A. My company, Bright IP Concepts, has developed the supercollar®, the only patented dog collar with a built-in retractable leash.

As a volunteer for Guide Dogs for the Blind and a pet lover with two dogs of my own, the safety of my dogs is my number one concern. So, it made sense to start a business that focused on that issue.

The supercollar® appeals to:
1. Dog owners who enjoys walking a dog off leash, but for safety reasons, need a leash immediately available. Instead of carrying the leash or wrapping it around the owner's waist or neck, the dog is 'on leash' when necessary.

2. The dog owner who takes the dog in the car and struggles with clipping the traditional leash on and off every time the dog goes for a ride or worries about the dog jumping out of the car when the door is opened before the traditional leash is clipped.

3. The older adult who has mobility issues with bending over to clip the leash to the collar or anyone who has issues with fine motor skills.

The supercollar® won two "best of" awards for innovation and best product of the year in 2008 by StartupNation and the Stevie Awards for Women-Owned Businesses. In addition, I wrote a business case study about the supercollar® for George Washington University School of Business, which houses the largest women's business case library in the world. It was recently selected as one of a dozen of the most popular case studies in the library and will be featured as a learning tool for women throughout the world.

B. Once acquired as sidekicks for children, animal companions are more popular now with empty-nesters, single professionals and couples who delay having children. With more people working from home or living away from their families, pets play a bigger role in preventing the isolation of modern life. Approximately 63% of U.S. households, or 71 million homes now own at least one pet up from 64 million just five years ago. The market has been established with over $41 billion spent annually on pets, which is double the amount spent on pets a decade ago. That puts the yearly cost of buying, feeding and caring for pets in excess of what Americans spend on movies, playing video games and listening to recorded music COMBINED.

Even in a recession, people continue to buy pet products. I am a 57 year-old grandmother who started this company while watching the economy eroding before my eyes with no fear that this pet product will sell.

C. I would use Alibaba.com and the Newpreneur of the Year grand prize grant to develop the superharness®, our patented retractable leash which is incorporated into a harness, for smaller dogs and older animals. Alibaba.com would help us source and sell both the supercollar® and the superharness®.

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