We’re loathe to blow our own trumpets, but forgive us for mentioning this: LeafSalon was one of the ten finalists in Spark, the University of Auckland’s Enterepreneurship Challenge. LeafSalon founders Dee Murch (L) and Kathy Hunter (R) are pictured at the prize-giving.

Spark is modelled on successful business programmes run at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in the USA, and the University of Cambridge in the UK. It’s designed to promote new business ideas, and provide rigorous assessment and training for new business start-ups.

Spark is run in conjunction with The Icehouse, the incubator and education specialists.