For the first time at the Charing Cross Symposium, physicians shared their product ideas with experienced physician-inventors, engineers and marketing experts in an event called “Speed Dating”. The event was held at the Innovation Showcase on Sunday 6 April. Physician-inventor David King (London, UK) won the “Dragons’ Den CX Innovation Showcase prize”.
Jean Bismuth, Elika Kashef and Stephen Greenhalgh, chairs of the session, designed the event to provide a platform for physicians who are seeking advice from experts on how to put their business and product ideas onto market.
Bismuth explained the rationale for the event: “Many young physicians and even senior physicians—as they gain experience through the years—have a desire to design their own medical tools and they start thinking and developing the idea. Unfortunately, sometimes they cannot get their innovations onto the market because they do not have the access to the experts to take the idea to the next level. With this “Speed Dating” event, we want to collaborate to bridge that gap.”
At the event, physicians had the opportunity to speak first to a group of physicians who have experience developing devices, then to engineers and finally to marketing experts. “Protect your idea” was the main advice that experts gave to the participants.
After the “Speed Dating” event, the Dragons’ Den CX Innovation session took place and awarded David King with £1,000 for his innovative idea. King designed a Doppler device called “Blue Dop” that works via a tablet device. He said that it uses a special algorithm that can measure blood pressure without the need to use a cuff or needles. He noted that the device is unique in the market and can be used in renal dialysis, arterial disease and sports medicine.
