Life-saving Disposable Syringe Makes a Difference to Overseas Healthcare

.

Sectors: Healthcare & Medical

Company Name: Star Syringe

Based in East Sussex, Star Syringe is a medical innovation company that aims to protect people through better, low-cost, sustainably produced, basic healthcare equipment. Their non-reusable syringe K1 AD is extremely cheap and, because it has been designed so that it cannot be re-used, has played a significant role in the fight against the spread of HIV and other diseases in some of the world’s poorest countries.

The syringes are simple to produce and licensed to manufacturers in countries all over the world, including Indonesia and Nigeria.

As a company focused exclusively on export markets where the need for their products is greatest, market intelligence is crucial. Star Syringe has accumulated considerable knowledge about its business, but even experienced exporters can benefit from outside assistance.

In this case, assistance came from Carolyn Bentley and Les Plant, International Trade Advisers with UK Trade & Investment’s (UKTI) South East. Les’ advice, in particular, is based on wide experience, giving Star Syringe the dual benefit of a trade sector adviser who has specialist knowledge of the healthcare industry from his days in private business.

Marc Koska reports on Star Syringe's success

Star Syringe has also taken advantage of UKTI services such as Overseas Market Introduction Service (OMIS) , which has dovetailed with their own market knowledge. As company founder and director Marc Koska said:

"In the case of Ghana, for which we commissioned an OMIS report, although this was not primary intelligence, it was invaluable in backing up our own market information and confirming courses of action and the correct market approach."

Marc Koska, Director, Star Syringe

On 15 May this year, Star Syringe staged an event supported by UKTI South East, among others, to celebrate the manufacture of one billion K1 AD syringes and the saving of up to five million lives.

In 2006, the company received a Queen’s Award for Enterprise in the International Trade category, and was recognised for the development of the K1 with the International Trade Award for Innovation in the 2007 “International Trade Today” awards.

Excerpted from Life-saving Disposable Syringe Makes a Difference to Overseas Healthcare
.

Profitnet's keynote speaker: University of Brighton honorary graduate Marc Koska, OBE

.
Excerpted from Reason to Celebrate!

"The evening (21 Jan 2010) also featured an inspiring keynote address from University of Brighton honorary graduate and global entrepreneur, Marc Koska, inventor of the K1, one-use syringe and founder of the Safe Point Trust. He commented:

“Bringing the whole business community together, Profitnet recognise the importance of communication and knowledge. These awards actively celebrate members who have achieved outstanding results.”

Deana Ward, Profitnet Business Development Manager who heads up the team comments on Profitnet’s success:

“The impact of the Profitnet programme and the benefits it has delivered to members is a result of practical collaboration and authentic engagement. Its success demonstrates the valuable role of Profitnet as a bridge between the worlds of academia, enterprise and innovation. This event celebrates all that has been achieved in the last twelve months and looks at how we can continue to support businesses via the programme in the future. ”"
.

Marc Koska is Joint Winner of the Dezeen Applause Award 2009

Marc Koska,OBE - (Joint) Design Person Most Deserving of Applause 2009

Designers Marc Koska and Studio Makkink & Bey have been awarded joint first place in Dezeen's competition to find the person most deserving of applause for their work in design in 2009, organised in collaboration with Laikingland, makers of the Applause Machine.

On November 30th, 2009, Dezeen - the world's most influential online architecture and design magazine - announced its competition in collaboration with Laikingland - makers of beautifully crafted kinetic objects - to find the person most deserving of applause for their work in design in 2009. The prize: a Laikingland Applause Machine.

Dezeen readers were asked to nominate, by leaving a comment on the Dezeen site, the most important, influential, controversial or simply the most lovely design person of the year. The designer with the most nominations together with the reader who submited the best reason for nominating the winning designer were both promised an Applause Machine as their prize.

Marc Koska OBE with his prize, a Laikingland Applause Machine

Submissions were judged by Marcus Fairs of Dezeen and Applause Machine designer, Martin Smith. The competition closed on December 16th, 2009 and the winners were as follows:

• Joint winners of the Design Person Most Deserving of Applause 2009 award: Marc Koska, OBE - designer of the K1 non-reusable auto-disable syringe which saves lives by preventing the transmission of disease; and design studio Studio Makkink & Bey.

• Dezeen reader winner was Michael Wigle for the nomination he made for Marc on November 30th, 2009 which is reproduced here:
  

Marc Koska – The non-reusable K1 auto-disable syringe

As a designer, I see invention and design as a solution to a problem. Sometimes we as designers create a problem, or a set of problems to find a solution to. Then there are the big, real life problems that plague many people from around the planet that us as designers try and find a single solution for. We perpetually complicate the world by not finding answers to overlooked problems in our own quest for fame.

Marc Koska may have designed the most important device no one has ever heard of. His syringe has the ability to save millions of lives and revolutionize medicine for developing AND developed nations. He deserves to be noticed and recognized not only because of his creation, but so his creation can be pushed to the forefront and noticed.

A hypodermic syringe that can only be used once, may save as many people lives as vaccines had once 100 years ago. Please award Marc Koska and help spread the word of his simple, yet powerful design. There are at least 1.3 million people in this world who can stand up and applaud this noble effort.

http://www.ted.com/talks/marc_koska_the_devastating_toll_of_syringe_reuse.html

"Many thanks to everyone who voted for me," said Marc in a tweet.
.

Marc Koska spreads the word in the US

Marc Koska of Star Syringe, Ltd, Winner of 2008 Tech Award, Health
photo: godutchbaby

Marc has just returned from an extremely successful trip to the USA, where he was honoured to be invited to three key events:

• a Know How Talk at the IDEO Cafe, hosted by Dennis Boyle, IDEO senior partner. IDEO is the world renowned Global Design Consultancy based in Palo Alto, CA. Marc's talk was entitled 'Shameless' (how you have to be, to change something in this world). Discussions after the talk focused on his efforts to save lives through syringe design and his charity SafePoint.

• to be a panelist at the ‘Change that Counts: Building Sustainable Social Business’ hosted by Santa Clara University.

• The Tech Awards Gala as a past Laureate; Marc was invited to host a live link sponsored by Polycom, between the newest member of the SafePoint team, Kate Thorman, in India, and Fabio Rosa, a Canadian former fellow Laureate..