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51. Hannah Vasicek (35) and Rachel Vasicek (29)
Francesca
Hobart
While Francesca is now a nationwide jewellery seller with flagship stores in Hobart and Melbourne, pop-up stores and the majority of its sales online, its beginnings can be traced to a humble venture at the Salamanca Market in Tasmania.
Having taken up an interest in making jewellery at the age of 12, Hannah Vasicek was 16 she started selling accessories at the markets where the response was “overwhelming”.
It was a passion that continued for several years, including while she was studying science and law at university. But it was recognition from the Entrepreneurs’ Organization (EO) in 2013 that made her think more seriously about her craft after winning a Global Student Entrepreneur Award.
“That same year, with my sister Rachel just finishing school, we decided to take the leap and turn our dream into reality,” she says.
“Starting Francesca was driven by our belief in blending beautiful design with a commitment to giving back.”
That giving back comes in the form of $1 million in donations to causes across Australia since the business began, allowing fans of the company’s products to buy personalised, high-quality jewellery that “not only enhances personal style but also supports a greater cause”.
“Our customers seek unique pieces that reflect their individual tastes while contributing to positive change,” Vasicek says.
“Additionally, there's a growing demand for brands that integrate social responsibility into their business model - something we prioritise deeply.”
Now with more than 70 staff including its own in-house design team, Vasicek says the company is able to release products within 48 hours of concept, “as opposed to our manufacturers which is a six-month process”.
“We designed our locket five years ago and have sold over 50,000 of these and were definitely ahead of the curve as many businesses have started copying us,” the co-founder says.
“Also we have a patent for jump rings which allows our customer to add charms to the bracelets and necklaces.
“We release between five and 20 new products a month where we do design, making, photographing and marketing.”
52. Tom Egan (33)
Avia Homes Australia
Gold Coast
After working as a sales manager of a building company that went into liquidation, Tom Egan sought to change the status quo in the construction industry with a different kind of homebuilder model underpinned by technology and no surprises on cost.
His business model, industry experience and understanding of what it means to struggle as a first-home build customer helped create one of Queensland’s top 10 largest builders in just its second year of operation – a feat that Egan says had never been achieved before.
"I never set out to build just another building company. I wanted to fix the problems that everyday Australians face when trying to build a home - unclear pricing, unnecessary delays, and disappointing finishes. That meant doing things differently from the start," he says.
The company builds upsizer, custom-design and investment homes, but the majority of its work is with first-home buyers who have made the decision to build. Ease of process has been a key driver of securing their trust and custom.
This starts with the technological foundations on which Avia Homes is built, set up on the cloud for flexibility in contrast to many other builders that use server-based systems.
“It was crucial to get it right at the start. The software we use has a lot more capabilities and provides the users a way better experience than the current server-based platforms which are very outdated,” Egan says.
“Our clients use an online portal which is fully interactive and keeps them updated on every aspect of the build and is 100 per cent live at all times so the data being provided is accurate and up to date."
He says software is one part, but the other big difference is a sales concept with very different timeframes.
“For example, we can provide pricing to clients the same day and produce a contract the same day as well, where our competitors can take weeks to produce this,” Egan adds.
“We also provide 100 per cent of the pricing upfront to not deceive our buyers of the true costs which they only find out later down the track with competitors.”
53. Nicholas Chapman (35)
Chapcon Design & Construct, Newstart Homes Australia
Brisbane
After helping a friend out with a “small face lift” on a café, carpenter Nicholas Chapman went from being a site manager for small commercial projects to setting up his own company Chapcon Design & Construct in 2011.
“I had no interest in going out on my own but got talked into doing a decent size job by the architects from the cafe and it basically went from there with referrals,” he says.
What started from this organic process turned into a medium-sized commercial building company in South-East Queensland that tailors to a wide range of project types, but lately has had a strong focus on childcare centres and mixed-use commercial projects.
Chapman’s style is to maintain relatively consistent project sizes and avoid overextension, minimising delivery risk and remaining profitable.
“By keeping a keen eye on cost escalations and maintaining relationships with sub-contractors, we ensure our project pipeline is well-priced and our relatively short delivery timeframes help minimise the risks of margin erosion and overruns during execution,” he explains.
To broaden his horizons as a business owner, in late 2016 the entrepreneur purchased the rights to Newstart Homes from a liquidator. As it grows, he is aiming for a cap of 25 custom homes annually for the custom home builder.
Chapman says the approach with Newstart has been similar to Chapcon, albeit with the added challenges with customers due to the rising cost of living, interest rates and a particularly sensitive market caused by the insolvencies of so many residential builders.
“To address these issues, we have increased the amount of spec construction we undertake, helping to alleviate some of the challenges customers face in sourcing land, finding a reliable builder, settling on a design, and managing selections and specifications and the lengthy time frames that can come with this,” he says.
“Both companies are still proceeding with caution in light of the skilled labour shortages, material cost and availability, policy and building code changes and an all-time low in productivity in the industry.
“We are consistently capitalising on opportunities as they present themselves and intend to increase the amount of spec construction, property development and holdings generally over the coming years.”
