Jewelry: Gemvara

Jewelry is all about emotion, and sometimes the feeling is wistful. "People are forced to settle because they can't afford what they really want," says Matt Lauzon, 25, the founder and president of Gemvara. Started while Lauzon was a senior at Babson College and backed by just over $6 million in venture capital from Highland Capital Partners and Canaan Partners, the company helps shoppers create their own designs, with the gems and metals of their choice, then manufactures and ships the finished creations. Shoppers can also browse designs featured on the site, and if they purchase one, the designer gets a cut. "Our goal is to help up-and-coming designers become rock stars," Lauzon says.