Our story
Built from
lived experience.
Why Omni was created: a former Royal Marines Commando and two-time Paralympian who decided the powered wheelchair market needed change in both design and functionality, in a single device.
Not letting it hold him back.
Phil Eaglesham is a former Royal Marines Commando who contracted Q Fever whilst on his third operational tour of duty in Afghanistan. Within a couple of months he relied on mobility devices, and eventually was bound to a powered wheelchair with 24hr care.
Not letting it hold him back, Phil drew on the Commando Mindset and became a two-time Paralympian, competing in target shooting at the Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games. Alongside it, he has fulfilled a decade-long desire to improve the lives of wheelchair and mobility device users worldwide.
In 2015, after experiencing a mental health crisis due to being stigmatised and forced to use devices unfit for purpose, Phil set about outlining a brief for the powered wheelchair he wanted. He had multiple wheelchairs for different capabilities, yet they all lacked the specifications needed to empower him to be independent.
Told many times not to enter an industry dominated by a number of larger companies, Phil saw it as a challenge to breathe fresh air into a stagnant market. Supported by his wife and carer, Julie, the pair believed they could make a difference to their own family dynamic and hopefully others like them.
The brief. Four things a wheelchair had to do.
The AMRC team saw the vision and started by spending time using powered wheelchairs, mobility scooters and other mobility devices to understand their limitations. Phil's brief focused on:
- 01Aesthetics at the forefront.
- 02New functional wheels to replace outdated caster wheels that frequently become blocked or stuck.
- 03A single device to achieve what currently requires two or three different devices.
- 04A wheelchair that could withstand robust daily use without frequent breakdowns or failures.
The Omni journey. Developing ideas, testing them to destruction.
2015
The brief
Phil set about outlining a brief for what he wanted in a powered wheelchair: one device with the specifications to make him independent, where his multiple wheelchairs had not.
A chance meeting
The AMRC
By chance, Phil and Julie met businessman Brian Meaden at a Royal Marines Charity function. Brian, an alumnus of the University of Sheffield, introduced the trio to the Advanced Manufacturing and Research Centre (AMRC).
£60,000 grant
The Royal Marines Charity
RMA – The Royal Marines Charity, with support from Greenwich Hospital, granted Phil £60,000 to get the concept off the ground and produce an initial working prototype to prove the feasibility of the design.
500+ investors
Crowdcube
Conquering Horizons partnered with Crowdcube to raise the necessary equity. After a successful crowdfunding campaign, over £500,000 was raised from more than 500 investors who shared Phil's vision. The AMRC team set about developing two working concept prototypes.
2018
The Alex Moulton Award
The Institution of Engineering Designers presented Phil with the Alex Moulton Award for developing an innovative product. Previous winners include Apple designer Jonathan Ive and Raspberry Pi founder Pete Lomas.
Pre-production
Supacat Group
Conquering Horizons enlisted Supacat Group, experts in military off-road vehicle design, to refine the AMRC's working concepts into pre-production models fit for everyday use. The decision was made to switch to a 48V system and develop bespoke software and controls.
August 2021
Tokyo Paralympics
Phil took two pre-production prototypes to the postponed Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games, where Omni could be compared with the best mobility devices available. He was frequently stopped by people asking where they could buy one.
In-house
Design for manufacture
The project was brought entirely in-house. Working with GSD Technologies, precision engineers for the marine, medical and aerospace industries, every component was scrutinised, producing 12 pre-production devices for testing and evaluation.
Certified
Testing and first production run
Omni exceeded its rolling road, drop and deceleration tests. With certifications secured and beta user testing complete, the pre-order book opened for a limited first production run of 25 units.
What the future holds. Watch this space.
Phil has a long list of innovative concepts that he believes can improve the lives of the disabled community. Further investment, research and development will focus on:
- Interchangeable tracks for different terrains.
- Headrest design enhancements.
- Accessories to improve user experience.
Backing the business
Interested in the business behind Omni?
Conquering Horizons is building a British mobility company. If you distribute, partner or invest, we would like to talk.