The founders of Logan-based education provider Go1 have taken out the top gong at the 2021 Australian Young Entrepreneur Awards this weekend, beating out a strong contingent of the nation’s leading business talent.
At a gala dinner held at the Shereton Grand Mirage Resort on Saturday 18 December, Andrew Barnes, Vu Tran, Chris Eigeland and Chris Hood were named the 2021 Australian Young Entrepreneurs of the Year - the highest honour up for grabs in the initiative.
It comes after a year of major success for the four founders, who achieved unicorn status mid-year following a US$200 million (AUD$273 million) Series D round led by SoftBank.
Go1 operates an education marketplace, likened to Netflix but for courses, and is expanding rapidly in the US and Europe while increasing its user base 300 per cent in FY21.
The company formed part of one of the largest cohorts of Young Entrepreneurs ever. In total, all of the 2021 nominees from around the country generated a whopping $2.4 billion in revenue and employed more than 11,500 people.
The spotlight was also well and truly on Queensland this year, with the founders of Brisbane-based cryptocurrency exchange Swyftx winning the 2021 Australian Trailblazer of the Year Award, recognising the company’s significant potential for massive growth.
Founded in 2018 by Alex Harper and Angus Goldman in a Brisbane share house, the platform saw its user base grow from 50,000 at the beginning of the year to more than 350,000 now - and expanded into New Zealand too.
The national Awards ceremony also welcomed top entrepreneurs from around the country, including those living outside of major business hubs like Davie Fogarty - the inventor of the Oodie - of Davie Group from Adelaide, who won the 2021 Australian Retail & Services Award.
Other winners from outside major eastern seaboard capital cities included Wollongong-based Virtual IT Group founded by Christian Pacheco who won the Technology Award, and Byron Bay’s Smart Energy founded by Elliot Hayes and Beau Savage, who nabbed two awards on the night: Specialist Services and Sustainability & Social Responsibility.
For Young Entrepreneur Awards founder Camilla Jansen, the weekend’s ceremony represented a chance for the talented finalists to celebrate their myriad successes achieved in spite of the hurdles presented over the past two years.
“After scouring the nation to find the best young business minds, the finalists in the Australian Young Entrepreneur Awards can take pride in knowing they are the cream of the crop,” said Jansen, who is also the founder of Business News Australia.
“The talent on display last night was nothing short of inspirational. As we head into 2022, these young entrepreneurs are stronger than ever before.
“I’d also like to thank our corporate sponsors, without whom the event would not have been possible. Thank you to City of Gold Coast, Instyle Solar, Yellow Panda and iVvy.”
The winners at the 2021 Australian Young Entrepreneur Awards were:
- Young Entrepreneur of the Year: Andrew Barnes, Vu Tran, Chris Eigeland and Chris Hood - Go1
- Trailblazer: Alex Harper and Angus Goldman - Swyftx
- Arts & Culture: Nicholas Greco, Filippo Palermo, Thomas Caw, Michael Christidis and Christian Serrao – Untitled Group
- Digital Disruptor: Brad Moran – CitrusAd
- Fashion & Design: Nathaniel Anthony and Chris Anastasi – Muscle Nation
- Finance: Angus Goldman and Alex Harper – Swyftx
