Graduate is a heartbeat away from award

A CAPITAL-BASED graduate is in the running to be crowned the UK’s Young Entrepreneur of the Year.

Joanna Montgomery from South Queensferry has secured a place in the final of the Shell LiveWIRE Young Entrepreneur of the Year award.

The 24-year-old fought off competition from hundreds of young entrepreneurs to gain one of only eight coveted places in the final for her interaction design business, Little Riot, and is the only finalist from Scotland.

She is also competing for the chance to win £10,000. Joanna set up her business, which aims to connect people with technology through design, in September 2010.

She designed Pillow Talk, a pillowcase that allows partners to hear the heartbeat of their beloved. Joanna secured £25,000 of funding to develop her project into a commercial product. She said: “To be named by Shell LiveWIRE as one of the best young entrepreneurs in the UK is a huge boost to me and to the business too.

“I know that the final judging sessions will be tough but to be the only Scottish finalist is a fantastic feeling, and I hope I can do Scotland proud at the final.”

The final will take place on November 9.