solve my own problem,” she said. “As a curvaceous woman on my weight loss journey, my issue was always, why couldn’t I find a matching sports bra and leggings that held my bust in place and made me feel supported and confident enough to wear to the gym?

“Everything I found was too flimsy, fell down or looked like something I had borrowed from my nan. It never matched, and I never felt confident to wear it out. This meant I was further away from achieving my weight loss goals.”

So Jordan launched her own brand. “I spent about six months researching and testing the best fabrics, designs and samples and last August I launched J.LUXE.FIT.”

She’s also two stone lighter, because creating sportswear made her feel confident enough to exercise and go to the gym.

And the business is flying.

“We have had more than 1,000 orders worldwide and J.LUXE.FIT has created an empowering Instagram community of women who support each other on their fitness journeys.”

But she’s not given up the day job – yet.

“I still work full-time as a business development manager for an insurance broker. I have been working in the insurance sector for the last five years. J.LUXE.FIT started as a hobby – I never knew would grow so quickly.”

Jordan’s ambition is to take the brand global.

“I’d like it to be known as the go-to sportswear brand for inclusivity and realism, for activewear that empowers and makes you feel confident. I’d also like to create a global community of supportive, body-positive people.

“We are looking to launch our first women’s health and fitness empowerment event this year where we can get our community together for an amazing day.” jluxefit.com

Natural remedies are the foundation for skincare company

Worcestershire skincare company orka-naturals.co.uk

ORKA-Naturals uses age-old remedies, healing knowledge and natural ingredients. The Broadway-based company was founded by Kate Varvedo who was raised in Hungary where her grandfather taught her about nature and animals.

Feel secure in your vegan ambitions with Eartheia

Are you fed up of being “greenwashed”?

All the fashion and beauty products on Eartheia’s website are certified crueltyfree, feelgood 100 per cent vegan.

The company, which has already won awards, was launched in 2020 by 24-year old Stourbridge vegan Chloe Taylor.

eartheia.com

Nutrition X can boost sports performance

Gloucester-based Nutrition X is aiming to change the game in sports nutrition, from its scientifically formulated supplements to its consultancy services and dedication to clean sport through rigorous testing. The company was launched by Gloucester businessman James Markey in 2014.

nutritionx.co.uk

Heavy lifting success for Recharge Fitness

A gym equipment brand based in Cheltenham for home gyms, garage gyms, PT studios, sports clubs, commercial gyms and sports stars.

Recharge Fitness was established by ex-Royal Marine Grant Polson, a keen sportsman, heavy gym-goer and cover model, alongside fellow founder, Ryan Anthoney, an entrepreneur, ex-rugby playing fitness fanatic.

Grant and Ryan had both tried and failed to find quality gym equipment. Now their ambition is to become the UK’s number one provider of high-quality home gym equipment.

rechargefitness.co.uk

Oxford Vitality – making you feel great again

An independent dietary supplement company manufacturing in the UK.

Based in Bicester, it has a range of more than 100 products which include herbal supplements, health foods, vitamins and minerals.

The company is also currently working with the charity Life for African Mothers too, donating pre-natal dietary supplements to mothers in West Coast Africa.

oxfordvitality.co.uk

Get physical with your choice of supplements

A Reading based company offering sports nutrition, supplements and healthy food. With a busy website, the company also has stores in Reading, Bristol, Banbury, Leamington Spa and two in Oxford.

fitcookie.co.uk

Small can be actively beautiful

Bristol-based Avo is an affordable activewear brand specialising in women's petite sports clothing.

The company was established in 2017 by Ally Sevier, five-foot-nothing in height, who struggled to find clothing to fit her height and shape.

avoactivewear.com

Bay’s Kitchen helps put your digestive system back on track

Do you suffer from IBS? You’re not alone. Many people have a sensitivity to certain foods and suffer a range of symptoms, from abdominal cramps, bloating and backpain to diarrhoea and constipation. Vavoom your digestive system with Bay’s Kitchen’s range of food products to help IBS sufferers.

bayskitchen.com

Feel more happy with IamHolly Matthews

Any website that says it offers “no nonsense self-development, helping people feel more happy and less crappy” gets our vote.

Holly Matthews, based in Warwickshire, is a former TV actress, NLP practitioner and now founder of the Happy Me Project, launched in 2017 just months after the death of her husband from brain cancer.

iamhollymatthews.com

By Nicky Godding Business & Innovation Magazine Editor-in-Chief

In 2020, the government published its 10-point plan for a green industrial revolution.

As well as investing in more wind turbines, hydrogen generation and nuclear, it wants to accelerate the transition to electric vehicles and transform our road infrastructure to support them better. By 2035, new petrol or diesel cars will no longer be sold in the UK.

At COP26 last year, the government went further. It decreed that all new heavy goods vehicles in the UK must be zero-emission by 2040.

Also at the Glasgow green jamboree, a new electric vehicle chargepoint was revealed. The government hopes these could become as iconic on our streets as the red post box – or the telephone box designed by Sir Gilbert Scott in the 1920s.

The government revealed it would commit £1.3 billion to accelerate the rollout of chargepoints for electric vehicles in homes, streets and on motorways across England, so people can more easily and conveniently charge their cars.

The fast adoption of electric vehicles will help us meet global climate goals, because short distance road transport makes up 11 per cent of global emissions and impacts significantly on climate change.

In the UK, according to the government, transport is the largest emitting sector of greenhouse gas emissions, producing 27 per cent of the UK’s total emissions in 2019, although this was a near two per cent reduction on emissions in 2018.

But international aviation emissions (which are not counted towards the UK’s total domestic emissions) more than doubled between 1990-2019. We really should all think twice before jumping on a plane.

It also said nearly £500 million will be spent in the next four years on the development and mass-scale production of electric vehicle batteries.

Do UK businesses have the technological capability to achieve these targets? If all the sustainability promises we read were true, the world would already be carbon neutral, so is it possible to sort out the greenwashing from the reality?

We’re not sure if we can answer that question, but what we can do is offer an overview of some of the most promising electric innovations.

Indra is charged up for the future

A new car charging app is rewarding EV drivers for charging their cars at home

On the face of it, Malvern-based Indra is another company making electric car chargers. But dig a little deeper and this company has a good story to tell. Earlier this year Indra, which was set up by former cyber security consultant Mike Schooling back in 2013 when the hype around electric vehicles was beginning, launched what it claims is the world’s first EV charger to reward drivers for greener charging.

Indra has teamed up with another British company, EV Energy, which has developed a smart, cloud-based platform that automatically optimizes EV charging for a greener, cheaper charge.

Together the companies have launched Indra Smart Pioneer, an EV charger which rewards drivers simply for plugging in and charging their car.

The launch came just a few months after the company secured £6 million of