The retail champs, sustainability stars and community heroes: The 2024 Smart50 Awards category shortlist announced

From July to September, SmartCompany accepted entries for the Smart50 Awards 2024, our long-running annual celebration of the fastest-growing Australian SMEs.

Since 2007, these awards have delivered national recognition to the fastest-growing businesses across Australia. Previous Smart50 winners include some of the most successful and inspiring Australian businesses of the century, including Adore Beauty, Atlassian, July, Mr Yum and Vinomofo: just by being shortlisted this year’s impressive set of nominees are in illustrious company.

Along with the Smart50 list, which will be revealed on November 14, the Awards include special Category Awards, which recognise the other ways SMEs are performing, contributing to their communities, finding success and driving innovation.

In the coming weeks, our guest judges will gather to assess the shortlisted entries and choose the final winners, which will also be announced at our award ceremony in Melbourne on November 14: you can buy tickets for that here.

These special category awards feature businesses led by 15 women founders or co-founders, and eight founders or co-founders from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds.

The shortlisted candidates for 2024 are:

Community Hero Award

Sponsored by Optus Business

• CreditReboot
  
• First Nations Foundation
• Kimberlin Education
• RESINC Solar
• Tank Stream Labs
• The Laundry Lady

The judges for the Smart50 Community Hero Award are:

• Adriarna Nunn, head of people and culture at Cobild
• Alexandra Sloane, senior director of marketing, enterprise and business at Optus
• Ben Tyers, founder of The Local Rag
• Jemma Mrdak, director of Dak & Co

Innovator Award

Sponsored by Asana

• Carma
• Goterra
• Hampr
• Strong Pilates
• The Laundry Lady
• THDR Group

The judge for the Smart50 Innovator Award is Kristi Mansfield, co-founder and CEO of Seer Data & Analytics.

Retail Award

Sponsored by Lightspeed Commerce

• BrewSociety
• FELLR
• Goodbyes
• Move Active
• Paire
• Scrub Lab

The judges for the Smart50 Retail Award are:

• Pana Barbounis, CEO of Pana Organic
• Richard Li, co-founder and CEO of July
• Sarah Mullen, COO of Adore Beauty

Rising Star Award

• Acquisitive
• Aquame
• HumanX HR
• Kismet
• Paire
• Refilled

The judges for the Smart50 Rising Star Award are:

• The Hon Bruce Billson, Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman
• Christina Gerakiteys, CEO of UtopiaX

Marketing Award

• Move Active
• Paire
• The Laundry Lady
• Xugar
• Young Folks

The judges for the Smart50 Marketing Award are:

• Benjamin Cairns, director of Grid City
• Dr Marian Makkar, senior lecturer in marketing at RMIT University
• Mia Fileman, founder and marketing strategist at Campaign Del Mar
• Rachel Fang, global marketing director of Vudoo
• Tash Menon-Verheul, CEO and co-founder of Mash

People Power Award

• HumanX HR
• InvestorKit
• CJC Management
• SustainHealth Recruitment
• The Laundry Lady
• Young Folks 

The judge for the Smart50 People Power Award is Steve Grace, founder and CEO of The Nudge Group.

Resilience Award

• Bridgit
• CreditReboot
• FELLR
• Kimberlin Education
• InvestorKit

The judges for the Smart50 Resilience Award are:

• Mark Woodland, founder and CEO of Kismet Health
• Tahnee McWhirter, co-founder and partner at HumanX HR

Sustainability Award

• Coolzy
• Green.com.au
• Move Active
• Ticketebo

The judges for the Smart50 Sustainability Award are:

• Briony Kennedy, founder of Adorn Cosmetics
• Julie Mathers, CEO of Snuggle Hunny
• Michel Hogan, brand counsel
• Monique Samara, founder and director of PackQueen