Inventor has eyes on prize with Polaroid

A SCOTS entrepreneur who invented a pre-filled contact lens case after getting sore eyes during a flight to America has signed a transformational licensing deal with Polaroid that will see his creation launched worldwide in March.

Alastair Knox, 42, from Paisley, was working as a TV and film sound engineer for organisations including the BBC when he came up with the idea.

Now his “Contactspod” has been snapped up by Polaroid and his fledgling firm Viopti is in talks with global airport and high street retailers ahead of next year’s official launch.

Dumbarton-based Viopti has also attracted “six figure” investment from a cluster of private backers including Kelvin Capital, the west of Scotland business angel syndicate.

Knox developed the product during his spare time but the invention took off after he was put in touch with Jim Hall, who used to run Polaroid’s vast manufacturing base in the Vale of Leven in Dumbarton, which in its heyday employed about 2,500 people.

When Polaroid restructured the operation, Hall led a management buy-out of its European design centre and set up Wideblue, which invests in early-stage companies.

With Wideblue’s help, Knox founded Viopti in May 2009 and began discussions with some of Hall’s former colleagues at Polaroid Eyewear.

The licensing deal will see the invention sold under the Polaroid brand, which Hall said has given the start-up firm access to a whole different market, as buyers have shown far more interest in the product since it has been backed by the global giant.

“We will eventually be looking to bring in seven figures of investment,” said Hall, who is executive chairman of the firm.

Knox has given up his work as a sound engineer to join the company full-time and concentrate on sales.

Among the current investors is Dutch contact lens solution manufacturer Ote Group, which will also distribute the product through its own channels, particularly in the Benelux countries.

Viopti is in negotiation with a number of duty free and airport stockists, where it sees the most potential for its product.

However, Hall says spa companies and beauty therapists have also expressed an interest in the Scottish invention as customers are often asked to remove their contact lenses during therapies such as facials and don’t always realise they need to bring solution or a spare pair.

The company also has plans to develop further optical products, says Hall.

“The Contactspod has now had the patent granted, which is very valuable for the business, but we have got lots of other ideas from our market research,” he said.

Although a report earlier this year highlighted a dying spirit of entrepreneurship in Scotland, Knox said there was plenty of support for people with bright ideas through bodies such as the Innovator’s Counselling and Advisory Service for Scotland.

“I’m not from your normal business background,” he said. “I went to Brian Nugent at ICASS in Paisley and he helped me from day one.”