Zinch Designs

Southampton

£50,000 Bridging the Gap Recipient - November 2013

Zinch Designs are a Southampton based start-up company specialising in the design, manufacture and distribution of a range of innovative silicone based covers. Their first product to be developed was the SafeSip® - the world’s first universal drinks cover designed to fit a variety of drinking vessels. The silicone drinks cover provides an instant cover for drinking vessels of any size, while still allowing drinking through a straw. One of the key benefits of Safesip® is that it provides those with limited mobility a way to increase independence and reduce the chance of dehydration.

SafeSip® and Zinch Designs have since gone on to win awards at the British Invention Show in October 2014, with company Founder and product designer Melissa Edmunds winning British Female Inventor of Year 2014. and SafeSip® winning Best Consumer Product Platinum. 

Melissa Edmunds said:

"The response to SafeSip® has been amazing. This is one of those products that grows to include just about everyone – it can be used by so many people in so many ways. We’re getting interest from all over the world and we have a number of new and complimentary products in the pipeline. The BTG funding was crucial in getting the business off the ground and launching the first product."