61. James Carney (33), Alec Carney (33) and Paul Carney (37)

Gemelli Group

Gold Coast

The hearty, bold and generous flavours of the Gemelli Group’s venues have made the company a household name on the Gold Coast and a culinary destination on Brisbane’s James Street in Fortitude Valley.

Hailing from the NSW town of Griffith, the Carney brothers – Gemelli means ‘twins’ in Italian – found opportunity in Queensland with their group now in business for more than 10 years.

The group’s four restaurants - Gemelli Broadbeach, Gemellini by Gemelli at Nobby's, Roy's by Gemelli in Sorrento, and Gemelli James Street – are known for rooms being filled to the brim with smiling, laughing faces, in an environment where the founders want everyone to feel welcome.

The founders branched out just before Christmas last year as well with the opening of Gelato Gemelli.

“We’ve been a part of the Nobby’s Beach dining scene for well over half a decade now with Gemellini’s and we cannot wait to showcase authentic Italian Gelati right at the very heart of one of the city’s most vibrant dining precincts,” Alec Carney said before the opening.

“Everything that we value as a family around lifestyle, food and family is represented by Gelato Gemelli and we cannot wait to serve our handmade creations using only the freshest quality ingredients to customer across the Christmas and New Year period and over the summer.”

62. Mike Kellett (34)

Macro Mike

Gold Coast

The origins of health food success story Macro Mike began with Mike Kellett’s background as a personal trainer and body builder, understanding the importance of protein but struggling to find convenient protein snacks that were delicious, gluten-free and dairy-free.

After experimenting with recipes himself including peanuts and almonds, Kellett decided to take the idea to the masses with a social media post of his trial mixes going viral.

Realising the potential, he launched Macro Mike from modest origins manufacturing in a “glorified cement mixer” at his apartment in Surfers Paradise, which set in place the firm foundations of a brand that has taken the nation by storm.

Nationwide expansion hasn’t only come via major retailers, health food stores and distributors, but also through the group’s in-house e-commerce operation that represents the majority of sales, bolstered by a new facility opened in early 2023 that can produce more than 10,000kg per week.

“Our products delight a diverse audience, from parents feeding their kids healthy treats to bodybuilders bulking up and everyone in between we’ve quite literally become the health food supplement brand for everyone,” Kellett says.

“We've also supported individuals overcoming eating disorders and those on liquid diets post-surgery. Our mission challenges misconceptions about plant-based products' taste and macro-friendliness, contributing to positive industry growth.”

The company reported double-digit and even triple-digit year-on-year growth each month for the second half of calendar 2024, and the company has been tracking at a 200 per cent increase in profit in the first months of 2025.

Sales in the latter half of the year were also lifted by the success of a collaboration with Golden Gaytime to utilise the iconic ice cream classic’s branding and flavour in a Macro Mike protein powder range – a deal that had been four years in the making.

“We knew it was going to go well, but to give you context, we did our production run of what we thought would be a month's worth of stock for the initial launch,” he says.

“Within three days, we’d already sold out the whole month’s worth of stock we’d produced, and then we had to make another three months' worth of stock. We ran back-to-back batches.”

Related story: Four years in the making: Golden Gaytime protein partnership exceeds expectations for Macro Mike

63. Aaron Bassin (32)

Bridgit

Sydney

Having experienced the difficulties of obtaining property finance at a young age, Aaron Bassin co-founded Bridgit in 2021 with Nick Jacobs in a bid to "revolutionise" the bridging loan market.

Drawing on extensive fintech experience, including a key role in the ASX listing of MoneyMe (ASX: MME) and providing advisory services to the likes of Prospa and Zip Co’s (ASX: ZIP) predecessor Zipmoney, Bassin set about developing innovative technology from the ground up.

“I knew there had to be a better way for Australians to purchase their dream home, and began designing solutions to fix the overly complicated and largely manual processes used by traditional lenders,” he explains.

“Buying now, selling later gives homeowners a way to jump on property opportunities without getting caught in the sell-buy limbo.

“We set out to help homeowners take their desired next steps, without the inconvenience of selling first, by ultimately unlocking the equity tied up in their current home.”

He says Bridgit was the first non-bank lender to offer same-day approvals for bridging loans, which is made possible by its custom-built technology.

“We don’t assess loan applications with spreadsheets and paperwork. Instead, we’ve designed a first-of-its-kind bridging solution that harnesses tech to deliver smoother online applications, faster approvals and speedy settlements for customers,” he says.

“We’ve designed dynamic, tailored application flows that only ask relevant questions to get customers moving sooner.”

Already growing quickly, Bridgit’s capacity was bolstered by a $14.6 million Series A completed in mid-2024, combined with a new $125 million debt facility that effectively unlocked another $500 million in annual residential property finance.

Related story: Sydney startup Bridgit raises $14.6m Series A for bridging loan tech

64. Sanjay Sundarjee (37)

Damican

Sydney

Damican co-founder Sanjay Sundarjee has built a thriving distribution business focused on growing fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) brands in the Pacific and Caribbean islands, making a significant impact since the company was founded in 2022.

