Life-saving innovators on the Button

Two young Glasgow entrepreneurs who have created an innovative portable water sanitation device for Third World markets have been given a chance to win £10,000 for their business in a high-profile competition.

James Brown and Amanda Jones, who started Red Button Design, are hoping to scoop the Graduate HSBC Start-Up Stars Award at a gala dinner in November.

Each year 2.2 million people worldwide die from diseases caused by lack of safe water and basic sanitation. Red Button – a name derived from the idea of an ‘emergency stop button’ – aim to reduce this toll, dramatically.

James and Amanda’s brainchild is a 50-litre canister which can be wheeled to a water source and back again. The rotation of the wheels operates a filtration system which makes the water suitable for drinking.

The company have had 40,000 requests for the device so far, while the International Federation for the Red Cross and the World Health Organisation are committed to field-testing the device.

Should Red Button win the award, there will be some heavyweight business backing as they drive their invention to market.

Internet search engine Google will be offering free advertising plus mentoring at their UK headquarters. 

Red Button is one of three companies to secure a place in the Graduate National Finals. They will now go to London to convince the national judging panel that they should be named the Graduate Start-Up Star 2009.

A cheque for £25,000 will be presented at the event to the business named HSBC Start-Up Star 2009 and £10,000 to the best new business trading internationally and the best new green business with the environment at the top of its agenda.