Young innovator on mission to revolutionise hygiene in high-touch spaces
Published:Saturday | May 31, 2025 | 12:08 AMMickalia Kington/Gleaner Writer
At just 30 years old, Jamaican innovator Rayvon Stewart has found himself on the frontlines of public health innovation with a solution born from a tragic hospital experience, a bit of inspiration, and the kind of determination that emerging young entrepreneurs across the island often embody.
Stewart is the mind behind XermoShield, a smart, self-cleaning door handle designed to kill pathogens using UV light. The product is the flagship creation of Xermosol, the company he founded with a mission to revolutionise hygiene in high-touch environments like hospitals and schools.
Held under the theme ‘Touching the Future: Innovation for a Safer World’, the event celebrated a home-grown solution to global health challenges.
Although Stewart was a final-year computer science major at the University of Technology Jamaica (UTech) in 2020, the idea was not born in a research lab. Instead, it came from a volunteer experience at the University Hospital of the West Indies (UHWI), where Stewart was confronted with a harsh reality.
“They had an incident where they had a mishap where bacteria was killing some young babies,” Stewart told The Gleaner.
In 2015, 12 babies died at the hospital’s Neonatal Intensive Care Unit from infections caused by the bacteria klebsiella and serratia.
That incident sparked the idea and, with a business model competition on the horizon, Stewart consulted with a lecturer and began brainstorming. The result was a concept aimed not just at reacting to infections, but actively preventing them in spaces that are particularly vulnerable.
The technology Stewart helped develop is straightforward but Stewart made a powerful disclaimer.
“Our device was not made to clean hands,” he noted. “Our device … is safe for both humans and animals, tested and proven by both the University Hospital of the West Indies and even some of our overseas partners.”
Though the technology itself is impressive, what makes Stewart’s story even more remarkable is the young mind behind it, especially as he openly expressed his awareness of the uphill battle that youth innovators often face in Jamaica.
“There were so many challenges, to be honest with you. The first one was proof of concept. It was very difficult in the beginning,” Stewart shared. “Another challenge was actually getting some persons to believe in you. Even persons that you basically look up to. It was difficult to get those persons on board, basically.”
Funding, as with many youth-led start-ups, was another major hurdle.
“We didn’t have any investors in the beginning. We didn’t have partners, nothing like that. So those were some of the biggest challenges.”
SIGNIFICANT SUPPORT
However, his perseverance paid off and Stewart’s company has since received significant support from the Development Bank of Jamaica (DBJ), through the BIGEE programme, which awarded Xermosol two grants under its IGNITE and Patent Grant programmes.
“The IGNITE grant has basically assisted us in getting WIPO PCT patents. So we’re basically protected in 150 countries at the moment … until roughly 2026… where we can file for individual territories that we want to be patented.”
Even before its formal launch on Thursday, the device has seen real-world use during the COVID-19 pandemic at the UHWI.
“I know for a fact that we can help to make the environment smarter. In terms of changing, I see where we can use more smart technology to actually help to save lives and protect families.”
As for what’s next, Stewart and the team at Xermosol are already eyeing mass distribution.
“We are already in talks with different manufacturers and distributors to assist us in distribution both locally, regionally and internationally. So we do have partnerships ready to get our products out there very soon,” he said.
For now, Stewart remains focused on scaling the product and the mission behind it without losing sight of what sparked it all.
Meanwhile, Dr David Lowe, managing director at the DBJ, noted the bank’s pivotal role in helping bring XermoShield to the market.
“This is not just about a product,” Lowe said. “It’s about creating a platform for Jamaican innovation to thrive globally. We supported Xermosol from concept through commercialisation, and we’re proud of what this journey represents.”
As Stewart and his team prepare for expansion, Thursday’s launch marks a new chapter not only for the company but also for Jamaican innovation on the global scene.
The Xermosol team has received international interest, with mentions from Patricia Janet Scotland, Baroness Scotland of Asthal to 54 Commonwealth countries, and the World Health Organization’s chief, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
“This is a win for Jamaica,” said Lowe. “And a testament to what’s possible when vision meets investment ... . This particular XermoShield venture is something that we are particularly proud of, because, through our BIGEE programme, we have been able to have another success story by seeking to support a young entrepreneur with a fantastic concept that may have difficulty getting funding directly from a traditional lending institution.”
The product works by detecting when someone approaches. A blue LED light activates to say that it recognises that someone has touched the door handle. The part of the handle that is touched then rotates into the device, where it is sanitised.
The innovation uses ultraviolet (UV) light to specifically target and kill harmful microorganisms, and has been proven to eliminate more than 99.9 per cent of deadly pathogens.
With three different sizes, the product’s cost was estimated to be between US$275 and US$500, which the team says is driven mainly by the UVC component and tariffs.
Stewart’s journey with XermoShield shows that, with the right support, Jamaican youths could not only transform national industries but contribute meaningfully on the global stage.