Despite a degree in criminology and successful career as a civil servant, London-based Ugonna Hosten had always dreamt of pursuing a path in the fashion industry. But it was only after visiting family in Nigeria that she spied a gap in the market that no British brand had managed to fill: an eye-catching accessories range in African fabrics and prints. Inspired, Ms Hosten quit her job, went to Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design to pursue a pattern cutting degree and set up the label Ugo’s Boutique.

It was then she hit a brick wall. “I had a clear vision of what I wanted to achieve in my head, but knew I would have trouble articulating a business plan to the investors I needed,” she says. “I lacked confidence because I had no commercial background, or awareness when it came to partners, wholesalers and distributors. It was really holding me back.”

Then last spring, Ms Hosten discovered the School for Creative Start-Ups, a social enterprise started and initially funded by Doug Richard, an entrepreneur, investor and former judge on the BBC version of Dragons’ Den. Following the success of School for Start-Ups, his initiative for fledgling businesses launched in 2008, Mr Richard turned his attention to creatives. “Since 2009, the creative sector has been growing at twice the rate of the rest of the UK economy,” he says. “But I’m not convinced it gets the same degree of time and attention from both government and media given to young tech companies.”