London South Bank University: A rug that lights up

Investment opportunity

Anyone who has ever stubbed their toe getting out of bed or wished there was some way to brighten up their drab living room floor could be saved by a new invention by two engineering students from London South Bank University. They are now looking for investment to help commercialise the product.

Zoe Robson and Leona Dean’s Footlume is an electroluminescent rug that lights up when pressure is applied to it. According to some, responsive surfaces are the next big thing in interiors for fashion savvy homeowners, and the pair want to be at the forefront of the revolution.

The two researchers met in 2005 while studying for a BSc course in Engineering Design. While there they developed the idea for several products, including the Footlume. They started their own company – Zolo Designs – and won a place on the university’s Enterprise Associate Scheme, which supports students with entrepreneurial flair. When they have completed the course they will receive a formal academic qualification in the form of an MSc in Enterprise by Learning Contract.

 “The product has so many uses,” said Dean. “The glow that the rug emits is very soft, and so can be helpful as a child’s night light, to help the elderly to find their way in the dark, or even to light the way to bed after a night in the pub without waking up your partner. It is pressure operated and runs on very little power from re-chargeable batteries, so it can be used anywhere in the home as it requires no installation.

“It can provide ambient mood lighting, or flash in time to music as a talking point at a party. The manufacturing techniques mean that the styling of the product can easily be changed to suit the end user.”

The Enterprise Associate Scheme at London South Bank University is designed to nurture British entrepreneurs and innovation. A selected few students with the most commercially viable products are offered a bursary, office space, accountancy and legal help to protect intellectual property rights. In exchange the university retains a 10 per cent equity stake in the company.

“The help the university offered us was like being wrapped up in cotton wool. For any business offering a new product it would have been unimaginably difficult to secure patents, office space, access to industry experts and lawyers. Thankfully this was all taken care of for us so all we had to concern ourselves with was the development of our ideas.”

The Footlume will be on display at London’s Ideal Home Exhibition from 14 to 16 March.