Mike Slade set-up the Sterling Shave Club due to the increasing cost of buying razors and individual blades each month. The 24-year-old came up with the idea during a module on business start-ups, innovation and creativity during his degree at Coventry University. The plans for a cost-effective subscription service via his website, www.sterlingshaveclub.com , became a reality after he received funding from the SPEED Plus project, the Student Enterprise Fund, the Proof of Concept Fund and Touch Digital.

Sophie Hall is a Coventry-based nail technician, who after getting her nails done a few times, wanted to try it herself. She has now turned it into a business – Glazed – and after becoming self-employed she will be setting up shop in a salon this year in response to the popularity of her creative and original designs.