Entrepreneurs are known for the ability to actuate a great idea into a viable product, and one local man just took home a top honour in a search for the UAE’s most innovative inventor.
An Abu Dhabi start-up has won the opportunity to take its business to the next level by securing flights worth Dh100,000 on Emirates Airline. EZ Shade is an innovative small business that proposed a low-cost way to cover the ubiquitous bare bulbs found all over this city of transient workers.
The shades fly off the shelves on souq.com and are made in the UAE from recycled plastic and non-toxic, environmentally friendly materials. The covers are simple to install and require no tools or electrical expertise. These DIY shades are as attractive as they are easy to install.
EZ Shade was one of four finalists selected based on the merit of their concepts and the ethical and social values of their businesses to present their small business propositions to the panel at Emirates Airlines. The final was the culmination of a Gulf News competition called Flying Colours and was designed to provide a platform for the UAE’s nascent start-up sector. It was conceived in partnership with Emirates Airline to discover and share the innovative ideas and stories of small businesses.
Reflecting on what qualities the panelists were looking for from the winning SME, Sheikh Majid said, “We want the finalist to be very creative, offer something unique and show a vision of growth for the future.”
The winner, CEO and founder of EZ Shade Brian Wholehan, intends to use the tickets to expand his business both regionally and internationally. “I’m over the moon. We’ve worked very hard on this project for a long time and it’s awesome to see it finally pay off and make some progress. If we get our name out there, we can build this into a really huge company,” he said.
Check out a winning formula by following EZ Shade on Instagram or cover your bare bulbs by buying an EZ Shade for your home on Souq.com