- Fitness: Justin Ashley and Serra Burmin – Fitness Playground and Fitness Playground Academy
- Food & Beverage: Izhar Basha – EHPLabs
- Health & Medicine: Dr Reuben Sim and Dr May Chan – Dental Boutique
- Hospitality & Tourism: Tim Johnson – Corbett & Claude, Comuna Cantina, Tetto Rooftop Bar and Mr Claude
- Legal Services: Andrew Antonopoulos – ABA Legal Group, ABA Bioscience Consulting, Synnch
- Manufacturing, Wholesale & Distribution: Anson Zhang and Jeff Yu – One Stop Warehouse and Discover Energy
- Marketing: Ben Bradshaw and Shannah Bradshaw – Disrupt Digital, SponsoredLinx, Get More Traffic, Search Marketing Experts, Disrupt Music Group, Deep Future, Emergency Medical Supplies
- PR, Media & Events: Thomas Fu and Tom McPherson – Motor Culture Australia
- Professional Services: Andrew Barnes, Vu Tran, Chris Eigeland, Chris Hood – Go1
- Property & Construction: Chris Baptista – HOMES by CMA, CMA Developments and CMA Capital
- Retail & Services: Davie Fogarty – Davie Group
- Specialist Services: Elliot Hayes and Beau Savage – Smart Energy
- Startup: Jarrad Bell, Michael Sebire and Jeremy Davidson – Mr Consistent
- Sustainability & Social Responsibility: Elliot Hayes and Beau Savage – Smart Energy
- Technology: Christian Pacheco – Virtual IT Group
All the finalists in the 2021 Australian Young Entrepreneur Awards (alphabetical by company name):
- Timothy West - 12RND Fitness & UBX Training
- Hayden McEvoy - A Team Tuition Pty Ltd
- Andrew Antonopoulos - ABA Legal Group, ABA Bioscience Consulting, and Synnch Pty Ltd
- Alex Bottomley and Marcus Kellett - Ampersand Projects
- Ammar Issa - AMR Hair & Beauty, Fanola AU, Hey Stacey, Beauty Systems Group, Fanola UK, AMR UK, Inebrya AU, Roaman Smile, Heir Watches
- Ross Anderson - Aviassist Pty Ltd, Aviassist Research and Development Pty Ltd, Aviassist Legal Pty Ltd
- Samuel Wood - Azura Fashion Group, Azura Runway, Azura Exchange, Azura Collection, Azura Fit, Azura Consulting and Azura Chic
- Carly Fradgley - Baby Give Back Ltd
- Bianca Roccisano and Bridgett Roccisano - Bianca and Bridgett
- Jason Hood – BourkeHood, BourkeHood Ventures, Kapvista, Kapvista Ventures, BourkeHood Capital and RobustClaims
- Rael Ross - Butn Ltd
- Nathan Hood and Jamie Davison - Carbon Group
- Brad Moran - CitrusAd
- John Tabari and Iain Wang - ClassBento
- Tim Johnson - Corbett & Claude, Comuna Cantina, Tetto Rooftop Bar and Mr Claude
- Davie Fogarty - Davie Group
- Genevieve Day - Day Management and Next of Kin Management
- Reuben Sim and May Chan - Dental Boutique
- Ben Bradshaw and Shannah Bradshaw - Disrupt Digital Pty Ltd, SponsoredLinx, Get More Traffic, Search Marketing Experts, Disrupt Music Group, Deep Future and Emergency Medical Supplies
- Kristie Baird - Drip IV Australia and Mode Medical
- Izhar Basha - EHPlabs
- Emilly Hankin - Emilly Hadrill Hair Pty Ltd
- Aamir Qutub - Enterprise Monkey Pty Ltd and Mentor Monkey
- Andrew El-Bayeh and Rebecca Gibbs – Example and Example House
- Chris Jeffery - Field Orthopaedics
- Justin Ashley and Serra Burmin - Fitness Playground and Fitness Playground Academy
- Jon Hollenberg - Five by Five Web Design
- Dale Brett and Rani Adam - FL0
- Simon Costello - FrankieOne
- James Gilmour - Gilmour Space
- Andrew Barnes, Vu Tran, Chris Eigeland and Chris Hood - Go1
- Julia Kay and Jordan Kay - Great Wrap
- Julian Pace and Peter De Lang - Happiness Co
- Brett Saunders – Hiflow, S6 Capital Group, Surgical Biofix, Saunders Development Group and Savy Commercial
