Sir James Dyson
founder
Dyson
Industrial designer Sir James Dyson is perhaps best known for the invention of the Dual Cyclone bag-less vacuum cleaner. After failing to sell the product patent Dyson established his own manufacturing company in 1993, marketing and distributing the first iterations of the product himself.
Other Dyson designs to have made waves through innovation include the Airblade hand dryer, launched in 2006, and most recently the Air Multiplier bladeless fan system. Dyson studied furniture and interior design at The Royal College of Art in London from 1966 to 1970, after which he applied himself to engineering.
Aside from being appointed a CBE in the 1996 New Year Honours, Dyson’s other notable accolades include the 1997 Prince Phillip Designers Prize, and an honorary Doctor of Engineering degree from the University of Bath.
Earlier this year the James Dyson Foundation donated £12m to Imperial College London, to create the Dyson School of Design Engineering.