16. Superdraft

Revenue: $3.3 million
Growth: 176.1%
Founders: Jake Robinson, 33 and Mark Deacon, 27
Head Office: Varsity Lakes, QLD
Year founded: 2011
Employees: 17
Industry: Design and architecture
website: www.superdraft.com.au
Winner: Top Regional Business

Superdraft’s network of builders, designers, architects and surveyors helps solve real world problems for clients in the residential and construction space, disrupting a building sector that has remained largely unchanged for thousands of years.

Its cloud-based system has designed and coordinated thousands of new homes builds, renovations and commercial projects around Australia in the last year alone.

The company has secured revenue growth of 176% over the past three years, turning over over $3.3 million in 2017.

The previous Smart50 finalist, which ranked eighth on last year’s list, is now looking to expand its offerings even further, developing a design collaboration platform that will provide users with a central, streamlined dashboard to manage a build from inspiration-stage to construction.

Earlier this year, Superdraft underwent a company restructure, developing its VIZ360 3D modelling platform under the Superdraft umbrella, then branching it out into its another entity, VIZ260 Australia Pty Ltd.

“Once developed, we realised that VIZ360 has a huge opportunity and business model of its own and decided to branch it out,” co-founder Mark Deacon says.

To link the two companies together, Superdraft created a group company called the ArchiX Group, which harnesses the tech of both companies to create a platform for the global design and building industry.

While Superdraft is now experiencing strong yearly growth, co-founder Jake Robinson says the startup journey hasn’t always been so smooth.

Recounting the early days of Superdraft, he admits the excitement of establishing a startup led the business to overlook some basic and “often boring” business systems, which ultimately created a myriad of challenges in the early days.

“Most people start a business filled with big dreams, aspirations, and excitement so they start building a website and marketing and before they know it, they start making sales and the business is off and running,” Robinson says.

“Meanwhile, many fundamental business practices have been skipped such as proper planning, cash flow forecasting, and compliance.

“This is how our business started as well, which created many challenges during the early stages of [the] business.”

Superdraft’s founders have since learned the importance of establishing fundamental business systems, which has ultimately allowed the business to scale and grow quickly. Robinson says their experience should be a lesson in patience for all early-stage startups.

“The lesson I would pass on is for business owners to plan thoroughly, remain focused and execute efficiently,” he says.

Superdraft is now looking to the future and the possibility of taking the platform global.

Robinson says the team has its sights set on being international leaders in the $200 billion global architecture industry.

“We want to increase our brand awareness through social media and PR campaigns and expand our geographical reach across Australia and internationally,” he says.