{"id":44179,"date":"2025-10-20T01:58:52","date_gmt":"2025-10-20T01:58:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/uk\/?post_type=news&p=44179"},"modified":"2026-02-03T17:04:31","modified_gmt":"2026-02-03T17:04:31","slug":"barman-invention-self-cooling-can","status":"publish","type":"news","link":"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/uk\/news\/barman-invention-self-cooling-can\/","title":{"rendered":"How One Barman\u2019s Dare to Dream Big Sparked the UK\u2019s \u2018Coolest\u2019 Invention"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Conviction, not credentials, will define the future of work and innovation, according to James Vyse.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

All groundbreaking ideas are deemed unfathomable at some stage: the printing press, air-travel, artificial intelligence. Today, more than ever before, turning the impossible into reality is within reach for anyone bold enough to try.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

James Vyse, CEO of deltaH Innovations<\/a> and inventor of the world\u2019s first self-cooling can, is one of those people. A former mixologist from Wales, he hadn\u2019t a clue about science or engineering before he set out to turn the drinks market on its head.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Armed with sheer determination, a one-of-a-kind idea and a sense of urgency, he wound up inventing a product that can reduce its exterior temperature by 10 degrees in 60 seconds and drew the gaze of global beverage giants like Coca-Cola. Since launching, the \u2018Cool Can\u2019 has become more than a product; deltaH is already exploring medical and industrial uses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI didn’t go to school, so I just thought I could learn, especially in this world with AI and other kinds of technology at your disposal\u201d, says Vyse, whose late-night experimenting soon became an obsession. \u201cI researched science, chemistry, sustainability day and night and became obsessed,\u201d he adds, noting that he tried countless prototypes during his discovery process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cA couple of years later, we got there. I found a sustainable chemical compound and thought \u2018I\u2019ve got something here\u2019. That\u2019s when I incorporated DeltaH Innovations and found some crazy investors to back my idea, which back then was just that.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Cool Can went viral<\/a> in March this year after raising \u00a3313,185 in crowd funding. It has since received and raised <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Cool Can exploded onto the scene earlier this year, raising \u00a3313,185 in crowd funding in addition to direct and angel investments after grabbing attention from international newspapers and industry insiders. It\u2019s currently manufactured in the UK, but plans to expand internationally once the product comes to market due to the sheer demand it expects to generate. Though the timeline for an official launch has yet to be disclosed, it expects to distribute \u201cmillions, even billions\u201d of cans in the near future. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Betting it all<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

DeltaH wasn\u2019t Vyse\u2019s first foray into entrepreneurship. Years earlier, he\u2019d launched a direct-to-consumer cocktail company, a crash course in the realities of logistics and compliance. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou think you launch a website and you\u2019re suddenly a millionaire, but it doesn\u2019t work like that. You have to learn everything about tax, recruitment and funding,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So when the inspiration for the Cool Can struck, he knew it wouldn\u2019t be easy. Still, that didn\u2019t stop him quitting his bartending job in London without a safety net. \u201cI wouldn\u2019t advise others to do it the way I did,\u201d he admits. \u201cI had rent to pay and no backup. But sometimes you\u2019ve got to take the leap.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That leap is now shaping an entirely new category in the beverage industry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fighting for support<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Despite international attention, Vyse has been frustrated by the lack of support from the UK Government. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe’ve applied for multiple [Government] grants and we\u2019ve not won anything. Fortunately, between my success in my previous business and a small group of high net worth investors, we’ve been able to fund [the business] ourselves,\u201d he says. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIf we produce this product in the UK, the boost to the economy would be phenomenal. But without funding, businesses are forced to look abroad.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

His frustration echoes a broader problem. Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) account for 99% of all UK firms and 60% <\/a>of private sector jobs, yet consistently face barriers to finance. \u201cAhead of the budget, worries about tax rises and weak incentives are widespread. Small businesses like Vyse\u2019s crave targeted tax incentives or capital-grant schemes to unlock broader growth. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

