High-growth founders to celebrate 2024 Brisbane Young Entrepreneur Awards

Every year there is a skew towards profitability for Queensland finalists in the initiative relative to their southern peers, which is perhaps reflective of their distance from the country's venture capital hubs with a greater sense of self-reliance.

However, this year the median profit for Brisbane finalists is a staggering 64 per cent higher than the previous record set in 2021.

It is a statistic that also belies a strong presence for pre-revenue and blitzscaling companies that need not be too preoccupied with the statutory bottom line as they invest in growth and capturing market share - a trait seen across a wide range of industries and business models.

Tonight, the river city's most accomplished and exciting young founders will gather at Howard Smith Wharves to revel in their achievements, share ideas, and be inspired by one another's experiences, as they receive recognition for their efforts to effect change and grow the economy. 

Finalists will also have a chance to unwind as they celebrate, with the event featuring a special appearance from up-and-coming local disco-dance band Dizzy Days. 

Combined, the finalists generated turnover of $483 million in FY24 and have created 1,336 full-time equivalent jobs, in areas ranging from advanced medical technology to recruitment, fintech to fitness studios, digital marketing to news media and classifieds, and so much more.

Many of the finalists have carefully carved specialist niches for themselves, from the founders of low-sugar, high-protein ice cream GYM BOD to digital hospitality software enabler Bopple, the experts of asphalt at roadbuilders MR Roads, or Plum Partners which helps real estate agents level up to grow their own thriving, independent businesses. 

There are participants that have taken part for many years and continue to excel, such as BOP Industries which fosters innovation and entrepreneurial abilities to school kids in Australia, Malaysia, Singapore and China, as well as new entrants like Yarn'n, founded just last year producing locally-made toilet paper with Indigenous artwork, donating 50 per cent of profits to the Yalari Foundation to support First Nations youth.

These are but a few of a fascinating group of young entrepreneurs who have worked hard to reach their goals and have ambitious horizons ahead.

The overall winner of the Brisbane Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award will become part of a legacy that includes serial tech entrepreneur Bevan Slattery, Good Price Pharmacy founders Anthony Yap and Hahn Luu, NOJA Power founder Quynh Anh Le, Go1 founders Andrew Barnes, Vu Tran, Chris Eigeland and Chris Hood, and Swyftx founders Angus Goldman and Alex Harper, among others.

Young Entrepreneur Awards founder Camilla Jansen says being selected as a finalist in the Brisbane Young Entrepreneur Awards is something to be very proud of, and connects all participants to a history of excellence from local ventures that have shaped the local and national economies, and in many cases have grown to international relevance. 

"As we have the honour to celebrate 20 years in operation at Business News Australia publishing public interest journalism and recognising excellence in entrepreneurship through these awards, we have witnessed the highs and lows in the journeys of so many incredible founders, and it's been a wild ride for us as well," says Jansen.

"If there's one thing I've learned, it's that you can't do it alone - that's not just on a business level but also a personal one. You need to surround yourself with a great network.

"That's one of our aims through these awards - to foster and normalise a community of business founders who can lean on each other for support, and also break down any psychological limitations that might be preventing entrepreneurs from realising their potential, that the sky is truly the limit."

Jansen expresses her gratitude to the event's corporate sponsors that help make the awards possible: Soda, MGI, University of Queensland (UQ) Ventures, Coraggio, EO Queensland, Brisbane City Council, SAI Security and iVvy.

"Our proud sponsors have thrown their hats in the ring to wholeheartedly back Brisbane founders, and support the important recognition and sense of community this initiative continues to bring," she says.

Aside from the two major awards of Young Entrepreneur of the Year and Trailblazer, the gala will span a range of sectors with 15 different award categories including:

• Digital Disruptor
• Finance
• Fitness
• Food, Beverage & Hospitality
• Health & Medicine
• Legal
• Manufacturing, Wholesale & Distribution
• Marketing
• PR, Media & Events
• Professional Services
• Property & Construction
• Retail & Services
• Specialist Services
• Startup
• Technology

Meet the 2023 Brisbane Young Entrepreneur Awards finalists (in alphabetical order)

Ellie Kim - Adore Dental

Christopher Ashford - All Purpose Coatings, Resi Art, Vanta X Group

Rob Joseph - Anti Ordinary

Isaac Alexander - Ape-X SEO and PPC Services

Lucinda Bayly Hickling - Bayly PR

Scott Millar - BOP Industries

Angus McLachlan & Tim Dart - Bopple

Sarina Eggers - Business Kitz, Legal Kitz

Paul Maric - CarExpert.com.au

Nicholas Chapman - Chapcon Design & Construct, Newstart Homes Australia

Dr Christopher Jeffery - Convergence Medical

Kim Allen & Chris Allen - CRA Construction

Morgan Wilson - creditte

Sarah Hall - Cymbal Agency

Jesse Hunter - Dreamdealer

Tristan Woollett & Jason Woollett - Elevate Estate Agents

Tim Whybourne & Ryan Loehr - Emanuel Whybourne & Loehr

Matthew Wall & Lia Wall - Emerald Developments, Mwall Construction, Emerald Properties

April Booij - FAME Events

Georgio Batsinilas - Fitaz, Grece

Darshan Chavan - Get My Course, Scale-X Solutions

Sam McNamara - Getahead

Taaj Kumar & Cristian Campo - GM Coffee

Cian Dawson & Courtney Brown - Gym Bod, Rocket Creations

Chris Baptista - Homes by CMA, No Limit Developments

Nathan Rice - iFab Steel

Daniel Wessels - Jacaranda Finance

Jason Le - JRNY Digital Australia

Amy Williams - Lash Prodigy

Courtney Lockett - Lockett McCullough Lawyers

Jesse Stowers - Lula Rum

Jasmine O'Reilly - LVL Up Consulting

Sachin Malhotra - Meptec Engineers

Timothy Phillip - MESC Engineering

Nic Blair & Matt Anderson - Midnight Health

Carene Carroll - Modern Mamas

Jae Martin & Bec Martin - Mondaze Burgers & Shakes, Mondaze Media

Thomas Fu & Thomas Mcpherson - Motor Culture Australia

James Mutton - Motorcycle Trading

Daniel Mikus & James Rolph - MR Roads

Emma O'Flynn & Mark O'Flynn - Oxlade Financial

Dylan Rowe & Mariam Rowe - PEMDx

Ignacio Ferrer Amat - Physiometrics

Jess Wagner - Plum Partners

Alastair Blenkin, Tom Newby, Nathan Dench, Jesse Dymond & Tim Rogers - ProcurePro

Rebekah Strachan - RBB Fitness Studio

Peter Dodeja - SAI Security Group, SAI Investments

Samira Patel - Social Studio

Anni Simkin - Studio Figura

Rebecca Petroff - Sunstate Conveyancing

Patty Roberts & Ro Taylor-Griffiths - The Tides Creative Production

Joshua Spurway & Myrrah Balasabas - Vision Made Co, Straight Up Energy

Tony Chan - Wagepay

Nicholas Hill & Lana Hill - Walker Hill

Jackson Gartner - White Peak Digital

Declan Kluver & Blake Thompson - Xrecruiter

Lane Stockton - Yarn'n