- Kane Sajdak - HomeGuardian.ai
- Chris Baptista - HOMES by CMA, CMA Developments and CMA Capital
- Tom House - House Business Group and House Capital Pty Ltd
- Michael Huxley - Huxley Group and MCH CAPITAL
- Robert Tadros – Impressive, King Content and eComlab
- Mathew Stillone - Integrity Food Co, Botanika Blends, Protein Supplies Australia and Flexible Foods
- Jack Petersen - InVista Group Australia and InVista Audio Visual
- James Greig – iVvy, Wildflower Gin and Bloomtools
- Harry Karefilakis - Kare Group Australia, Ethos Electrical Services and All Steel Designs
- Aaron Smith - KX Pilates
- Earl Kellie and Tim Wilson - La Haute and Prestige Social
- Tim Dawson - Lauxes Grates, Lauxes Products and Lauxes International
- Courtney Lockett - Lockett McCullough Lawyers
- Daniel Pearson - Longford Legal, The Family Lawyer, Easy Migration Australia, PingCo, TVSA Pilot Training, Soda & Lime Media, Shuttle Digital, 20v, iCOM, Leading Edge Aviation, FlyTech Solutions, The Incubator Hub, Just the Right Balance, HR Solutions, Dandy Aircraft Hire, TVSA Maintenace, Brooks Landing and Hello Teams
- Jason Daniel - LSKD Pty Ltd
- Hannah Spilva & Verity Tuck - LVLY
- Braden Voigt - Lynkz Pty Ltd and PolyVision
- Jared Ooi - Maco Electrics
- Mike Kellett - Macro Mike, Macro Manufacturing and Macro Gym
- Abdul Razak and Samira Razak - Maple Community Services
- Thomas Fu and Tom Mcpherson - Motor Culture Australia
- Jeremy Davidson, Jarrad Bell and Michael Sebire - Mr Consistent
- Tyson Hoffmann and Jess Davis - Mr Potato
- Nathaniel Anthony and Chris Anastasi - Muscle Nation
- Fergus Creese - My Careers and Go Girls Foundation
- Anson Zhang and Jeff Yu - One Stop Warehouse and Discover Energy
- David McGiveron and Bianca Tarrant - Our Cow Pty Ltd
- Julius Hinchliffe and Dinh Hoang - Passio Interiors and J&C Retail Group Pty Ltd
- Luke Whelan and Blake Kelleway - Perth Is OK
- Jonathan Moody - Physio Inq
- Hinney Lo - PixelForce
- Omar De Guise - Platinum Health Supply Group
- Brittany Garbutt - Pretzel Australia, Voodoo Cafe, Voodoo Priestess and Chubby Boy
- Cian Brennan - Quantum Contract Solutions and Quantum Legal Solutions
- Mick Fielding and Cody Webster - RAIDER Targetry
- Leopold Lucas and Hunter Jay - Ripe Robotics, Brainwave and Chatabl
- Bao Hoang, Ray Esquieres and Tin Ly - Roll'd Vietnamese
- Nathan Rust - Safetyline Jalousie
- Rob Hango-Zada and William On - Shippit
- Kris Simmons and Simon Livingstone - Simmons Livingstone & Associates
- Elliot Hayes and Beau Savage - Smart Energy
- Matej Varhalik - SpeedFit
- Alex Solo and Tomoyuki Hachigo - Sprintlaw
- Mark Deacon - Superdraft
- Angus Goldman and Alex Harper - Swyftx Pty Ltd
- Tammy Hembrow - Tammy Fit and Saski Collection
- Dayna Cooper - The Jefferson Restaurant Group, Orzo, Social Eating House and Bar and Gypsy Social
- Trevor Keen - Trevor Keen Health Services
- Jacob Ritchie - Two Birds Social, Poly Studios and North Productions
- Nicholas Greco, Filippo Palermo, Thomas Caw, Michael Christidis and Christian Serrao - Untitled Group
- Jackson Meyer - Verus Global and Fickle Technologies
- Aden Levin and James Farrell - Viral Ventures and Hidden
- Christian Pacheco - Virtual IT Group
- James O'Neill and Alberto Capponi - WildJar
- Carlos Ferri - Zapala Company, Shipeezi, Maple Bear Australia and Studio7
- Mina Nada and Michael Johnson - Zoomo
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