A revolutionary repair kit to restore liquid-damaged mobile phones is set to save consumers thousands of pounds in insurance claims following a successful pitch on BBC Two’s Dragons’ Den.
Tech-savvy 20-year-old Oliver Murphy from Chelmsford, Essex, invented Reviveaphone as a simple way to get phones that have come in contact with water back to their original state.
The young businessman’s enterprising background has already seen him hailed as ‘the next Alan Sugar’ and his easy-to-use creation impressed dragon Kelly Hoppen MBE in the Den.
Commenting on the investment, Kelly Hoppen said: “I have every faith in Oliver’s passion for Reviveaphone and believe the product he has created is a must-have for any household with a mobile phone.
“The major appeal is that it fixes your drowned smartphone without the need for you to mess around dismantling the thing. It’s just a case of popping it in a bag with solution.”
Murphy’s skills for fixing broken phones emerged as a schoolboy, and alongside studying for his GCSEs and A Levels, he became a young eBay entrepreneur, buying damaged phones in bulk and selling the units he restored for a profit online.
He hit on the idea for Reviveaphone during a ski season when his phone repair solution was able to fix a broken oven, as well as phones that had been damaged from being dropped in the snow.
Reviveaphone was launched online last summer and soon began attracting around 200 customers a month on Amazon, Ebay and its own website. Murphy is one of the youngest Dragons’ Den candidates to secure investment.
“I’m made-up that Kelly has invested in me,” Murphy said. “I know she’s a very creative person and has worked with other young entrepreneurs through the Prince’s Trust so I was really hoping she’d see the potential returns for a product like Reviveaphone.
“There is nothing else like this on the market and I can’t wait to spread the word. People will never stop dropping their phones down the loo, in the bath – wherever – and this is a much more convenient and economical way of repairing them than dealing with insurance companies and paying excess fees.”
Reviveaphone comprises a sealable pouch containing a powerful solution to remove corrosive mineral deposits from the water-damaged phone, and a tray to leave the electronic device in for 24 hours to get it back in working order.
While some phones continue to function after being immersed in liquid, many often go on to fail in the weeks that follow as mineral deposits that have got inside the phone corrode its motherboard. Reviveaphone can work up to a month after the initial damage, but advises turning the phone off and using the product as soon as possible after it gets wet, and not using the phone until is completely dry.
As well as repairing mobiles and smartphones, Reviveaphone can fix other electronic devices that have come been immersed in liquid, including cameras, MP3 players and mini tablets. It does not have a shelf life, so can be kept in case of emergencies.
Reviveaphone is available for £14.99 from Reviveaphone.com
