Every startup is after one thing: growth. The finalists in this category have demonstrated the highest percentage revenue growth over the past four years.
Paws for Life
Pet supplies may not sound like a rich opportunity for startups at first, but when you consider the prevalence of pets and how much their owners are willing to spend on them, it becomes a very attractive industry quickly.
For the Paws of Life cofounders Mike Frizell and James Edwards, it was too good an opportunity to miss, as they saw the millions of venture capital dollars being poured into similar online offerings in the US.
The company made over $5 million in revenue last year and is growing rapidly.
They spoke to StartupSmart about their $1.5 million raise and growth plans last year.
Off-Grid Energy Australia
Off-Grid Energy concentrates purely on off-grid energy solutions – devoting 100% of their time researching, developing and implementing systems and innovations that identify client needs, and give clear, honest advice on system development and are designed specifically for Australian conditions.
The majority of existing solar companies concentrate solely on the provision of solar systems connected to the national electricity grid with clients still requiring an electricity supplier (e.g. Origin, Powercor).
Off-Grid Energy uses cutting-edge AC-coupled technology, which increases flexibility and extends equipment life.
Wine Cru (Vinomofo)
After a couple of years trying to find the right business model to monetise their passion, wine deals site founders Andre Eikmeier, Justin Dry and Leigh Morgan have settled on a good one that brought in over $10 million in revenue last year.
Taking on the two biggest grocery sellers in the country, Vinomofo connects wine consumers to deals and a wider range of winemakers.
In the past six months, the user base has almost doubled, and their e-commerce rates have skyrocketed.
Eikmeier spoke to StartupSmart about the struggle to find the right business model and the risks they took to make it work in November last year.
Lighting Matters
Lighting Matters offer LED lighting in Melbourne and Sydney, with the promise of sourcing the best products at the lowest prices.
They believe LED has numerous benefits over other light forms and are dedicated to sharing these perks with homes and businesses around Australia.
Their aim is to provide accurate information to customer’s relevant to their needs – recognising that one lighting solution will not cater to everyone.
Macro Traffic Control
Macro Traffic Control provides a safety focused approach in providing traffic management and traffic control service based on their core values of safety and providing solutions to their customer needs.
Macro Traffic Control has made a conscious effort to providing an exceptional level of service and nurturing client relationships in order to succeed regionally. They have prospered in an competitive industry despite being regionally based and focused.
