A UNIVERSITY graduate has invented and brought to market an upgraded kneepad that is said to decrease pressure on knees by 76 per cent.
Vicky Hamilton, 25, a product design engineering graduate from the University of Strathclyde, said the device was inspired by her tradesman dad's knee complaints.
With support and encouragement from entrepreneurial organisations including the Scottish Institute for Enterprise and the Santander Universities Entrepreneurship Awards, Ms Hamilton started her own business after originally developing Recoil Kneepads as part of her final year university project.
In June 2015 she secured the necessary £65,000 to bring Recoil to life from the Scottish Edge fund.
Ms Hamilton said: “The idea for Recoil came about one evening when I was listening to my dad complain about his sore knees at the dinner table. None of the kneepads he had tried were helping and it suddenly clicked that I could create something that would improve life for him and other tradespeople.”
She added: “A huge amount of research has gone into the development of Recoil Kneepads over the last four years to create a product that outperforms those already available on the market.”
The kneepads have been put through their paces at the University of Strathclyde, with tests finding they are more effective at reducing pain than major competitor brands.
Ms Hamilton said: “I’ve been incredibly fortunate to have the support of organisations with a wealth of entrepreneurial experience. Starting my own business has been rewarding and exciting with Recoil going from strength to strength. I urge others with a great idea up their sleeve to seek out professional guidance and discover what they can achieve.”
The kneepads are manufactured locally, in Edinburgh and Ms Hamilton said she planned to invest in job creation in the next year. She also has plans to start discussions with potential stockists over the next few months.
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