Q&A 2009 WINNER DEAN GREGORY

Q&A, 12 August 2011

What happened with RidgeBlade and the Power Collective after winning the 2009 Green Challenge?

I don't think that anything could have prepared us for the aftermath of the Green Challenge – I don't think that we had appreciated the sheer scale of the worldwide coverage that the Green Challenge attracts. We had thousands of emails and phone calls from all around the world, and it was difficult to keep up. Most of the messages were from well-wishers, or individuals that wanted to know where they could buy a RidgeBlade, but there were some very interesting contacts from companies that we are still talking to today. One of the unexpected benefits was the help that we got from the DOEN foundation – before I'd even left Amsterdam, they were making introductions and putting us in contact with some very useful people and organisations, so while the money was very useful, it was only part of the benefits of taking part in the Green Challenge. After the Green Challenge, the work really started – the prize money enabled us to push forward with the (very expensive) work on getting the patents sorted out, and turning a prototype into something that could be mass manufactured in a factory. We have also been engaged in a lot of work making sure that the RidgeBlade works in different countries, where the roof designs and the regulations relating to use and installation are very different. Since then, we have continued with the development work and have finalised the design of the RidgeBlade, and we are in negotiations with a plastics manufacturer who will be able to make RidgeBlades out of recycled plastic, making them cheaper, lighter, easier to install and also has the added benefit of reducing the amount of embedded carbon. 

In what stage of development is RidgeBlade now?

At the moment, the RidgeBlade has a finalised design, and we are ready to submit the units for testing and certification, a process which will take another 2 years (in the UK). However, we are hopeful that we will be able to see the RidgeBlade being manufactured outside of the UK well before that – we are having some very promising discussions with companies around the world.

Are there any new developments in the near future?

There are a number of small improvements that we are working on at the present, that we would eventually like to see integrated into the RidgeBlade, but for now we are happy with the final design. We are also currently working on a second, larger version of the RidgeBlade which is designed for agricultural and industrial buildings. 

Dean Gregory flanked by Eben Bayer (winner 2008) and Igor Kluin (winner 2007)

What has winning the Green Challenge meant for you so far?

It could very easily have been a very different story for The Power Collective. We had designed and developed the RidgeBlade, we were convinced that the product was a good one, and that it could make a real difference in terms of carbon reduction and fuel poverty, but sometimes that is not enough. Market forces do not always work in favour of new ideas – too often small or new companies are left to fail for lack of finance or recognition especially in the current economic climate. We were funding the company ourselves, paying no wages, and struggling to make progress - until we got lucky... We entered and won the Green Challenge Competition!  Without the Green Challenge, I simply do not know whether the RidgeBlade  would ever have made it out of the workshop and become a product, but now that is a certainty.

Do you have any tips or advice for future contestants and finalists?

• Prepare for success. Whether you win or not, you can be sure that thousands of people around the world will hear of your idea – and many of them will want to contact you and some of them could be instrumental in helping you to succeed. To be a finalist means that your idea has already been judged as worthwhile by some very astute and  knowledgeable people, and that in itself means that your idea is much, much better than the thousands of other ideas that are put before investors (and the public) every day. 
  

• Make friends. There will be people that you meet through the Green Challenge that wish you well and will go out of their way to help you in the future, so build your network, and keep in touch.
  

• Enjoy yourself. The Green Challenge is a once in a lifetime opportunity that you should really make the most of. 

• Don't worry. I know that the days you spend preparing for the presentations will be stressful and nerve wracking, but it won't be the end of the world if you make a few mistakes on the day (trust me on this one!).

• And finally, Good luck! Remember that you're already a winner, and that you wouldn't be up on stage if people didn't support you and want to see you idea become a reality.