Founders: Eben Upton, Jack Lang, Robert Mullins, David Braben, Alan Mycroft and Pete Lomas
Founded: December 2009 (launched February 2012)
Website: www.raspberrypi.org

When it made our list last year, Raspberry Pi was just getting started, but despite being just over a year old, the enterprise has since earned plaudits and fans around the globe for its efforts to make programming experience available to all. The founders, having noticed that children no longer have machines like the BBC Micro or ZX Spectrum on which they can learn to program, have achieved the incredible feat of designing a microcomputer which retails at only $25. It plugs into a television and keyboard to be used in much the same way as a PC, and its low price barrier means that it is already being used by children all over the world to learn programming. With ambitious plans to transform the nature of IT education, the business has plans to shift focus over the next 12 months, concentrating less on producing hardware and more on developing educational materials around the device to help users utilise its full potential.

Founders: David Grimes and Paul Haydock
Founded: November 2009 (launched June 2010)
Website: www.myparceldelivery.com

Moving up 12 places from last year to our prestigious number one spot, David Grimes and Paul Haydock’s price comparison website for couriers continues to deliver on its potential, growing its popularity exponentially with businesses, eBay sellers and the general public alike. The business continues to grow by the week and has seen 685% growth since January 2011, with the company well ahead of targets for next year; an extraordinary achievement for a service less than three years old. Following backing from an entrepreneurial investor in late 2010, the next 12 months will see myParcelDelivery.com close contracts with well-known UK retailers, grow its online and offline marketing presence and hire more IT staff. The company also has plans to expand into European markets, which are not currently served by a myParcelDelivery.com equivalent – representing a huge untapped market for the ambitious duo.