News and Events

Graduate pens ‘Inventing for Dummies’

8 July 2008

A BU Product Design graduate has launched a new book to help turn bright ideas into big business.

A new reference book aimed at budding inventors and co-written by BU Product Design graduate Phil Robinson has hit bookshelves.

‘Inventing for Dummies’, part of the famous, best-selling ‘For Dummies’ series for beginners, shows how to turn your creative concept into a viable business venture.

Philip, a graduate of our BSc (Hons) Product Design course, has had commercial success with ideas he developed during his degree.

In his final year, he designed a new type of bicycle pump, the ‘Biologic ZorinPump’, which showcased at BU’s Festival of Design & Innovation in 2001, attracting commercial interest. The pump is revolutionary in that it is built into the bike seat and enables you to pump tyres while you stand.

Two years ago he exchanged contracts with the world’s largest folding bike manufacturer, ‘Dahon Incorporated’. The Biologic ZorinPump is now available in 30 countries and sells in excess of 100,000 units every year.

Having seen his concept become a reality, Philip is delighted to be able to give others the benefit of his expertise.

He says: “I hope the book will inspire anyone who has a great idea to turn their dream into reality. It contains lots of useful business tips on topics such as patents, trademarks, funding, marketing and licensing. These are key areas you need to understand in order to turn a concept into a viable business proposition.”

Other contributors to ‘Inventing For Dummies’ include the wind-up radio inventor, Trevor Baylis OBE, Peter Jackson, an experienced Patent Attorney, and Pamela Riddle Bird, commercialisation expert and CEO of Innovative Product Technologies, Inc.

In addition to the book, Philip is supporting current design students at BU, in his new role as part of the University’s commercialisation team.