Kiwi inventor’s ‘Pre-Podium’ drug testing kit grabs global attention at James Dyson Awards

The James Dyson Award has reached the international stage, unveiling the top 20 inventions selected by 14 Dyson engineers from around the world. Those engineers, based in Singapore, the United Kingdom, Malaysia, and the Philippines, specialise in various fields, bringing a diverse range of perspectives to the panel. The shortlisted entries span the globe, from Spain to Singapore and Poland to New Zealand, showcasing innovative solutions to pressing challenges.

New Zealand’s Nick Holland, a Massey University graduate, has been shortlisted for the James Dyson Award with 19 other inventors around the world for his re-engineered drug testing kit.

The ‘Pre-Podium’ was designed to enhance an athlete’s testing experience and promote inclusivity in the sport. The current drug testing process can be unsettling and uncomfortable, particularly lacking accommodations for women and athletes with disabilities. Pre-Podium is reportedly the first athlete drug testing kit that seriously considers the athlete’s experience across all stages of the testing process, accommodating all athletes’ needs with its ergonomic and considered design.

Holland said drug testing was “essential” to protect clean sport and ensure a level playing field.

“As an athlete, fair sports is close to my heart, so I was surprised to learn how stressful and unpleasant the process often is. Pre-Podium is a drug testing kit designed to improve the athlete experience throughout the testing process, with a particular focus on increasing ease and minimising urine spills during the sample collection and distribution stages.

“I am proud to be selected as the national winner for this year’s James Dyson Award. It is a great acknowledgement of the thinking, development, and time that I put into solving this previously ignored problem.”

Nick Holland. a Massey University graduate, has beaten the global competition to make it to the Top 20 shortlist for the James Dyson Award. Photo / Supplied

Turkey’s shortlisted entry, ForestGuard 2.0, is a response to wildfires that students witnessed tear through the country in recent years. Created by a team from Istanbul Bilgi University, it uses sensor-to-satellite technology to alert authorities at the earliest sign of a potential wildfire, hoping to vastly reduce the risk in future years.

Meanwhile, in Singapore, young inventor E Ian Siew was motivated by his difficult experience recovering from open-heart surgery to create a better solution. Consulting with experts, he created a vest-like device for post-operative rehabilitation, which improves support for the fusion of the sternum bone after surgery.

In the Philippines, young entrepreneur Jeremy De Leon created Make-roscope, a simple keychain tool that turns a smartphone or tablet into a microscope. The invention has already been used by over 3000 Filipino students and teachers.

Discussing what it took to make the shortlist, Dyson head of technology development Rachael Pink said it was crucial for the inventor to demonstrate that they understood how their idea would work.

“Some of the best entries we saw demonstrated that they had failed along their design process, but learnt from these failures and made their designs even better.”

The global winners of the award will be announced on November 15, with the potential for Holland to win $57,000 worth of prize money for his creation, Pre-Podium. Each national winner, which Holland is, receives $9500. The international winners are chosen by Sir James Dyson.

Luke Kirkness is an Online Sports Editor for the NZ Herald. He previously covered consumer affairs for the Herald and was an assistant news director in the Bay of Plenty. He won Student Journalist of the Year in 2019.