MARK Robinson has been responsible for some massively clever inventions – at least some of which would not be out of place in the hands of James Bond.

As CEO of Imperious Technologies, he specialises in bringing start-up businesses to market, making a success of them and finding a buyer.

Among the inventions pioneered by his companies is the “tactical ball” – a bouncing ball which, when lobbed into a room, will send back a map of potential threats that armed forces or security personnel can view on a mobile device.

“My background is in coming up with ideas. For want of a better word, inventing stuff,” says Mr Robinson.

“Everything we do is first to market. We only invest in technology ideas.”

HiDef Aerial Surveying enables highly detailed surveying from a video camera deployed from an aircraft.

React Engineering makes a system which is used to survey radioactive emissions in the chamber of the Fukushima nuclear plant, where exposure would cause death within minutes. Savvy Technologies produces a host of “disruptive” inventions.

Jolt is a phone app that instantly records details of a road accident and fills out an insurance claim.

“Every time we invent or develop something, we already have a mind to sell that business,” says Mr Robinson.

“We come up with the idea, we invent the idea, we do the R&D on it. We create a brand new company, we get it making money and then we sell it.”

He also runs R3i, an investment fund that backs technological ideas with money and advice.

“If you have a smart idea and need some funding – as long as you’re not only after funding – we could help you,” he says.

The Bournemouth-headquartered group has 240 staff at its five operating businesses.

When it sells a business it has created, the staff working in that new business can go with it or return to the group. Those who stay with the fledgling business are rewarded with share options and more senior positions.

Mr Robinson, 53, was born in Kenya but has lived in Dorset for 25 years. Many of the businesses come from his ideas.

“That’s simply because I can’t help myself, based on the things that irritate me, that I think could be done better. That’s where Jolt came from. I had a small accident. The guy, I had a sense that he would lie to me and I knew he was going to lie to his insurer,” he says.

“The idea we bring to market is normally more sophisticated than that first little bubble of an idea.”

He spends time attending events and briefings about what problems industry and government need solved.

“It helps when you’ve done a couple of ideas and built up a reputation for it,” he says.

Mr Robinson, who is a UK Trade and Industry export champion, says he hopes staff feel he has invested in them.

“The biggest responsibility as an employer or as a business is in looking after your staff,” he says.

“As an employer you have not only your employees’ livelihoods in your hands but also their families.”