SHASTA:BABYCARE PRODUCTS firm Shasta has developed the world's first portable battery-charged bottle steriliser.
The Steri-Ova was developed by Shasta founder Ann Marie Durkin after she tried, and failed, to find such product.
The product is designed to sterilise all kinds of bottle within 30 seconds, by using ultraviolet light to break down micro-organisms. It is powered by a rechargeable battery and is small enough to fit in a baby-changing bag.
While developing the product, Durkin spent a year on the Midlands and West Enterprise Programme based in the Innovation and Research Centre in Athlone.
“It allowed me to work in collaboration with bioscience researchers to bring the product from concept to finished prototype.”
She has received Cord and patent funding and support from the local Country Enterprise Board with the project. Steri-Ova now has a patent pending in 140 countries.
The company is currently engaged in a funding round to raise the estimated €500,000 required to complete the final pre-market version of Steri-Ova.
“Much of the final testing and validation can’t be done until we get the final product.”
Durkin has reached an agreement with Bray-based Nypro Healthcare to manufacture the product globally. They will also produce the final version.
She is in also talks with a number of firms interested in distributing the product but declines to name them.
Durkin, who has a degree in economics and finance, said there was an strong appetite from retailers and distributors for “functional and convenient” mother and baby products.
“I hope to see this product in every family home. We are looking at the global market.”
Steri-Ova is the second product Durkin has introduced to the babycare sector. She set up Shasta in 2006 after she developed the world’s first pre-sterilised, ready-to-go soother.
The motivation for this was the same as with Steri-Ova – the lack of an existing product.
Shasta has two other products in development with Durkin attributing the expansion in product offering to the fact that retailers prefer dealing with suppliers who offer a number of products.
She plans to have Steri-Ova completed and available for sale by next June.
