A £50,000 annual awards scheme to turn innovative ideas into reality has been launched in Europe by world-leading digital manufacturer Protolabs, which has a facility in Telford.

The Cool Idea Award gives applicants a chance to win help from Protolabs to get their ideas off the ground.

The company, which has 3-D printing, CNC machining and injection moulding facilities Europe-wide, is offering up to £50,000 of prototyping and manufacturing services.

Protolabs’ design expert, Ray Faulkner, said the scheme was originally established by the company in the USA in 2011 and had been hugely successful in helping inventors, entrepreneurs and small companies to launch new products.

“Great product ideas emerge every day, but far too many end up being scrapped because product development resources are scarce. Our Cool Idea Award will help turn those inspiring concepts into real-life products.

"The sort of thing we mean by a ‘cool idea’ is simply a product that would make life a little better, easier, safer, healthier, less frustrating or more fun — for individuals or communities.”

The European awards will run independently of those in the USA and will be split into four quarterly programmes to help support as many innovations as possible.

Further information and an application form can be found on the Protolabs Web site (www.protolabs.submittable.com/submit/129281/cool-idea-award-europe).