For women inventors UK, Mandy Haberman is one of the best-known names. Her story shows how a household problem can become a protected product. In the 1990s she designed the Anywayup cup, the non-spill trainer cup that changed how toddlers learn to drink. Her daughter, Nadia Finer, is an entrepreneur, author and speaker in her own right. Together they offer a powerful example of how a single idea can grow into a business, and how families absorb an entrepreneurial mindset.
Their story gained attention when Nadia took Mandy to see Joy, the 2015 film starring Jennifer Lawrence as American inventor Joy Mangano. Mangano built a multimillion-dollar business from the Miracle Mop, a self-wringing domestic mop she sold on television shopping channels. The film dramatises her determination, her manufacturing battles and the legal fights she faced when larger competitors tried to copy her idea.
For Mandy and Nadia, the film felt personal. Both Mangano and Haberman turned everyday household frustration into a patented product, built a brand around it, and then had to defend their intellectual property in court. Both women also raised children while scaling a business, and both discovered that invention is only the first step; commercialisation and protection are just as important.
From kitchen table to patent: Mandy Haberman’s invention
Mandy invented the Anywayup cup after watching her own toddler struggle with open beakers and spill-proof valves that were hard to clean. Her design used a patented valve that let liquid out only when a child sucked, but stayed sealed when thrown or tipped. It was simple, hygienic and genuinely solved a problem parents recognised.
She patented the technology, set up Haberman Products, and began licensing and manufacturing the cup. The product won design awards, sold internationally and became a nursery staple. Yet success attracted imitators. When a major competitor released a similar non-spill cup, Mandy took the case to the High Court and successfully defended her patent. The ruling reinforced the value of robust intellectual property and showed that a sole female inventor could take on a large corporation and win.
Nadia Finer: growing up entrepreneurial
Nadia Finer is known for her work helping quiet and introverted business owners find their voice, notably through her Shy and Mighty brand, books and podcast. But she grew up watching her mother negotiate with factories, manage patent attorneys and defend her ideas in court. That exposure shaped her own approach to business: practical, resilient and willing to challenge expectations.
In conversations about the film, Nadia and Mandy have discussed the emotional side of entrepreneurship as much as the commercial side. They talked about the isolation of being a founder, the pressure of legal disputes, and the pride of seeing an idea become a real product in people’s homes. Nadia also reflected on what it meant to be the child of such a driven mother; seeing entrepreneurship not as a risky exception, but as a normal way to solve problems and create value.
Parallels with Joy Mangano
Joy Mangano’s Miracle Mop and Mandy Haberman’s Anywayup cup share a common origin: a founder who was also the target user. Both women identified a gap in the domestic market, designed a product they wanted themselves, and used direct routes to customers. Mangano sold through QVC and infomercials; Haberman built licensing and retail distribution partnerships in the UK and overseas.
Both also endured protracted legal battles. Mangano’s disputes with her own business partners and larger rivals were dramatised in the film; Haberman’s patent infringement case established an important precedent for UK inventors. In each instance, the message is the same: a good idea is not enough on its own. You need clear ownership, documented evidence and the confidence to enforce your rights.
Women inventors UK: the current landscape
More women are starting businesses in the UK than ever, but the gap in registered invention remains stubborn. According to UK IPO analysis from 2023, women were named on just 16.5 per cent of patent applications filed in the UK. That proportion has moved only slightly over the past decade, even though women now make up a growing share of the UK’s self-employed workforce.
The economic case for closing the gap is strong. The Alison Rose Review of Female Entrepreneurship found that women-led businesses already contribute an estimated £85 billion annually to the UK economy, and that equalising startup rates between women and men could add up to £250 billion in new value. For individual founders, the barrier is rarely a shortage of ideas. It is more often a lack of visible role models, limited access to IP advice, and uncertainty about how to move from prototype to protected product.
UK support has improved. The Intellectual Property Office now runs targeted programmes to help underrepresented founders understand patents, trade marks and designs. Innovate UK’s Women in Innovation Awards offer £50,000 grant funding plus tailored business support to women with transformative ideas. The British Library’s national network of Business and IP Centres provides free access to market research, IP databases and one-to-one advice in cities across the UK.
Practical lessons for women inventors
- Protect early. File a patent application before you disclose your idea publicly. A non-disclosure agreement is useful, but it is not a substitute for registered rights. The UK IPO charges from £60 to file a patent application online, with further costs as the application is examined.
- Document everything. Keep dated sketches, prototypes, correspondence and development notes. They can be decisive in a dispute.
- Seek specialist advice. A patent attorney or IP solicitor can help you draft claims that cover not just your product but potential workarounds. The UK IPO’s IP Access fund can help small businesses pay for initial IP advice.
- Build a support network. Organisations such as the British Library’s Business and IP Centre, Innovate UK and local growth hubs offer mentoring, funding signposting and peer support. See our guide to business grants for women in the UK for current funding options.
- Think beyond the product. Licensing, branding and international distribution can often scale an invention faster than manufacturing it yourself. If you are ready to incorporate, read our guide on Companies House identity verification for what every new director must do.
Why the story still matters
More than thirty years after the Anywayup cup first appeared, Mandy Haberman’s invention is still referenced in business schools and inventor networks. Her daughter Nadia Finer continues to encourage women to show up, speak up and build businesses on their own terms. Their conversation about Joy is a reminder that invention is rarely a single moment of genius; it is a long process of problem-solving, protection and persistence.
For women inventors UK, their combined story offers both inspiration and a practical warning: your idea has value, but only if you are prepared to own it, defend it and keep going when larger competitors try to copy it. Start with the Women in Business: Key UK Facts page to understand the landscape, then take the first step towards protecting your idea.
