Dyson (Matt not James) invents way to get babies to sleep

Mr Dyson, who is a former teacher at Dauntsey's School, West Lavington, is part of a team of three that has created The Rockit which is about to be launched on to the market.

Mr Dyson is hoping the product will help shoot him to the same level as his namesake and fellow innovator James Dyson He said: "We have developed an award winning, portable baby rocker that can be fitted to prams, buggies, cribs and infant car seats.

"The Rockit is designed to gently rock and soothe the baby so that he or she drops off to sleep or stays asleep when the pram or buggy stops moving. It is fully portable and waterproof, so can be used inside and outside."

He said the lightbulb moment came from his business partner Nick Webb, whose baby daughter always woke as soon the pram stopped moving. He said: "Twelve months later, with help from Matt and co-designer Matt Sparrow the Rockit was born.

"It has since gone on to win the Baby Product Association Innovation Award and a coveted Design Council Spark award. We are now working with a Design Council mentor to get the product ready for lift-off."

He said that the Design Council Spark award helped with initial investment of £15,000 and a 20 week support programme comprising of specialist advice and tailored mentoring.

He said: "The support programme has just got underway and we are already learning a great deal about what’s involved in taking a new product to market and making it a success. At the end of the programme, we will have the chance to pitch for a share of a further £150k in funding to enable us to launch our product to both consumers via our website and to the trade.”.

He said The Rockit has already attracted interest from major retailers, including some household names, following an encouraging debut at the UK’s largest nursery sector trade show.

He left Dauntsey's last summer to start his own product design business and is delighted with the success of The Rockit.