Glenn Cox
Zengo Incorporated

As an RCMP officer serving on Vancouver Island, Glenn Cox of Prince Edward Island responded to a call and wound up watching diesel fuel spill out of a ruptured tank. Neither the RCMP nor the local fire department had the technology to stop the spilling. Two hours later the leak was stopped in minutes by a member of the provincial environmental response team. The solution was a putty compound and a piece of plywood propped up with a shovel.

This environmental nightmare and its solution stayed in Glenn’s mind throughout his career with the RCMP and during his time in insurance risk management. He began working on a innovation in his garage that would bring the capacity to stop such leaks in the hands of first responders. In 2009 he set up Zengo Incorporated, started the patent process for his innovation - the Rupture S.E.A.L. (Saving Environments and Lives). The Rupture S.E.A.L. is telescopic device that uses foam injected into a bladder that expands and seals a leak in seconds. The RS-2 is a companion piece designed to repair smaller ruptures.

Glenn says, “I started from scratch. I don’t have a business background, and there is a very steep learning curve.” In the spring of 2010, around when Zengo moved out of the garage and into commercial space, Glenn went to EF. He says, “It was great for me. I’ve had two sessions. In my first session my Advisors essentially said stay on track, keep the engine running.”

He did, and the second EF session followed a few months later. Glenn says, “The second session focused on looking at my target markets and preparing my product materials to present to the bank. My Advisors in both sessions had phenomenal expertise, and they were really keen to see my product succeed.” Glenn’s Advisors saw that the market for the products is global, and includes commercial trucking, first responders, industrial plants, recreational boating and commercial shipping.

The products are finding a strong market position. Eureka! Ranch International, the Cincinnati-based organization dedicated to creating and commercializing unique ideas, rated The Rupture S.E.A.L. with the highest rating in the industrial category, and third highest overall.

In response to demand, Glenn is expanding space and production capacity. Production of the Rupture S.E.A.L., will begin in PEI in the summer of 2011.