Jake's energy driving his new business onward and upward at Eliot Park

A serious injury is always a cruel blow for a talented young footballer, especially near the start of a season, but for Jake Brown there is a silver lining - all the more time to devote to growing his business.

Jake's input to Atherstone Town's midfield is over for the 2015/16 season, courtesy of wrecked knee-ligaments.

But whereas boredom is a big problem for some young footballers when they have a long-term injury, that is far from the case for 21-year-old Jake.

He now pours his energy and enterprise into his business, Avro Energy, at Eliot Park Innovation Centre in Nuneaton.

Warwickshire County Council-run Eliot Park is home to dozens of small businesses - and a great springboard for a start up. So when, last summer, Jake was looking for somewhere to base Avro Energy, it was the perfect fit.

The business, which specialises in cutting customers' energy bills, moved into Eliot Park in July and has since gone from strength to strength. In terms of employees and customers, it is expanding all the time.

The idea, which has been germinating since Hinckley-born Jake was studying law at the University of Birmingham, is now blossoming. He gained his degree, obtaining a 2:1 – but it was in his business idea, rather than the field of law, where his future lay.

"I had the idea while I was still at uni," he said. "In fact I probably neglected my law studies a little bit, but I was very passionate about getting things in place to start the business so I used some of that time to research and get all the necessary licences.

"Basically, what we do is offer customers the simplest and cheapest possible home energy supply. We are the cheapest supplier anywhere in the Midlands and have achieved that by keeping our own overheads to a minimum.

"That's where Eliot Park has proved the perfect base - somewhere for us to meet customers and with all the facilities we need.

"In terms of my football it is a bit of a frustrating time at the moment with the injury, but it just means more time for the business. Things are going really well, we are expanding the workforce and there is enormous scope for further growth with 25 million consumers out there."

Find out more about Avro Enegy at http://www.avroenergy.co.uk/Contact.aspx. For more details about Eliot Park Innovation Centre, visit http://www.warwickshire.gov.uk/epic.