British Business Bank\u2019s 2025 Small Business Finance Markets Report <\/a>shows that smaller businesses generally invest less relative to turnover and have trouble accessing external finance, citing high cost of credit and risk aversion as key barriers. According to the British Chambers of Commerce, almost half of SMEs also struggle to access growth funding<\/a>, relying instead on personal savings or high-interest loans. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe lack of support for innovation is one of the reasons Britain risks falling behind,\u201d Vyse warns. \u201cIf startups with global potential can\u2019t find backing here, they\u2019ll go elsewhere, and that means jobs and growth going elsewhere too.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Building differently<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Inside deltaH, Vyse has fostered a culture that mirrors his unorthodox path. His founding team was majority female, something he highlights with pride in a sector dominated by men. \u201cSeeing young people join, grow into their roles, and find their strengths has been one of the most rewarding parts of this journey,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He also rejects rigid hierarchies. Vyse describes leadership as collaborative, saying his team works best when \u2018everyone is on the same level.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That philosophy occasionally means colleagues push back on his wilder ideas. \u201cI\u2019ve been told to go back in my box more than once,\u201d he jokes. But Vyse sees this dynamic \u2013 open debate, flat decision-making, space for young voices \u2013 as the future of leadership. It\u2019s also a model that could help SMEs retain talent when they can\u2019t compete with big-corporate salaries.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Retention is a particularly urgent issue. 91±¬ΑΟ\u2019s 2025 Inaugural Jobs Report <\/a>shows that one in three UK workers is actively considering leaving their role within the next 12 months, with Gen Z and Millennials leading the charge. Vyse suggests SMEs must \u201cbe the place where people feel they can grow,\u201d since many can\u2019t compete on pay.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Conviction over credentials<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

For Vyse, his story is proof that the future of work won\u2019t be defined by degrees or pedigrees. \u201cI\u2019m just an ex-bartender who refused to accept that I couldn\u2019t learn,\u201d he says. \u201cSo many people think of an idea and then talk themselves out of it. They think, \u2018I couldn\u2019t do that.\u2019 But if you jump in headfirst, you\u2019ll figure out how to swim later. That\u2019s how innovation happens.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s a philosophy he wants to pass on. Growing up on a Welsh council estate, Vyse knows how limited opportunities can feel. One of his long-term goals is to establish a fund for young entrepreneurs from disadvantaged backgrounds. \u201cThere are so many gems out there \u2013 kids who think they\u2019ve got no chance. If I can use my success to give them a shot, that\u2019ll be my legacy.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For deltaH\u2019s CEO, conviction will always outweigh credentials. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe\u2019re living through a revolution,\u201d he says. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cTechnology means the next breakthrough mind can come from anywhere, not just Cambridge or Harvard. What matters isn\u2019t where you studied, it\u2019s whether you\u2019ve got the conviction to keep going.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

James Vyse\u2019s five top tips on inventing a product<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Solve a real problem, not an imagined one<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Most inventions fail because they\u2019re \u201cclever,\u201d not useful. If people don\u2019t feel the problem you\u2019re solving – if they aren\u2019t frustrated, inconvenienced, or paying for a workaround – you\u2019re building a curiosity, not a business. The best inventions start where people already have pain and spend money to fix it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Protect before you preach<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Don\u2019t broadcast your idea until you\u2019ve at least filed a provisional patent, NDA\u2019d your partners, or documented your concept with date-stamped records. Ideas are cheap; protection buys you time to turn one into a defensible asset. But remember – a patent is only as good as your ability (and willingness) to enforce it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Prototype fast, fail cheaper<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Your first prototype should be ugly, functional, and honest. Every version after that should kill one flaw at a time. Don\u2019t romanticise perfection – progress beats polish in the early stages. Physical prototypes are truth-serum: they expose physics, friction, and foolish assumptions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Build allies, not audiences<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

You don\u2019t need fans at first; you need collaborators – suppliers, engineers, investors, and early adopters who believe in the problem and want to help you solve it. A good partner multiplies your impact far more than a thousand likes on social media.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Persistence outperforms brilliance<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Every inventor starts as an optimist and survives as a realist. There will be setbacks – failed tests, cash droughts, copycats, disbelievers. The only real differentiator is how many times you get back up with the same intensity. Grit is the currency that pays for breakthroughs.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Conviction, not credentials, will define the future of work and innovation, according to James Vyse. All groundbreaking ideas are deemed unfathomable at some stage: the printing press, air-travel, artificial intelligence. Today, more than ever before, turning the impossible into reality is within reach for anyone bold enough to try. James Vyse, CEO of deltaH Innovations […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":10,"featured_media":44183,"template":"","meta":{"inline_featured_image":false,"_visual_mode":"business","exclude_from_algolia":false,"author_id":70413,"reading_time":"6 min read","display_reading_time":false,"homepage_thumbnail":0},"categories":[277],"tags":[],"learn_topic":[],"audience":[],"post_features":[],"class_list":["post-44179","news","type-news","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/news\/44179","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/news"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/news"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/10"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/44183"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=44179"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=44179"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=44179"},{"taxonomy":"learn_topic","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/learn_topic?post=44179"},{"taxonomy":"audience","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/audience?post=44179"},{"taxonomy":"post_features","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/post_features?post=44179"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}