“Very proud”: Small businesses light up the Australian Export Awards shortlist

Small businesses dominate the list of finalists in the 62nd Australian Export Awards, illuminating the opportunities available to innovative local firms.

The awards, presented by Austrade, celebrate the contributions of exporting businesses and the example they serve to fellow enterprises.

All 88 finalists were revealed on Tuesday, spanning fields as diverse as agriculture, regional export, e-commerce, and professional services.

Over half of those nominees classify as small businesses with a yearly turnover below $10 million, wrote Minister for Trade and Tourism Don Farrell in a statement.

“Small businesses who export create opportunity in every corner of the country,” he continued.

“Whether they are based in capital cities or in regional towns, they share a common goal – to grow their business by tapping into new markets and expanding the reach of Australian goods and services.”

“Bolsters our external reputation”

Victorian technology firm Advatek Lighting is among the finalists, having earned a nomination in the creative industries category.

Advatek Lighting — which is larger and more well-established than some other finalists — produces pixel controllers, which serve a critical role in large-scale LED lighting projects.

Its products allow thousands of points of light to be controlled individually, helping to create dazzling installations.

Speaking to SmartCompany, co-founder and managing director Luke Taylor called the nomination “an honour and testament to the work of the team here”.

“It’s a great motivator internally and bolsters our external reputation.

“We are all very proud of the product and its impact in enabling mesmerizing experiences globally.”

High-profile projects using Advatek Lighting pixel controllers include a 2023 collaboration between American luxury retailer Saks and design house Christian Dior, which saw Saks’ flagship New York department store festooned in light.

Taylor is “quite proud” of the work, along with up-and-coming projects involving a number of leading global brands.

Those projects would be impossible if Advatek Lighting had solely focused on the domestic market, Taylor said.

It would be “impossible for the local market to sustain the level of investment that we have made in innovation for such a niche product,” he said.

“The vast majority of Advatek’s revenue comes from export markets, and that is what enables us to invest in the local R&D and manufacturing capability.”

Other businesses with niche products should consider export markets, he continued.

“Growing businesses, particularly those with an offering that is specialised, can access an incredibly large and diverse customer base by exporting their products or services,” he said.

“There are many large export regions that have similar cultures and economics where the barriers to entry are relatively lower.

“So, although there are many complexities and costs to exporting, there is also low-hanging fruit with some export markets that open up large potential customer bases.”

Small businesses category finalists

While Advatek is competing for the creative industries award, the separate small business category celebrates the contributions of other standout SMEs to the Australian export market.

Finalists in that category include:

• Clean & Pure, a WA-born brand focused on sustainable skincare,
• Folktale, an ACT-based SaaS helping enterprises collect community engagement data,
• Marine Air Flow International, from QLD, creating custom airflow solutions for maritime vessels,
• Philip Agri, an NT agriculture consultancy operating in regions like Afghanistan, the United Arab Emirates, the Netherlands, Turkey and Austria,
• PhotoSentinel, a Victorian firm dedicated to remote monitoring cameras, with partners in 55 countries,
• NSW-based Planet Lighting, providing sustainable lighting systems in fields like architecture, healthcare, and aquaculture,
• Tasman Sea Salt, exporting gourmet flaky salt to markets like Japan, the US, Singapore, New Zealand, Hong Kong,
• Wilco Technologies, from SA, which develops specialised mine drilling and blasting technology.

Winners will be announced in Canberra on November 20.

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