HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Goderich Signal-Star, 2009-06-10, Page 3Duo enter Dragon's Den on CBC
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signal -star stag"
Local entrepreneurs L.
Michael Roberts and Paul
Safr went to battle in the
name of green energy last
week as they entered the
Dragon's Den.
The inventive pair trav-
elled the nearly 300 kilo-
metres to Toronto on
Monday, June 1 where they
pitched their conceptu-
al product, a high -efficien-
cy 24-hour lightbulb,
before a panel of Canadian
business moguls on the
CBC's idea maker -or -
breaker program, Dragon's
Den,
"It was a really good
time," Roberts told The
Signal -Star, holding up to
his contractual promise to
keep mum on the details.
While he can't share
whether the pair
was knighted or chewed -
up by the panel, he can talk
about the could -be big
ticket item, and, according
to Roberts, dim lighting is
a bright idea.
Since February, Roberts
and Safr have been stealing
hours through the night,
working to create energy
efficient lighting that would
take the energy waste out
of public hot spots such as
parking garages, or eleva-
tors.
"We came up with a fix-
turki that is primarily
designed for underground
parking garages, witch are
illuminated 24-7," he said.
"That wastes a lot of ener-
gy because people aren't in '
the garage all that time."
Teaming up with
Kingsport Industries, the
pair made good of their
intentions and created a
prototype which, compared
to a standard bulb, saves
over 75 ,per cent in energy.
It does this with the help
of an internal sensor that
detects through movement -
when people are in the
area. Unlike a standard
motion -detection unit,
however, the prototype
doesn't leave you in the
dark.
"It brings the light to full
geatness when people are
in the space, but operates at
a continuous low-level
when the space is empty,"
he said. "Most people are
afraid of the dark to a
greater or lesser degree,
they don't want to head
into a dark underground."
One patent application
and two auditions. later, the
1 •1
Goderich Signal -Star, Wednesday, June 10, 2009 - Page A3
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"I think they were impressed by our prop," L. Michael Roberts (right) told the
Signal -Star of his and partner Paul Safr's (left) bid for TV glory on the busi-
ness idea program, Dragon's Den. The pair created a high -efficiency lighting
scheme for public access areas that uses 75. per cent Tess energy.
two are happy with their in distributors all over
progress. After joining North America. According
more than 4,000 aspir- to Roberts, this would bring
ing entrepreneurs who took green technology manufac-
their ideas to a first-lev- tuning jpbs to the area.
el audition, the duo were Initially, they project that
asked back by CBC pro- the company would bring
ducers in To 01 Ito to go on six employees, but would
on -air before the dragons grow as operations expand -
for a chance at worldwide ed.
exposure. With that done, "It's not another Volvo, or
the waiting begins. factory with hundreds of
"We weren't alowed to people, but I think the days
tell anybody that we were of attracting large industry
going to be on the show, so are numbered and a better
that left us with six weeks strategy might be to attract
of running around getting 10 companies each with 10
preparation work done in employees" he said. The
secret," Roberts said. "Now backbone of the economy
that we've finished taping, these days are the small
we can let people know we enterprise ... we're looking
did it, but not how it went." forward to having a made -
Since the program won't in -Canada product that we
hit airwaves again until the can export all over."
fall, and they don't know if Roberts has been involved
their pitch will be included in energy efficient lighting
in the fall season, the pair in the area for a number of
are looking forward to years, while Safr operates
pushing on with their work an IT business locally. They
over the course of the sum- said they hope their trip to
mer, fielding more ques- the Dragon's Den means
tions than -they can answer. investemnt opportunities
'The CBC will advise us for the product, but have
10 days to two weeks before secured ' a number of local
the broadcast' date if they're investors as well, with equi-
going to use our pitch on ty left to sell.
the program," he added. "If "We're currently meeting
we made the cut, the whole with investors, Roberts
community can tune in to added, "We might even be
watch as we either succeed up and running before the
wonderfully or fail igno- program airs."
miniously, whichever the The Dragon's Den will
case may be." resume its spot on the regu-
In the meantime, both lar CBC schedule in the
Roberts and Safr are mov- fall, however, because the
ing, towards establishing a program tapes more pitches
viable assembly and manu- than it airs, neither Roberts
facturing outfit focally in nor Safr will know if or
order to sell fixtures to light- when their segment will hit
•
the airwaves until at least
September.
To learn more about the
pair's dim -lighting innova-
tion, visit www.greentech-
fixtures.com. For more on
the CBCs Dragon's Den, visit
www.cbc.ca/dren.
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