Activ Web Design has been shortlisted in the Start Up of the Year category at the 2009 Nectar Business Small Business Awards.

Where many start-ups struggle to break even in their early days, the Enderby-based web design franchise’s turnover in its first 12 months of trading reached about £1m.

Founded in March 2008, Activ already employs 15 staff at its head office at Narborough Wood Park and has around 85 representatives offering website design to small and medium sized businesses across the UK and abroad.

The business has also sold licences to entrepreneurs in Spain, Ireland, France and Australia and is planning to open larger premises at the business park which hosts its head office that will accommodate up to 50 staff later this year.

In addition to its work with SMEs, Activ has developed local town websites across the UK and entered into partnership agreements with eBay, Google and Yell.com.

Director Simon Rickett said: "Although we are operating in a highly competitive market, our extensive research revealed that 50% of SMEs still don't have an online presence despite the internet overtaking TV as the main focus of the nation's attention.

“Drawing on our previous experience of selling websites we hit on a different and innovative marketing approach which has led to us providing sites for hundreds of satisfied customers in 12 months.

"Our software has been developed in-house by our team of software experts and has been devised so that anyone, regardless of technical expertise, can build professional-looking sites in relatively little time.

“Unlike traditional web designers, our representatives enjoy meeting people face to face and can actually identify and highlight ways in which a website can save a business time and money as well as ultimately enhancing its profits.”

"We also aim to keep website development simple and easy, steering clear of jargon, and offer customers a fixed-price package with standard websites costing £499 and e-commerce sites – an 'online shop' – £999.

"We are very excited about making the shortlist in the Nectar awards and the future prospects of the Activ business, which has been beyond our expectations.”

The Nectar award winners will be announced later in July.