Article date: 10/10/2005
RESULTS OF 2005 STARTUPS AWARDS FOR BUSINESSES
Awards set to recognise “the heroes of our economy”
Following the resounding success of last year’s event and underlining its commitment to identifying and rewarding the UK’s best new businesses, the second annual Startups Awards has been launched by startups.co.uk in conjunction with NatWest Bank. Bedfordshire-based company, Trichocare Diagnostics, has been nominated as a finalist and will attend a prestigious awards ceremony at the Royal Garden Hotel in London on 21st October 2005.
The awards comprise 13 categories including ‘Retailer of the Year’ and ‘Manufacturing Business of the Year’. Trichocare has been short listed for the ‘Silver Fox Award’, for “mature entrepreneurs”. The winners of each category will then compete to be named ‘Startups Awards 2005 Business of the Year’, and collect the grand prize of £5,000.
Trichocare Diagnostics (from Ridgmont in Bedfordshire) developed a new innovation which is helping hairdressers easily identify individuals who may be sensitive to the main ingredients found in hair dyes. Brian Plunkett, Trichologist and Managing Director of Trichocare says, the Colourstart test “is a simple platform technology with a precise and monitored amount of para-phenylenediamine (PPD) and resorcinol, the active ingredients found in hair dye”.
Colourstart has been on the UK market for over 12 months and is now available as part of a standard professional colour treatment service from over 1,000 salons nationwide, as well as in Italy and Ireland. Unlike conventional testing, no formal appointment is required and the test can be simply picked up from the salon or posted to the client in advance. Brian says, “having a good idea is one thing, but getting it to market is another matter. The business and financial planning has been critical in bringing the new product to a World market. I am very fortunate in having my son Nick as our financial Director, he holds the purse strings, and the success of Trichocare so far is in his hands”.
Patricia Hewitt, Secretary of State for the DTI comments: "Entrepreneurs are our wealth creators, the women and men who make our nation more successful and prosperous. They are the heroes of our economy and our future economic stability depends on creating a country where enterprise is truly open to all. Which is why awards like these are so important in allowing us to celebrate the success of our best startup businesses and the entrepreneurs behind them.
Trichocare used Cranfield University to help develop the Colourstart product.