Reviewed 30 November 2008

THINK kit winners rewarded for their good ideas

With their innovative ideas, hard work and tenacity in tackling challenges, six outstanding students have been rewarded at the THINK kit awards ceremony held in London.

The THINK kit competition is part of the UK Intellectual Property Office’s drive to ensure that tomorrow’s innovators are aware of the impact of intellectual property. Schoolchildren aged between 14 and 16 have taken up the competition’s challenge to come up with something new and useful to do with a hobby.

The UK Intellectual Property THINK kit awards were presented to the winners and runners up by Malcolm Wicks, Minister for Science and Innovation. Winners of the competition each received £250 of vouchers and the winner’s schools each received a cheque for £1,000.

Congratulating the winners, Mr Wicks said:

"Students of today will go on to become the business people and wealth creators of the future, so it is essential that we take every opportunity to nurture and support this emerging talent".

"For the UK to compete effectively with developing economies it is important that we equip our students with skills for life and an awareness of the protection of intellectual assets is a vital part of this".

"We need to create a spirit of enterprise. The THINK kit competition has helped students understand how protecting their intellectual assets leads to sustainable enterprise. I congratulate the winners and finalists here today".

Tim Khoo from Queen Elizabeth's School, Barnet won the Business Studies category with his marketing plan for a Cork Screw Guitar Capo. Liane Ryan, Head of Business Education said:

"We have entered our GCSE Business Studies pupils in the UK Intellectual Property Office's annual competition with some considerable success since it was launched. The competition enhances the teaching of the Marketing unit and the importance of good product design and intellectual property rights. It helps our pupils understanding of branding and copyrights, target marketing and marketing strategy. The students really enjoy the competition element but also learn through working on the project itself. Many of them produce some excellent, original work and ideas".

Deepanjli Motala from Watford Grammar School for Girls won the Design & Technology category for her design of a device which helps prevent the user from smudging their artwork. Miss Abi Calvin, teacher said:

"The THINK kit has provided valuable, enjoyable classroom resources that visually stimulate and challenge the pupils so that they are aware of Market requirements, helping them to look at the bigger picture when it comes to Product Design and development. Through the THINK Kit competition, all of our Graphic Products students have gained a sense of achievement from producing marketable innovative ideas".

The "Hobby to Enterprise" competition is the latest in a series of annual competitions run by The UK Intellectual Property Office to complement the educational resource THINK kit.

The event held at the DTI Conference Centre saw more than 50 key players from industry and academia gathered to support this important event.

Editors' notes:

  • In renewed efforts to ensure that tomorrow's innovators are better aware of the potential influence of many aspects of Intellectual Property, the UK Intellectual Property Office created the THINK kit, this is aimed at 14 – 16 year old students. The kit provides the materials and guidance needed by both students and their teachers, using case studies of well-known products and brands.
  • This year's competition was launched in January 2007.
  • There are two categories for the Hobby to Enterprise competition one for Design & Technology Students and one for Business Studies Students.
  • The Design & Technology Students were asked to come up with something new and useful to do with their hobby. Students needed to show designs and label each element clearly to show how the product can best be used.
  • The Business Studies Students were asked to imagine they were a business consultant, someone had come to them with a new innovation which stemmed from their hobby.
  • The four runners-up (two from each department) will each receive £500 for the subject department to spend on resources for the school.
  • There are individual prizes for each of the winners and a trip to the award ceremony which is taking place on Wednesday 20 June 2007 at DTI Conference centre, LONDON between 10:00 – 13:00.
  • The judges for the competition were:

    - Ian Punter – Designing Magazine
    - Phil Robinson – Zorin Ltd
    - Lorna Collins – NCGE
     - Emma Duncombe – Writhlington Business &Enterprise Specialist School
    - David Millar – Enterprise Education TrustCathy Koester – British Music Rights
  • Competition winners and runners up for the Business Studies category:

    1st - The Cork Screw Guitar Capo

    Tim Khoo
    Queen Elizabeth's School
    Queens Road
    Barnet
    Hertfordshire
    EN5 4DQ

    2nd - Cycloptic

    Justin Thornhill
    Queen Elizabeth's School
    Queens Road
    Barnet
    Hertfordshire
    EN5 4DQ

    3rd - The Big Breakfast Smoothie

    Grant Johnson
    Somervale School
    Redfield Road
    Midsomer Norton
    Bath
    BA3 2JD
  • Competition winners for the Design & Technology category:

    1st - Anti>smudge Pro

    Deepanjli Motala
    Watford Grammar School for Girls
    Lady's Close
    Watford
    Hertfordshire
    WD18 0QE

    2nd - Knot Listening!

    Megha Bavaria
    Watford Grammar School for Girls
    Lady's Close
    Watford
    Hertfordshire
    WD18 0QE

    3rd - Skady

    Josie Appleby
    Watford Grammar School for Girls
    Lady's Close
    Watford
    Hertfordshire
    WD18 0QE
  • The winning and runners up entries are available.

Date of release: 20 June 2007