10 People Who'll Make You Say, "Wish I'd Thought Of That"

From Grant Thornton’s Faces of a Vibrant Economy, a celebration of growth for the economy and society through innovation, responsible entrepreneurship, and organisations doing well by doing good.

1. Brigette Bard, BioSure

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As founder and CEO of BioSure, Brigette Bard is passionate about empowering people to take responsibility and lead healthier lives by developing self-tests that you can do wherever you like. For starters, take a look at their groundbreaking HIV Self Test. The test is really easy and extremely accurate at over 99.7%, and it gives you results in just 15 minutes. And with other tests in development, BioSure is creating a movement towards innovative health care solutions that prioritise speed and convenience and put you in control.

2. Nimisha Raja, Nim's Fruit Crisps

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Nim's achieves just the right balance of tasty and healthy that keeps fans of their crisps coming back for more. With Nimisha Raja at the helm, they've revolutionised the production of this time-honoured snack by getting rid of additives and preservatives without sacrificing flavour. These qualities, along with their unique air-drying process, mean people can munch on a variety of delicious crisps all made from the freshest fruit and veg possible.

3. Karen Curtin, Graven Hill Development Company

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At Graven Hill, managing director Karen Curtin oversees the largest self- and custom-build housing development in the UK. Graven Hill's model gives people a chance to take a DIY approach to home planning and construction on a site that is notable for its natural beauty and strategic location. By doing this, home buyers choose plots and designs based on personal preference and style rather than adapting their lifestyles to fit into preexisting spaces.

4. Jamie Hartzell, Ethex

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For many people, the decision to make financial investments carries with it the heavy burden of determining how those investments could influence the world around them. That's where Ethex comes in. Social entrepreneur Jamie Hartzell founded the company with a mission to ensure these mindful investors are educated and informed about the impact their actions have beyond the bottom line. By making it simple to research and choose positive investment opportunities, Ethex offers a chance to develop portfolios that reflect people's core values.

5. Martina King, Featurespace

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Thanks to the experience, skills, and expertise of the team led by CEO Martina King, Featurespace has become an unparalleled force in the fraud and risk prevention space. Their ARIC™ technology, a machine learning platform that can identify behavioural anomalies in real time, helps ward off nefarious attacks with precision and speed. In doing so, they've increased protection for customers and organisations across the financial services, insurance, and gaming landscapes.

6. Jack Parsons, 'Yourfeed'

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CEO Jack Parsons created 'Yourfeed' to help young talent bypass common application roadblocks to find jobs more easily. After realising that certain aspects of the job-seeking grind (like CVs and cover letters) were holding people back from finding placements in their desired fields, Parsons developed an online platform that changed how employers were looking at candidates. This platform, 'Yourfeed', ultimately led to greater hiring success among applicants who may have had more difficulty showcasing their personal brand on paper. Parsons starts his global movement by pledging to connect 2 million young people to opportunities in the UK.

7. Charlotte Pearce, Inkpact

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Inkpact helps clients master the art of communication by leveraging the power of the written word, as users of the service can type custom messages to be translated into handwriting by an actual human (not a robot). It's through this approach under CEO Charlotte Pearce's leadership that the company is equipping people to connect on a more meaningful level in ways that are both personal and scalable.

8. Bevis Watts, Triodos Bank

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As a longtime environmentalist, Triodos Bank UK managing director Bevis Watts is a key figure in the world of sustainable banking. By positioning money as a tool that can effect positive change on people and the environment, he has helped Triodos continue to grow while maintaining a sustainable approach to banking. This means Triodos only finances organisations and projects carefully considered for their potential to benefit society as a whole.

9. Tom Blomfield, Monzo

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We use our smartphones for everything. They bring us unparalleled convenience and, as a result, we have come to expect seamless experiences across all the services we use. Our lives move quickly, and traditional banks have often struggled to keep up. By being totally transparent, delivering world-class customer support, and designing a brilliant product, Monzo is building a bank that understands and makes people’s lives easier, simpler, and less stressful.

10. Catharina Paukner, Cambridge Nanosystems

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One of four founders at Cambridge Nanosystems, chief scientist Catharina Paukner has played a huge role in shepherding the company's environmentally friendly production of graphene. This lightweight, resilient material is transforming the manufacturing of consumer goods across a number of different industries, with Cambridge Nanosystems at the forefront. Their groundbreaking system uses proprietary technology to produce graphene without defects or impurities in ways not previously seen.

Learn more about other innovative entrepreneurs and business leaders that are building a vibrant economy by visiting Grant Thornton’s site.