ERT Weekly has teamed up with the innovative appliance brand, Home-tek International, to launch Lions’ Lair, our Dragons’ Den-style search for the best new invention from a person employed in the electrical retailing and wholesaling industries.

The search is on to find the best idea that is deemed a viable product to manufacture and market. Jamie Lennox, managing director of Home-tek, said: "I think that inside everybody there is a good idea, we all see problems that need a solution and think “wouldn’t it be great if there was a product that did that?”

"Don't be shy, some of the best innovations come from the simplest ideas. "If you've got an idea for a new electrical device, don't think about how it could be engineered or come up with hi-tech industrial drawings, come up with a concept that offers a feature or benefit."

Jamie Lennox, managing director of Home-tek International, founded Home-tek in 2001 and the company continues to go from strength-to-strength. Jamie is an industry stalwart. Last year he celebrated his 30th year in the electrical retailing industry. He is an ambassador of the Electrical and Electronics Industries Benevolent Fund (EEIBA), which each year distributes around £1.4 million to beneficiaries.
Chris Haines is an inventor and former contestant on the BBC TV series Dragons' Den. His first product to market, was Safe-T-Light, the idea for which he came up with, after his mother almost fell down the stairs at home trying to get to the kitchen to get a torch during a power cut. Chris was successful in getting funding in his company from two of the Dragon's, but after the programme aired, he chose to decline the funding and partnered with Jamie Lennox and Home-tek International. Chris described the national launch of Safe-T-Light last month as a dream come true.
Simon King, ERT Weekly's deputy editor, joined the magazine in 1999, after five year's working in the grocery trade press. He is also the magazine's business editor and is editor of ERT Ireland, ERT Weekly's bi-monthly sister publication for the industry in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. Like Jamie Lennox, Simon is also an ambassador of the EEIBA.
Stuart Cook is chief executive of CIH, the leading buying group of the industry. Stuart joined CIH 12 year's ago and since being promoted to the CEO role, the company has shown significant growth. The launch of a successful tradeshow at the NEC, the launch of twice a week deliveries and the launch of the Euronics Retail Strategy, which upgrades stores to a specific design and layout, are among his top achievements.
Bryan Lovewell, chief executive of retailers' association Retra, took up his post last October. He joined Retra from the Electrical and Electronic Industries Benevolent Association (EEIBA) where he worked as appeals director for almost a decade. Prior to this, Brian accrued more than 25 years senior management experience within electrical retailing and manufacturing. With a long established career within the industry, he is held in high regard. .

Lions' Lair is a competition that I am very happy to be associated with.
How many times have you thought about how a product could be improved or why a particular feature has never been incorporated on an item? Now is your chance!

You don't have to spend a fortune to make a prototype - what me and the other Lions want to see is an idea, a concept, that helps solve a problem. If you speak to inventors, the best ideas come from seeing a problem and thinking about the solution.
And who knows your product may well make it onto the world stage as the next big thing.

If it's a marketable idea, then the Lions want to hear from you.

Good luck.