Having previously worked for another consumer brands company, Sundarjee understood how major international brands would often market to these regions without a tailored, localised approach.

“My goal was to prioritise marketing and build a portfolio of strong, unique brands, filling a gap I felt was being overlooked,” he says.

“At Damican, we address the need for strong FMCG brand development in the Pacific and Caribbean Islands. Many markets in these regions lack well-established local or international brands, so we focus on building brands that stand out."

Damican offers a comprehensive approach to distribution, including brand awareness campaigns, in-store displays, and sales promotions, ensuring our brands become leaders in their categories.

“Our clients are supermarket chains, wholesalers, and retailers, but we also create demand from their customers by investing in marketing that resonates with consumers,” he says.

The Pacific islands were a natural starting point for Sundarjee, whose family hails from Fiji, but in FY24 he capitalised on the parallels he saw in Caribbean markets, launching into the Bahamas and Saint Vincent & the Grenadines, as well as further Pacific expansion into Guam.

The company has its sights set on further expansion in the Caribbean with plans to enter the Trinidad & Tobago, Jamaica and Barbados markets.

65. Stephen Cornish (37)

Pentanet

Perth

Fixed wireless telecommunications entrepreneur Stephen Cornish continues to disrupt a concentrated market with almost 18,000 people now subscribed to the services of Pentanet (ASX: 5GG), which after a long haul became EBITDA positive recently.

Cornish sold his house to fund Pentanet in 2017 with plans to make the internet faster and more affordable for gamers like himself.

Four years later with early infrastructure built up, partner agreements secured and an early subscriber base, Pentanet listed on the ASX in 2021.

In addition to its fixed wireless technology being delivered to the roofs of homes and businesses, in tandem the company made a breakthrough with global technology behemoth NVIDIA to roll out its cloud gaming technology in Australia.

Known initially as GeForce NOW (GFN), the technology removes the need for expensive gaming hardware and allows gamers to play supported titles in the cloud.

In FY24 the service was rebranded as GeForceNOW Powered by CloudGG, and Pentanet was able to expand its audience through a wholesale partnership with Optus. Its CloudGG membership now exceeds 589,000 users.

Pentanet’s strategy as a telco initially eschewed 5G, but recently it has been growing its presence in the space with expansion of its 5G fixed wireless network, successfully upgrading 10 towers.

In the December quarter its 5G subscriber numbers grew 17 per cent quarter-on-quarter to reach 709 in total.

“Our commitment this year to double our 5G coverage is on schedule and will bolster our ultrafast bandwidth capabilities and set the stage for sustainable competitive growth and profitability for our telco division,” Cornish said when presenting the results in January.

“As we continue to build and expand our 5G capacity, we've simultaneously increased optimisation of our NVIDIA Cloud division, showing our ability to increase monetisation of our CloudGG platform in stages effectively.

“This achievement is built on the foundation of scaling up from our freemium service strategy, and we're now positioned to leverage our increased capacity to deliver even greater value to our customers and further growth for stakeholders.”

66. Ravi Sharma (32)

Search Property

Sydney

After building a reputation amongst family and friends for helping them with financial advice, during the pandemic Ravi Sharma decided to launch what has now become Australia’s leading real estate YouTube channel bringing education about property investing to the masses.

“At that point I had built a sizeable portfolio and realised that I wanted to share whatever knowledge I had,” says Sharma, who purchased his first property at 21 and whose strategy has focused on making investments in regional areas or interstate.

“Seeing as we were at home anyway, I could create some content and see what happens.”

His YouTube channel gained traction with young property investors and at the time of writing has 7.6 million views.

In tandem, Sharma was building his buyer’s agency Search Property and his social media presence was driving customers to the service.

The property entrepreneur has also developed a trusted network of seller’s agents, property managers, and building and pest inspectors, which helps to reinforce the offering he can provide to clients on the asset supply side.

Search Property has gone from having just five staff members in August 2023 to 50-plus team members today, building capacity for an expected acceleration of activity based on investments in training and systems.

This rapid growth meant the company needed to move offices twice last year as it outgrew its spaces.

“Our philosophy behind growing the company so fast has been led by our client-centric approach and understanding what people are truly struggling with,” Sharma says.

“Rather than just trying to grow the business, we've focused on deeper relationships with clients and agents which has led us to grow sustainably as we enjoy the journey.

“As a leader, I've got more video content online than anyone in the industry which has helped build credibility and a deeper relationship with my community.”

67. Emma Spiliopoulos (30), Lauren Rugolo (29) and Jessica Arthur (29)

Lash Therapy Australia

Melbourne

During Melbourne’s COVID lockdowns in 2020 as beauty salons closed down, three best friends identified a gap for eyelash growth products and Lash Therapy Australia was born.

The trio were all working in different industries at the time – Rugolo in real estate, Spiliopoulos as a fashion blogger, and Arthur as a primary school relief teacher. But they all shared the desire to start a business, and knew they had found the right idea at the right time.

“At the beginning of our business, we leveraged only organic content to build our brand. Through consistency with posting we were able to obtain multiple viral videos which began our online following,” Rugolo explains.