54. Adam Webb (36)
Kasa Group
Gold Coast
With a variety of residential and commercial development projects on the go, Adam Webb’s Kasa Group has been steadily making its mark in South-East Queensland with steady growth since it was founded in 2018.
Webb, formerly of Weldev, explains the company’s core focus is on delivering childcare centres, self-storage developments and housing estates, including the Kasa Heights community project in the northern Gold Coast suburb of Pimpama which started with Stage 1 last year.
“South-East Queensland is experiencing a severe housing shortage fueled primarily by an unprecedented population boom,” says Webb.
“We are doing our small bit to address the housing shortage, provide childcare places and storage opportunities given the growth in apartment and townhome living.
“I have a small but nimble team in my office with a reliable and consistent group of consultants that we engage on a per project basis.”
In FY24 the company completed and sold out its 20-townhouse project The Strand at Hope Island, while also finishing and selling the Appleberries Early Learning Centre in Redbank Plains.
More land acquisitions and project are in the pipeline for the Kasa Group, which has increased its staff and expects significant revenue growth in the years ahead once more developments come to completion.
55. Costa Vasili (34)
Ethnolink
Melbourne
Founded by Costa Vasili in 2011, Ethnolink is Australia’s largest multicultural communications agency, specialising in translation services for the government and not-for-profit sectors.
Inspired by the stories of his father’s struggles as a Cypriot migrant adapting to Australian life, the young founder was determined to make information available to the nation’s multicultural community in a variety of languages, which has now reached 150 that Ethnolink offers.
Its mission goes beyond just translation however, tapping into the important cultural nuances that diverse communities can relate to and better understand, with messaging that demonstrates care for their sensibilities.
It’s an approach that has led to Ethnolink working with thousands of organisations, while also consolidating its leadership in the industry with the Ethnolink Summit, Australia’s largest event on the topic of multicultural communications.
“The summit provides a platform for professionals from the government, community, and private sectors to learn, network, and gain insights into best practices for engaging with multicultural audiences,” Vasili says.
“A key focus of the summit is to tackle language barriers and promote cultural diversity and social cohesion in Australia.”
Its offering has extended to First Nations language services as well, while the company has also embraced technological advances by launching Ethnolink Edge, a bespoke technology platform designed to streamline multilingual campaigns across Australia.
All of these initiatives have contributed to significant staffing and revenue growth for the company, which also boosted its capacity in May last year with the acquisition of Sydney-based Language Professionals.
More recent achievements for the group include supporting the Butterfly Foundation with an eating disorder awareness campaign in Arabic, and securing a multi-year contract with the Victorian Department of Transport and Planning as the specialist multicultural agency.
“We will be working with the lead agency and activations partner, TABOO, and Snack Drawer who is the appointed digital agency,” Vasili adds.
Related story: Ethnolink turbocharges growth with acquisition of Sydney’s Language Professionals
56. Anthony Giuliano (29)
ABLE Melbourne
Melbourne
While working in the family business PDG within the broader Giuliano Group, starting with the construction of Prima Tower in Southbank, Anthony Giuliano came to realise a gap in how property maintenance was managed.
“I found that a typical property manager was forced to essentially act as a project manager, managing an enormous amount of minor maintenance construction projects within their portfolio,” he explains.
“As there are very few property maintenance businesses that offer the full suite of services, it left property managers with no option but to engage and manage multiple tradespeople every time there were issues within a property.”
To seize this opportunity he established ABLE with an initial target market of real estate agencies and owners corporation businesses.
The offering began with the most mainstream trades like plumbing, mechanical, carpentry and handymen services, through to specialist trades such as pest control, asbestos removal, tree removal and high access work.
“It eliminated the need for property managers to have to engage multiple trades and coordinate minor projects, which was very well received,” Giuliano says.
“Our business experienced exponential growth, and successfully completed over 16,000 maintenance projects within our first four years of operation.”
But this was only the beginning. In the past two years ABLE has evolved into undertaking bespoke construction and fit-out projects, not to mention a joinery division born out of his passion for woodworking.
“We have a diverse portfolio of both residential and commercial construction projects, from high-end homes, offices, cafes, restaurants, and retail shops, to childcare centres, hotel fit-outs and medical centres,” Giuliano says.
57. Heuson Bak (38)
Solar Naturally
Perth
Despite graduating as a commercial pilot, when the global financial crisis (GFC) hit in 2008 Heuson Bak departed for an entirely different career pathway as the founder of what would become one of the largest and longest-standing solar companies in the country.
The inspiration for Solar Naturally was the fact that Bak’s father needed to hire a company from Sydney, rather than Perth, to install solar panels on his home.
“Perth had very few solar retailers, and with generous government rebates promoting renewable energy installations, the financial benefits became clear,” Bak explains.
“This realisation led me to start my own business with the goal of providing affordable renewable energy solutions to as many Australian homeowners as possible.”
Solar Naturally has offices in Perth, Brisbane and Sydney, and with its target market of lower to middle-income families who often struggle to make ends meet each week, it has experienced significant year-on-year growth.
The company’s progress in the residential market has occurred whilst also providing services to an increasing number of commercial clients.
