News: Rotherham company wins University challenge

Rotherham design company, If?Works, picked up the £5,000 top prize in Sheffield Hallam University's Enterprise Challenge last month.

25-year-old Nathan Bestwick from Rotherham, a Sheffield Hallam product design graduate, impressed the judges with his innovative kitchenware products, which include MillMe, a spice mill that requires no gripping and works by rubbing it between your hands.

Nathan, said: "I am absolutely delighted to win this year's competition. I wanted to design kitchen products that can be used by people with disabilities but don't lose any of their design values. They can be used by people who have problems gripping or twisting objects or those who suffer from arthritis."

Based in RiDO's Fusion @ Magna Business Centre, If? Works is growing rapidly by providing product, brand and website design services, and employs two talented designers.

Nathan's entrepreneurial drive was in full flow when he invited himself to Denmark to pitch his ideas to one of the largest manufacturers of kitchen products in the world. They were so enthusiastic about the products, they invited him to do a second pitch to the head of international sales and marketing in the evening, and again the next day to the owner of the company.

Nathan said in his blog: "I'll be flying over to Denmark to sign agreements for four of my products (and more to come) this week, and will be launching the new kitchenware brand within the next six months at international exhibitions, starting in February 2011 at the Ambiente exhibition in Frankfurte. The products will be on shelves worldwide within the next year."

Nathan has been listed in the Shell Livewire Hot 40 2010 and was voted Most Enterprising Student in Central England in 2007.

If?Works website
Nathan's blog

Images: If?Works