Leeds Beckett University - City Campus,
Woodhouse Lane,
LS1 3HE
Graduate shortlisted for Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award
The 23-year-old entrepreneur, who set up his design company Lux Creations with the support of the University's business start-up programme, received the award for his first product, Clear Notes, and will be presented with £1,000 funding for his business.
In addition the recognition gives him an automatic place in Shell LiveWIRE's 'Hot 40' list, putting him in the running for their Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award 2012, and a £10,000 prize.
John, who studied BSc (Hons) Sports Coaching at Leeds Met and graduated in 2010, commented: "I am honoured and delighted to receive this award. The success of Clear Notes is going from strength to strength - and it is a product that I believe to be innovative and a one that I am very proud of.
"Clear Notes are re-usable, transparent, sticky notes that allow the user to view any document underneath the note, whilst making annotations. I came up with the idea when I worked for an insurance firm in 2010. I'd regularly find myself dealing with a lot of documents and it was tricky trying to make notes without actually writing on the papers. That's when I realised there was a simple solution to the problem and the idea for Clear Notes was born. The best thing about the product is their versatility and the fact that they can be used again and again. We have developed the product in a number of sizes as well with our own marker pen to use which can be wiped off the Clear Notes easily.
"I launched Lux Creations via Leeds Metropolitan's QU2 business start-up programme and it has really helped me both financially and strategically from the word go. With the University's support I have been able to take my ideas and turn them into a reality - a successful business with marketable and exciting products."
The winner for Shell LiveWIRE's Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award 2012 will be announced at an awards ceremony in London on Wednesday 14 November.