Powerchex, the staff vetting and job referencing company for the financial services industry, has been named one of the UK’s Top 10 new businesses by HSBC Bank in its annual Start-Up Stars Awards.

The company, which was turned down by the investors on BBC 2’s Dragon’s Den, was founded by Alexandra Kelly.

“I knew the business idea for Powerchex was sound because I read about the growth of American companies verifying CVs and checking references,” says Kelly. “I knew I would succeed if I created a business focussed on fast turnaround times and great customer service”.

Kelly plans to continue promoting these advantages to win new clients, expansion into Europe being the next logical step. The company will also look at developing products for corporate fraud investigation, HR compliance consultancy and psychometric testing.