SIA member, Rob Smith, an entrepreneur from Leamington has scooped £50,000 to help develop his business.  Rob was named joint winner of the 2011 Stelios Award for Disabled Entrepreneurs in the UK, a competition run by Sir Stelios Haji-Ioannou, the Stelios Philanthropic Foundation and the charity Leonard Cheshire Disability.

Rob, saw off tough competition to win the prestigious award, which has been running for five years and recognises the achievements and unique challenges faced by disabled entrepreneurs. He was presented with a cheque for £50,000 at a special ceremony in London on Wednesday night (14 December).

The 36-year-old’s business, The Active Hands Company (www.activehands.co.uk), designs, manufactures and sells gripping aids which allow disabled people with limited hand function to grip a wide variety of items.

Rob came joint first with Huw Thomas, a 64-year-old disabled entrepreneur who runs Promove UK (www.promove.uk.com ). The company designs, manufactures and supplies specialist slings used to rescue, evacuate and transfer sick, injured, disabled or incapacitated people.

Rob, who sustained a spinal injury after falling 40 feet down a cliff in 1996, realised there was a gap in the market for specialist equipment that would allow disabled people to live more independently. With the help of his mother, Marion, he began to design his products and they set up the company in 2007.

As well as a £50,000 prize – one of the biggest of its kind – Rob will also benefit from specialist support courtesy of the Stelios Scholar Reach-out Programme.