Idea that's dead on the money

You have seen the ads for comparethemarket.com. Now prepare for the latest comparison website – comparethecoffin.com.

This new venture is a Jewish-Muslim partnership between Londoners Steven Mitchell and Akhmal Saleem.

The idea came to 45-year-old Mr Mitchell after he had created a bicycle for children – a business which got him onto the BBC's Dragons' Den. Although the Dragons didn't go for the idea, the bikes sold well. But Mr Mitchell yearned for a business which required no after-sales service or warranties – a product which could be sold and, er, buried.

So Mr Mitchell, from West Hampstead, north-west London, came up with the idea of a comparison website for funerals. "There are so many options – hearses, different coffin types and ceremonies – being Jewish I had never heard of any of this. The customer will use the website to choose a funeral plan and the only money we make is on the coffin."