For Chris Hawker, founder of Trident Design, the realization that he had a knack for innovation came at a young age.
At 17, while working at his own aquarium maintenance company, Hawker generated the idea for his first invention: a specialized filter for saltwater marine aquariums. He named the devices “trident” filters – after the three-pronged spear carried by Poseidon, Greek god of the sea – and the name stuck.
“Trident also represents the three goals of the company: fun, impact and profit,” Hawker says.
Photos courtesy of Trident Design
While the Grandview Heights-based company originally served as a way for Hawker to bring his own ideas to life, it has evolved into a one-stop shop for inventors looking to bring their unique designs to market.
Trident’s range of successful products begins with Hawker’s early aquatic offerings, such as the Kent Marine Pro-Scraper, which he developed the same year he graduated from college, and includes everything from guitar accessories to handy kitchen gadgets like Onion Goggles. His most successful product is the PowerSquid, a reverse power strip that has cords coming out of it instead of going into it. His favorite, though, is the Quickey, “the key that opens everything but doors,” as Hawker describes it.
Generating over $220,000 in crowd-funding, far surpassing its original goal of $4,000, the Quickey proved to be a product that many people could see themselves using daily. The small, key-like device serves as a bottle opener, serrated edge, file and screwdriver, among other things.
Trident brings ideas like these through every step of production, from design to engineering, and from crowd-funding to marketing and licensing.
Now based in Grandview on Burrell Avenue, Trident moved from its location in the Short North a little over two years ago.
“We were looking for someplace more affordable, so we cast our nets wide and considered a lot of places. Grandview is a great mix of affordability and the downtown feel,” says Hawker, who has previously lived in Grandview himself.
For Hawker, the perks of being located in Grandview include having a park and coffee shops nearby. He says he favors the latte from Luck Bros’ Coffee House.
“It’s a great community. Grandview offers a good pace of life for the employees. A few employees have actually made the move to Grandview since we’ve been here because they really enjoy it,” Hawker says.
While the company has set its roots in Grandview and serves many Columbus-based innovators who come to Trident with bright ideas, its clientele is truly global.
“We have clients all across the country, across the world – in Texas, and in Japan,” Hawker says. “Our goal is to make dreams a reality. The vision is to be a source of innovation in the world for our employees and for our clients.”
Mike Rudd, Trident Design’s vice president of sales, calls Trident an incredible place.
“It lets us and all of our clients invent and own our futures,” Rudd says.
Jessica Williams is a contributing writer. Feedback welcome at hbealer@cityscenecolumbus.com.
