MERT Ozbek, commercial director of software development company Stakesoft, does not gamble.

As an accountant, he is fascinated in maths and patterns, he said, and that has brought him to launch Stakesoft, a company that develops software for the betting industry, with an experienced programmer friend.

Although you could say taking the leap from working as an accountant in North Yorkshire County Council’s waste management team into running his own business was quite a risk, the going has been good since the business launched in November.

So good in fact, that the business hopes its successes will be recognised as New Business and Growth Business Of The Year at The Press Business Awards 2012.

Two months after launching its first software tool, JetBet, which aims to speed up betting for users of betting marketplace Betfair, the business started making money. The software, available both free and in premium versions, has now been translated into 16 languages. The business has developed other tools for professionals and individuals and is also working with private customers to develop bespoke solutions, and is constantly working on new products, said Mr Ozbek. “When managed effectively on a concurrent basis the potential for the business is huge.”

He said the business responded to its growth by collaborating with its neighbouring businesses, taking on a university intern, had free mentoring advice from SCY and is now recruiting for a full time staff member.