News and Events

BU All Set For Festival

25 June 2007

Student demonstrates prototype at last year’s Festival of Design and Innovation

We’re celebrating our 15th annual Festival of Design and Innovation this week.

The Festival has been hailed by one award-winning inventor as a flagship event, presenting the first opportunity for the public and business community to view over 170 new designs and prototypes with commercial potential.

The Festival will be opened by Mandy Haberman, inventor of the ‘Anyway Up Cup,’ a non drip container that's widely used as a medical tool for a variety of feeding difficulties.

Mandy is an Honorary Fellow with BU's Centre for Intellectual Property Policy & Management. She received an Honorary Doctorate from BU in 2005 and has won a variety of awards for her unique design.

She has also been recognised by the Queen as a Pioneer to the Life of the Nation.

“I feel privileged to view the work of fresh young talents as they emerge into the public domain,” says Mandy. ”I am looking forward to it immensely.

"It is important that design and innovation are recognised and celebrated, as they are key to the future of our economic growth.

“BU's Festival of Design and Innovation is a flagship event. I would like to see more universities follow suit. Well done Bournemouth!”

To launch the Festival this year, Mandy will be joined by Simon Phelps, a BU graduate in Computer Aided Design who designed the award winning ‘Floodstop’ flood barrier.

The Festival is a unique event, bringing together public and private supporters to champion and assist innovation, commercialisation and business growth in the South West.

Two projects from recent BU design shows that have achieved commercial status with business development support from BU include:

The Loftlift – a unique combination of a ladder and lift that provides a flexible, cost effective solution for raising and lowering heavy loads safely
The Quick Pitch – a pop up tent designed by graduate Franziska Conrad and manufactured under exclusive licence by Gelert, one of the UK’s most popular camping brands

The 15th annual Festival of Design and Innovation runs between Friday 29 June and Monday 2 July (closed Sunday 1 July) on our Talbot Campus.

It's free to all visitors.