Inspirational and motivational speaker, Ruth Amos, is an Inventor, Entrepreneur, Edutuber, Managing Director of Stairsteady and co-founder of the #girlswithdrills movement. Ruth is also co-founder of YouTube channel ‘Kids Invent Stuff’.
After designing the StairSteady as part of her GCSE Resistant Materials Course, Ruth established StairSteady Ltd in 2006, she then went on to win Young Engineer for Britain 2006 with her design. The StairSteady is a mobility device to maintain independence and safety on the stairs. Following on from this success she took her product to market in 2008, it is now available through a network of Dealers in the UK and is available in Canada and the USA and parts of Europe.
Ruth’s passion and love of engineering inspired her and fellow inventor Shawn Brown to co-create a YouTube Channel ‘Kids Invent Stuff’ (as seen on The One Show, BBC News Online and Tomorrow’s World Live). ‘Kids Invent Stuff’ is the YouTube channel where 5-11 year olds have the chance to get their invention ideas built by real engineers. The channel is to give more primary school kids the chance to engage with real engineering projects and engage them in STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Maths). Children are encouraged to submit their ideas for inventions to solve a different challenge each month. Ideas can be submitted as drawings or videos and the most creative inventions are showcased on the channel. Each month one idea is built and tested on camera, with hilarious consequences.
An accomplished speaker and event host Ruth is living proof that engineering and science is not boring and every word she utters about business is pure motivational magic. Little wonder she is a hit on stage at educational and corporate events.
Speaking topics:
- 10 things I learnt from kids about innovation and the way they see the world
- #GirlswithDrills Why diversity in engineering matters
- Making your voice heard as a young entrepreneur
- Bringing a product to market – patent and design hurdles
- Women in Engineering
- STEM and STEAM
- Innovation and Invention
- Why we should celebrate failure
Awards and accolades:
- Young Engineer for Britain 2006
- Design Most Likely To Benefit the Disabled 2006
- Design Most Likely To Benefit the Community 2006
- Young Entrepreneurs – Runner up 2006
- Derbyshire Young Achiever 2006
- Intel ISEF Science and Engineering Fair – Finalist - Represented the UK in Mechanical Engineering 2008
- Management Today 35 Under 35 – Ruth was the youngest person ever to be entered onto the list 2009
- Women of the Future – Young Star Award 2009
- Women of Achievement – by the Women of the Year Foundation 2010
- Yorkshire 42 Under 42 2010
- Future 100 Young Social Entrepreneur 2011 – Striding Out
- Network of Aspiring Women – Young Entrepreneur 2011 and Overall Winner.
- BHTA Product of the Year 2014 (StairSteady)
- Grant Thornton Faces of Vibrant Economy 2016
- Electronic’s Weekly Brightspark 30 under 30 2018