“One of our largest achievements in 2024 was Solar Naturally being awarded the contract to install large-scale solar panels on the Morley-Ellenbrook train station line as part of the train station upgrades in Western Australia,” Bak says.
“This project represents the single largest investment in public transport spending in the region. The positive publicity from this high-profile project has led to numerous additional opportunities by prestigious builders wanting to work with us.
“We aim to expand our portfolio of high-profile solar installations while maintaining our position as the number one solar installer in Western Australia. Our goal is to become the largest solar retailer in Australia by 2026.”
58. George Papura (34)
Georgiemane
Sydney
Founded in 2020 after George Papura sold his laser hair removal brand Happy Skin Co, Georgiemane first built its following for hair care products online before entering the bricks-and-mortar space with Priceline in late 2023.
The company, known for its hair masks, shampoos, serums and scrubs, has since broadened its physical retail footprint and plans to allocate “significant marketing budgets” in 2025 to support continued sales growth and drive brand awareness.
“In 2024 Georgiemane achieved remarkable milestones, including launching into every Woolworths store across Australia, a landmark accomplishment that solidifies our position in the retail space,” says Papura.
“Additionally, we expanded into all of Terry White Chemmarts, further strengthening our presence in Australian pharmacies, alongside our ongoing success with Priceline.
“Looking ahead, our focus for the upcoming year is on expanding our retail footprint and enhancing relationships with our current key retail partners, Priceline, Terry White Chemmart and Woolworths.”
The entrepreneur also highlights the launch of new product lines such as hair growth serum which he says has delivered “phenomenal results” and a repair and hydrate conditioner which “completes our range and offers customers the full Georgiemane experience”.
59. Aaron Vanston (32) and Matt Perrott (31)
BuildPass
Melbourne
Working with small residential builders through to large-scale commercial sites, BuildPass has recently been on a run of double-digit monthly growth as more construction industry clients are drawn to its AI-powered software platform.
Its co-founders Matt Perrott and Aaron Vanston met in 2019 while working on the REA Group (ASX: REA) peer-working platform Spacely. From there they discussed a vision to give all builders access to intuitive software that could improve safety and streamline workflows.
In 2021 that idea became a reality when they founded BuildPass, which is now utilised by more than 500 paying customers nationwide to help streamline operations, reduce administration tasks, and ensure that projects are on track and meeting compliance standards.
The platform works by using AI tech from OpenAI and Anthropic to underpin aspects of its capability and intuitive user experience.
Through integrating progressive AI models, this enables BuildPass platform features such as computer vision which identifies and detects items within photos of construction settings. It also supports the automated defect recognition and site monitoring abilities of the software.
“BuildPass enhances site safety and operations in the construction sector by offering a considered suite of software and AI-enabled features, digitising traditionally paper-based tasks into an easy-to-use mobile, tablet and desktop computer platform,” says Perrott.
“By bringing online important planning, project tracking, administration and compliance tasks, this streamlines time-intensive activities for building professionals, putting more time back in the day for best-practice delivery and revenue-driving initiatives.”
In October, after more than doubling its staff numbers in FY24, the company secured $7.5 million in a seed round led by Carthona Capital as it looks to replicate its Australian success in overseas markets.
Related story: ‘What a ride’: Construction tech startup BuildPass raises $7.5m from seed round
60. Cam Noble (30)
ACTS Music Group
Melbourne
Supporting 600 artists globally through label, distribution, publishing, and management services, ACTS Music is one of Australasia’s fastest-growing music export businesses.
Artists on its roster include successful R&B artists such as Teo Glacier from New Zealand, and Will Singe and J.Tajor from Australia. The group’s talent agency also includes a long roster influencers such as plant-based food content creator Cherie Tu and fashion model Lily May Mac.
Cam Noble rounded off 2024 as a watershed year for the collective of music businesses, including ACTS Agency, building a strong team with six new hires, of which three are internationally based to help the group scale operations effectively.
This momentum was somewhat overshadowed by Cam's brother Matt Noble and Keenan Te both exiting as founders last year, leaving him as the sole founder overseeing the company’s operations and strategic direction.
Noble emphasises that ACTS cemented its presence in international markets with successful music exports and multiple #1 chart-topping successes across Asia, and also booked artist tours and activations in key regions including South-East Asia and North America.
“Our purpose is to allow artists to grow to international markets, whilst retaining the majority share of their revenue and copyrights,” Noble says.
“Traditionally, record labels own the assets and take the lion’s share of the revenue.
“As one of Australia’s few independently run companies outside of major record label support, we have the ability to service artists in the ways traditional labels would, but without the long commitments and ownership. This gives us more ability to genuinely motivate our artists and labels to grow.”
Another way the group is servicing artists is through a joint venture with ACE Mortgage Lending, giving young artists who may not be experienced with money and are earning very high salaries the encouragement to buy property and set themselves up for future success.
“Too often younger artists will blow their earnings and not create a safety net or good use of those earnings. We have had five artists under 23 buy their first homes in the past 12 months, and 10 artists under 30 either buy their first or second,” Noble says.
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