Hutchinson Builders Award for Outstanding Social Enterprise
Winner: Leap in! Australia Ltd
Leap in! is Australia’s leading National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) plan manager, supporting thousands of Australians across the country. As a not-for-profit driven by purpose, Leap in! puts people first. It provides an NDIS plan management service that offers real connections and positive outcomes for its members.
The experienced crew of Leap in! deliver specialist advice, together with insights and strategies to help members navigate the NDIS and get the most out of their NDIS plans to live their best life. Its award-winning app offers lifetime NDIS planning, fast processing of invoices, real-time budget management and connections to supports and services.
Australia Pacific LNG Award for Business Innovation
Winner: Microba Life Sciences
Research demonstrating the importance of the gut microbiome in health and its role in disease is unequivocal. Recognising a need for accurate measurement of the microbiome, Microba Life Sciences was founded with the vision of using precision microbiome science to advance human health and develop transformative solutions for medical treatment.
Microba Life Sciences has launched a globally accessible, scalable platform technology to provide the sought-after capability for large companies and healthcare providers with major multinational partnerships across the US and Europe, with active engagements in 12 countries and services being delivered across five countries.
XERO Award for Outstanding Micro Business
Winner: Future Anything
Future Anything transforms young people’s creativity and curiosity into innovative ideas that make the world a better place. Its suite of educator-led programs support teachers and schools to lead authentic learning experiences that are not only curriculum-aligned, but also connect young people to life outside the school gates, equipping them with the skills, support and space they need to thrive in the “future of work”.
Future Anything creates entrepreneurial students, empowered educators, and future-ready schools. Together, they bend the future, one youth-led idea at a time.
CCIQ Award for Outstanding Small Business
Winner: Nourish'd Meal Co
Nourish’d began in 2014 with the dream of providing fresh and healthy meals to the Australian Market. In a meal delivery market now worth over 1 billion in Australia, Nourish’d has grown from strength to strength.
Not afraid of change or competition Nourish’d prides itself on their no BS approach. No preservatives, No Gluten and lots of dietary options. Nourish’d allows you to live life to the max without compromising your time or health. Pre packaged fresh meals delivered to your door weekly. Proudly available also via subsidy within the NDIS and Aged Care space.
Constantly innovating the Nourish’d Group is in the process of expanding their brands offerings to meet the demand from their passionate customer base. With the health and wellness space constantly growing Nourish’d is grateful they get the opportunity to continue to expand and provide their loyal customers with their lifetime food and wellness needs.
Port of Brisbane Award for Young Business Person of the Year
Winner: Alex Harper – Swyftx
Alex Harper is the co-founder of Swyftx, a Brisbane-based digital assets exchange that supports retail and business customers to securely buy and sell cryptocurrencies.
Since launching the business in 2018, Alex has led its development, strategy and international expansion. Scaling Swyftx to become Australia’s second-largest digital assets exchange by trading volume. It is today the country’s most trusted exchange, with around 370,000 customers across the Australia/New Zealand region.
Prior to Swyftx, Alex founded Neotill, a credit card processing platform, and My Computer Support. In 2021, he was named one of Australia’s 30 under 30: Brightest Young Minds.
HSBC Award for Excellence in International Business
Winner: Emesent Pty Ltd
Emesent is a world leader in drone autonomy, LiDAR mapping and data analytics. Since its inception in 2018, Emesent has built a reputation for advanced autonomy and high-quality data capture in the mining, infrastructure, construction and survey industries. Its flagship product, Hovermap, is a smart mobile scanning unit that can be mounted to a drone, backpack or vehicle to capture data in challenging, GPS-denied environments. Hovermap is currently used in over 33 countries. Over the past two-and-a-half years, Emesent staff numbers have grown from seven to over 100, and its distribution network has expanded to 30 resellers around the world.
Urban Utilities Award for Environmental Sustainability in Business
Winner: Helios Brewing
Helios Brewing is a micro-brewery designed from the ground up to push the boundaries of how sustainably beer can be produced.
By harnessing the Queensland sun, Helios is a net exporter of power, heats the brewing water to near boiling without power or gas, and also cools the beer using the sun. Innovative engineering and other techniques have led to Helios using one-third the water and one-tenth the power and gas as similar-sized operations.
To maximize the potential sustainability, the engineering, techniques, methodologies are being shared openly with the industry.
…and they brew some of the best beer around.
ANZ Award for High-Growth Business
Winner: Swyftx Pty Ltd
Swyftx is an Australian cryptocurrency exchange that helps experienced and inexperienced traders to securely trade digital assets like Bitcoin. The Milton-based business has grown quickly since its 2018 launch. With over 360,000 individual and business customers across Australia and New Zealand, it is the country’s second-largest exchange by trade volume.
Swyftx’s primary point of difference is that it brings a Queensland customer service standard to an industry overwhelmingly associated with de-personalised, automated customer service. Swyftx also offers customers access to a wide range of assets, as well as large liquidity pools for better pricing, lower fees, and reduced spreads.
Accenture Australia Award for Product Innovation
Winner: Ellume Limited
Ellume's COVID-19 Home Test is an over-the-counter, rapid self-test that detects SARS-CoV-2 antigen and provides results in 15 minutes. The test is available for home use in the US without the need for a prescription and is suitable for ages two years and above. The Ellume COVID-19 Home Test is one of the only rapid home antigen tests clinically proven for use for people with and without symptoms. The test was designed and extensively tested for personal use, with an accompanying app to guide users through the test with step-by-step instructions. The Ellume COVID-19 Home Test provides fast, convenient and reliable results.
ISPT Award for Investment in Brisbane and Optus Enterprise Platinum Award
Winner: Watkins Steel
Since 2015, Watkins Steel has invested $6 million in robotic and extended reality technologies to automate its manufacturing for steel processing, fabrication, and installation.
Its investment in digital transformation has delivered exceptional results to its clients and has allowed competitive prices on steel that were only available from overseas markets.
Watkins Steel R&D Innovation Centre supports tertiary and vocation (VET) providers through its Work Integrated Learning Program. The program gives Australian students their first working experience in civil engineering and mechatronics.
Watkins Steel’s ongoing investment in capital assets, technology, education, and research and development contributes to the ongoing economic growth and transformation of Brisbane.
The Courier-Mail Award for Business Person of the Year
Winner: Phillip Di Bella – The Coffee Commune
An entrepreneur, philanthropist and family man, Phillip Di Bella is passionate about people, education and opportunity. His personal mantra is “life is measured in moments” and he is driven to be better tomorrow than today.
Phillip began his career pulling espressos at Brisbane’s first local roastery. From this environment and studies in commerce, Phillip founded and then sold his own coffee company, Di Bella Coffee, which became Australia’s largest speciality coffee company, earning him a reputation for being dedicated to exceed his customer expectations. Phillip is now globally regarded as a leading entrepreneur and thought leader in the coffee industry.
He is an Adjunct Professor at Griffith University and at the age of 35 was one of the world’s youngest people to receive an Italian knighthood.
Phillip is now focused on supporting the growth and development of other businesses through the establishment of The Coffee Commune, where the hospitality community come together to collaborate.
Phillip is driven by the desire to be the best he can be, and through his coaching, mentoring, and community work, aims to help others accelerate their potential.
