61. Quidco

Paul and Jennifer Nikkel
The company offers cashback for shopping with a range of retailers through Quidco. Annual membership is £5, but this is deducted from the cash members earn by shopping through the site. Paul and Jennifer launched Quidco back in 2005. They’ve grown the company organically and are yet to take on any investment. Major retailers signed up to the site include Tesco, Boots, Apple, Dell and John Lewis, as well as a whole host of smaller shops.

62. Diabetic Hampers

Giles Peters
Having caught the entrepreneurial bug at 17, Giles had originally planned to study enterprise at university. However, after launching his online gift hamper business in 2007, while doing his A-Levels, he decided higher education wasn’t the only route to success. The teenager, and Enterprising Young Brit winner, came up with the idea for Diabetic Hampers after several members of his family were diagnosed with the condition. Based in Norwich, the company is set to turnover £90,000 in its first year. Not bad considering the founder is still at school.

63. Innergy

Gez Walsh and Maurice Gardiner
Gez started Innergy with partner Maurice in 2006, after working for major competitors for a number of years. Innergy supplies liquefied petroleum gas (LPS) to businesses and commercial users around West Yorkshire. The company prides itself on its pricing policy: Gez says that during their research, the pair found customers felt their suppliers were abusing price fluctuations to their advantage. As a result, Innergy provides a system on its website which allows clients to check their prices against the competition.

64. iDesktop.tv

Davendra and Upendra Patel
Launched by Davendra and Upendra in 2007, this web 2.0 application allows you to search, download, store, share and sort all your favourite YouTube videos. The application’s creators say its main goal is to provide an easy way of browsing such vast amounts of online video content. It also allows you to download the videos in a vast array of different formats, which is perfect for watching them on other devices such as television, iPods or mp4 players.

65. YuuGuu

Anish Kapoor, Philip Hemsted
The pair started working on their idea for screen sharing software after becoming frustrated with the difficulties of working remotely. Keen to make the service accessible for small businesses, they decided to offer the software for free, following in the footsteps of previous web successes such as Skype. The beta version of the software launched in February 2007. Within a few weeks, the software was being used all over the world, and picking up numerous technology accolades. Revenue is generated by charging for extra applications such as voice and messaging functions.

66. Tossed

Vincent McKevitt
Vincent opened his first Tossed salad store in April 2005, after ‘months of travelling the world in search of the perfect salad’, and says the brand’s mission is to create an exciting new healthy food experience for the UK market. Vincent was chosen by acclaimed chef Ian Pengelley as ‘the one to watch’ in the Food category of this year’s Courvoisier Future 500 shortlist. “It shows the quality of food we are producing,” he says.

67. Activ8 Intelligence

Laurence Collins
Laurence’s company pioneered predictive analytics for HR. The software profiles job candidates based on personality and experience. It looks at attributes such as journey time, personality, previous experience and whether they work best on their own or in a team. Recruiters then get a recommended shortlist for final interviews. Clients include Legal & General and an array of other financial services and pharmaceutical companies. Started in 2005, turnover is already topping the £2m mark. Investors include Egg co-founder Paul Gratton.

68. Switch Sticks

Vicky Mitchell
Vicky picked up the product of the year gong at the 2007 Startups Awards for her funky walking sticks. Two members of her family had recently become reliant on sticks to get around, but were underwhelmed by the choices available. Vicky decided that instead of a walking stick being a symbol of immobility, brightly coloured and patterned designs could in fact turn the sticks into a fashion statement.

69. MOMA Foods

Tom Mercer, Amy Farren
The couple gave up promising consultancy careers for early morning starts when they launched their chain of healthy breakfast stalls. The first site opened at Waterloo station in February 2006. They currently have stalls in five of London’s busiest railway stations selling their oat-based products, which are prepared by the MOMA team in the early hours of the morning and then sold to commuters on their way to work.

70. Securit GB

Phil Churm, Caroline Moore
Securit, a company which makes secure metal storage sheds for tools and bikes, was a finalist in the Barclays Trading Places Awards last year. Chesterfield-based couple Phil, who lost part of his leg when he was nine months old, and Caroline, who has recently battled skin cancer, launched the company with support from Barclays Local Business. Andy Bailey, Barclays’ Local Business manager for Chesterfield, hailed the pair as ‘unsung heroes’. “They shine out as a real-life example of an outstanding business that has thrived despite what seemed like impossible odds,” he said.