All the winners from the 2014 StartupSmart awards – StartupSmart
The fourth annual StartupSmart awards have again uncovered a diverse and creative entrepreneurial spirit alive and well in the Australian startup community.
The judges remarked it was tough just getting the entrants down to five finalists, never mind selecting the winners of categories.
This year also saw the addition of a People’s Choice Award with over 7000 votes recorded by our enthusiastic community.
The awards ceremony was held on Wednesday night, culminating in a celebration of all the hard work so many have invested in their startups.
StartupSmart would like to congratulate all the winners.
The winners for each category are listed below:
Best NEW Start-up: Pocketbook
This personal finances management app has been growing rapidly, accruing its first 50,000 users without spending a cent.
Pocketbook combines a variety of financial information such as bank statements, bills and receipts in one easy to follow forum.
Co-founded by Bosco Tan and Alvin Singh, the app has been making waves online with their own Whirlpool thread and across the media. The app brought in just over $50,000 in revenue in 2013.
Pocketbook recently raised $50,000 and shared their growth plans with StartupSmart.
A full list of finalists in this category can be found here.
Best Start-up Idea: CareMonkey
CareMonkey is a software for schools, clubs and businesses that enables these groups to access parent-controlled emergency and medical forms.
From permission slips to serious medical information, the app is designed to ensure carers have access to the information they need to make the right decision for kids.
The app was part of a Startup Leadership Program and has rolled out into 21 schools in 2013.
Launched by Troy Westley and Martin Howell, they’ve been building their sales team and are looking to expand into the UK and US later this year.
A full list of finalists in this category can be found here.
Best Disruptor: Health.com.au
The simple name may belie how significant an impact this online-only health insurance offering could cause in the competitive but slow-moving health insurance industry.
After struggling to understand their own health policies, co-founders Andy Sheat, Chloe Quin and Alex Geers decided there had to be a better way to do insurance and decided to find out.
Health.com.au is two years old and makes over $58 million in annualised revenue.
Sheats spoke to StartupSmart about becoming the first new health insurer in 30 years in August last year.
A full list of finalists in this category can be found here.
Start-up Hero: BENT OVER Silicone Nozzles
The idea for this nifty flexible plumbing tool was born after founder Alex John landed badly on his back while using a self-constructed home waterslide, dislodging a fragment of his spinal cord that could have turned him into a quadriplegic.
While watching a demonstration of what happened to his spine in hospital, John had a lightbulb moment about a problem he kept facing in his plumbing business with silicone and sealant application.
He patented the BENT OVER Silicone Nozzles technology and has been busy selling it ever since to the building and construction.
A full list of finalists in this category can be found here.
Best Regional Start-up: She’s Empowered
Before She’s Empowered launched, pregnant women working the construction, resources and transport industry struggled to find safe, high-vis gear that they could fit into and often had to resort to wearing male clothing with dangerous long or large sleeves.
Based in regional Queensland, founder Kym Clark created a range of appropriate maternity wear for the growing number of women employed in these industries.
Clark has sold over 300 shirts already and says she’s just getting started.
A full list of finalists in this category can be found here.
Best Social Change Entrepreneur: TalkLife
Launched by Jamie Druitt, TalkLife is a mobile phone app and social network for important conversations about mental health using social networking.
Designed to reach out to the thousands who struggle to get the support they need, they offer a helpline via smartphone technology for those considering self-harm, so the barrier to getting help is lowered.
A full list of finalists in this category can be found here.
People’s Choice: Simply Raw
Simply Raw was established in October 2011, offering a range of organic, raw super food products, handmade in a home kitchen at Bondi Beach, Sydney. Simply Raw started selling its products at local Sydney food markets in early 2012.
Simply Raw then introduced a range of Raw Superfood bars to the Sydney retail market, with a handful of stockists in Melbourne and Adelaide. Four of the most popular Raw Superfood bars were launched on to the national market in March 2013.
Fastest Growing Start-up: 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 Paws for 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 are growing rapidly.
They spoke to StartupSmart about their $1.5 million raise and growth plans last year.
A full list of finalists in this category can be found here.
Best Startup: 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.
In the past six months, the user base has almost doubled, and their ecommerce rates already have.
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.
We’ll be profiling all the winners in a series running over the next few weeks.