The budding businessman, who lives with his family on the Yealm estuary in Newton Ferrers, near Plymouth, set up Nautical Napkins, a one-man company making and selling personalised napkins.

He was presented with the award last month in Newton Ferrers on the eve of Broadband4Devon's first anniversary. Since it was launched last year, Broadband4Devon has been able to give advice and financial assistance to more than 2,500 small Devon firms.

Jake is benefiting from Broadband4Devon's technical advice and a subsidy scheme helping with the cost of his broadband connection.

"The thousands of companies we have been able to help during the past year have shown a tremendous level of creativity and commitment to succeed, " said John Horne, Broadband4Devon's project director, who presented the Young Business Innovator award to Jake. "But Jake was unique."

Jake has already provided more than 600 napkins for members of the sailing community, who had heard about the company through recommendation or from Jake himself.

With the help of his parents, he has now established his own website www.nauticalnapkins.co.uk and begun to receive his first orders via the Internet. Some of the napkins have already gone as far afield as Australia and Sweden.

Our picture shows (l to r) Ian Smith, of BT; Gillie Scherr;

Janet McCarthy, of Devon County Council; and John Horne, of Broadband4Devon.