“As the business grew, we began partnering with influencers - both macro and micro - which has assisted in driving traffic to our social media and building a cult following,” she says, adding the company’s base of influencer partners worldwide have become brand ambassadors.

The business has grown exponentially over the last few years with its products shipped to 140 countries worldwide, as well as deals with bricks-and-mortar stockists all over Australia including Costco.

“Throughout our lives we faced the common struggle of ineffective, overpriced, harsh chemically enhanced beauty products,” says Arthur.

“We set out to create a range of products that we were assured would provide results without any risk of irritation or damage to our health.”

To galvanise future growth the company purchased a warehouse, and as a sign of in 2024 Lash Therapy Australia’s Black Friday sales were up 50 per cent.

68. Nick Hill (39) and Lana Hill (35)

Walker Hill

Brisbane

Initially founded by accountants Nick Hill and Andrew Walker, multi-disciplinary professional services firm Walker Hill sits on a prominent thoroughfare in Brisbane’s inner-north near Caxton Street and has been helping clients add value to their businesses for almost 15 years.

Prior to starting the company, Hill was a personal trainer before switching careers to accounting but while working in the field he felt constrained by client relationships that were generally confined to tax-related matters rather than business performance.

Unsatisfied by the limited impact he could offer a client he only saw once a year, the Walker Hill group was born.

The business started with the accounting division but the end goal was to have several offerings, which now also include bookkeeping, digital marketing, business advisory across finance and marketing, and personal and business finance.

To make this diversification happen, further key figures were given co-founder status including Lana Hill, James Walker and Ryan Carter.

“Not every client utilises multiple or all divisions of Walker Hill Group, but those who take advantage of this unique opportunity find they are more efficient with their time and make wiser business and personal decisions,” Nick Hill explains.

“This is thanks to having business advisors in different domains who not only communicate regularly, but also holistically understand the business's circumstances and goals.”

69. Tiarne Bova (34) and Daniel Bova (34)

The Yard Gym

Sydney

Fitness entrepreneurs Tiarne and Daniel Bova had the misfortune of signing a lease for their first Cronulla studio just two weeks before the first COVID-19 lockdown in 2020, but in the space of a few years they’ve managed to carve out a fast-growing chain that blends top-tier training with a space for connection.

“Our facilities offer cutting-edge equipment, expert coaching and a strong sense of community, catering to individuals who prioritise both physical fitness and a holistic, elite lifestyle,” says Daniel Bova.

“We serve fitness enthusiasts, athletes, and anyone seeking more than just a place to work out – a place to connect, grow and achieve their best selves.”

The husband-and-wife duo managed to make the business work in its early days amidst lockdowns with one-on-one personal training (PT) sessions outside the studio and making an at-home movement series on social media, a move that helped them garner traction.

Within a couple of years they took the plunge into franchising and today they have more than 90 sites nationwide, as well as 60 locations sold globally including thriving franchises in California.

In November the company also announced that F45 co-founder Rob Deutsch had partnered with the company to assist in its rapid expansion.

Related story: F45 co-founder Rob Deutsch backs Sydney franchise The Yard Gym

70. Jonathan Byrt (39) and Jesse Leeworthy (38)

memobottle

Melbourne

What started as a Kickstarter project has turned into a global movement in sustainable design for Jonathan Byrt and Jesse Leeworthy.

The founders created memobottle to reduce single-use plastic waste while redefining the aesthetics of reusable products, with their flat, stylish water bottles, now sold in more than 100 countries, endorsed by Hollywood A-listers, and included in some of the world’s most prestigious events and awards from the 88th Academy Awards to the F1 Grand Prix.

“We had a vision to inspire a more sustainable society through innovative, everyday-conscious design. The result was a viral creation that propelled Memobottle into overnight success,” Byrt explains.

“Inspired by the flat items that live in our bags and pockets, our signature memobottles have changed the way that more than one million people carry water on the go.”

Very early on in the piece in 2016 memobottle became a partner of nonprofit water.org, donating five months’ worth of clean water to those in need from every bottle sold. By the end of August last year the company had donated the equivalent of 50 million days of clean water via this pledge.

“We’ve diverted over 300 million single-use bottles from landfills and provided over 50 million days of clean water to those in need through Water.org. We are also a certified B Corporation, committed to meeting the highest social and environmental performance standards,” Byrt adds.

The company’s socially responsible business model has resonated with a global audience with 70 per cent of sales taking place outside of Australia, and the USA as its largest market.

“Now, with a ready-to-scale global supply and distribution network, and 300 per cent revenue growth over the past three years, we are perfectly positioned to expand out from our niche water bottle segment into other domains; establishing Memobottle as the go-to reusable lifestyle brand,” adds Leeworthy.

“This will see us enter the mainstream water bottle market with our version of a cylindrical, insulated water bottle, with further areas of expansion including bag ranges, lunchboxes, coffee cups, and other reusable everyday items – creating an ecosystem of Memobottle products,” he says.

CLICK HERE TO GO TO THE NEXT PAGE

Click below for this year's top 100

1-10   |   11-20   |   21-30   |   31-40   |   41-50

51-60   |   61-70   |   71-80   |   81-90   |   91-100