For over 15 years, the Smart50 Awards have been recognising and celebrating the fastest-growing small businesses in Australia. These awards have put a national spotlight on iconic organisations like July, Vinomofo, and Mr. Yum—and now it could be your turn to shine.
In this article, we’ll delve into why you should apply for The Smart50 Awards 2023, cover the different categories and eligibility criteria, and guide you through the entry process.
Why apply?
Perhaps the most compelling reasons to apply for The Smart50 Awards include an increase in credibility, brand awareness and investor interest. But there are plenty of other potential benefits:
- Publicity and clout: The Smart50 Awards provide you with a unique opportunity to amplify your brand, with your highlights, updates, and winner announcements going out to SmartCo. Media’s vast, national audience of 1.9 million. As last year’s Smart50 Awards winner, Athan Didaskalou, co-founder of July, put it: “We had so much positive press as a result, and people we speak to still reference that win.”
- Become part of the story: Past winners and entrants have shaped Australia’s business landscape in so many ways. From billion-dollar successes to trendsetters and global players, the Smart50 community is a network of high achievers.
- Contribute to Australian business insights: Your entry helps our editorial team uncover trends and gain insights that reflect the real experiences of Australian businesses. Armed with this information, we can continue creating timely, relevant and tailored content to support SME growth.
- Celebrate your achievements: Sometimes, when you’re scaling a mountain, you get so fixated on reaching the peak that you don’t stop to consider how far you’ve come. Entering The Smart50 Awards is an opportunity to reflect on your business journey to date, and to celebrate all your accomplishments so far.
- Party with your peers: After another challenging year, what better way to reset and recharge than by attending our end-of-year event on November 16? Join us as we count down the 2023 Smart50, share stories of resilience and innovation, and announce the category award winners. You’ll leave bubbling with ideas and inspiration.
This is your time to shine! Enter the Smart50 Awards now and celebrate your team’s success with us.
What are the T&Cs?
To enter The Smart50 Awards, you must:
- Be a registered Australian business.
- Demonstrate revenue growth year-on-year for the last three financial years.
- Have been in business for a minimum of three years.
- Show a minimum of $500,000 (excluding GST) in revenue each year.
- Be an independent business with fewer than 200 employees.
The price of entry is $200 + GST and entries close on Tuesday, 19 September.
Ready to take the plunge? Start your entry here, confirm your eligibility, and fill out the short survey questionnaire. Remember to provide the necessary financial documentation, such as scanned documents from your company accountant or the ATO. And be aware that your responses and images may be used by our editorial team, including publishing revenue figures of all 50 companies that make the Smart50.
For more details, download the Smart50 2023 entry booklet or reach out to smart50@smartcompany.com.au
What are the categories?
In addition to The Smart50 Awards, we offer category awards that celebrate various aspects of business excellence. Catapult your brand to new heights by entering as many of the following categories as you like:
- The Innovator Award recognises innovative strategies and ideas that drive industry change.
- The Resilience Award honours businesses that exhibit resilience, adaptability, and leadership.
- The Community Hero Award celebrates businesses that positively impact their clientele or the wider community.
- The Rising Star Award acknowledges high-growth startups under three years old.
- The Retail Award highlights innovations in product offers, customer service, and marketing.
- The Sustainability Award recognises initiatives that support environmental conservation and advocacy.
- The Marketing Award celebrates impressive marketing campaigns by Australian SMEs.
- The Smart and Lasting Award is a “hall of fame” category for consistent growth and values of innovation, resilience, and community.
Category shortlists are chosen internally, with guest judges evaluating entries based on criteria such as context, execution, impact, pitch, and alignment with Smart50 values.
Please note that our judges may reallocate entries into different categories if needed, and their decisions are final.
Throw your hat in the ring!
Entries close on September 19, so don’t miss your chance to be part of The Smart50 Awards 2023. Apply today to join a legacy of iconic Australian innovators and get your name out there.
This is your time to shine! Enter the Smart50 Awards now and celebrate your team’s success with us.
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