21. Chris Gillis (37), Jachin Bhasme (24), JJ Fiasson (40), Peter Runham (26), Ethan Smith (23) and Sami Ede (33)

Leonardo.ai

Sydney

Having grown its platform to host seven million users within the space of a year, generative artificial intelligence platform Leonardo.ai created a splash in late 2023 with a $35.8 million Series A round as investors including Samsung Next got in on its growth prospects. Since then the number of users has risen to 15 million, generating 1.1 billion images, 3.3 million videos and 590,000 custom trained models.

Creators using Leonardo.ai can save, edit and build multiple assets in the same style and feature set with the concepts able to be used multiple times, rather than as one-off images.

“Our mission is to empower creativity — whether you’re a novice who loves art or a professional who creates every day,” co-founder and CEO JJ Fiasson said after the raise.

22. John Fargher (39)

Agriwebb

Sydney

Since it was founded in 2014 by John Fargher, Justin Webb and Kevin Baum, Agriwebb has become a globally leading livestock business management platform.

Having raised $60 million to date, the company has more than 21 million animals registered on the platform with 16,000 users, customers in 18 countries and boots on the ground in Australia, the UK, the US, Canada and South Africa, as well as Brazil where last year in October a strategic partnership was signed with Cargill Animal Nutrition.

“By working with and for the farmer, AgriWebb’s platform aims to help operations which uphold the legacy of the livestock industry and act as sustainable stewards of the land to ensure the planet remains fertile and society remains fed,” says Fargher, whose platform tracks a quarter of Australia’s cattle and sheep.

23. Jason Daniel (37)

LSKD

Logan

Now employing more than 300 staff, Jason Daniel’s activewear brand LSKD – which stands for "loose kid" – has been on a sharp upward curve of late. At the start of 2023, it had just three stores in Logan, Chadstone and Chermside, but now it has nine including its first international outlet in San Diego, California where 500 people lined up on opening day.

“The 240-square-metre space includes a storefront hosting core styles and latest collections, an office space for our US LSKD team, and a community room that includes compression boots, massage guns, ice baths, and recovery meals and drinks for our community to hangout, relax, and recover whenever they need,” says Daniel. “We plan to continue our retail expansion into 2024.”

Related story: Online fashion brand LSKD locks in more store openings after a year of growth

24. Mannu Kala (39)

KnG Group

Gold Coast

Co-founded by Mannu Kala and Dr Anuj Gupta, KnG Group was born out of the COVID-19 era as Covax Australia to tackle staffing and vaccine challenges, but its agility and scalability demonstrated during the pandemic have continued in the current environment.

With thousands of staff on its books, healthcare remains its leading service but the group is also servicing aged care facilities and spearheaded a medi-hotel trial at Sea World.

With offices on the Gold Coast and in Brisbane, Melbourne, Sydney and Delhi, the multi-faceted company has expanded into new verticals including home care, cyber security, education, technology.

25. Chris Baptista (36)

Homes by CMA, CMA Developments

Brisbane

Offering customisable new homes for clients across Queensland, Homes by CMA has flourished over a period that has seen some of the nation’s largest builders collapse.

Prior to the onset of these problems, Chris Baptista favoured financial prudence to avoid overleveraging and is now reaping the rewards as a self-confessed workaholic who values transparency and product improvement.

"The construction industry in general is still not in great shape and faces many challenges. Most builders are operating on very slim profit margins, and the focus has shifted toward lowering prices and offering more promotions to attract clients in the face of increased competition," Baptista explains.

"CMA has not adopted this strategy. We have instead focused on being as different to the crowd as we possibly can, increased prices, provided certainty to our clients, and focused on outstanding customer service from sales all the way to maintenance."

26. Daniel Wessels (35)

Jacaranda Finance

Brisbane

It has now been more than a decade since Daniel Wessels embarked on the “humbling entrepreneurial journey” of launching a digital consumer lending business Jacaranda Finance, which by the end of FY23 hit a milestone of 100,000 loans funded.

“That’s the equivalent of more than $300 million in loans provided to everyday Australians that turned to us when they needed fast, fair and reliable finance,” says Wessels.

27. Micky Ahuja (34)

MA Services Group

Melbourne

Operating nationwide, MA Services Group has worked with clients such as Coles, Kmart, ALDI and more to provide comprehensive security, cleaning and maintenance management services.

Having previously worked as a security guard himself, Micky Ahuja understands the need to combine quality service with new management systems to manage risk and deliver positive outcomes.

28. Fergus Creese (33)

My Careers

Melbourne

The goal of Software as a Service (SaaS) scale-up My Careers is simple – to help students understand who they are, who they could become and the path required to get there.

The digital platform offers a comprehensive overview of a user’s interests, capabilities and personality to help guide them into rewarding and adaptable futures.

The Tasmanian entrepreneur has taken the service to schools, libraries and consumers in Australia, as well as an increasing client base in New Zealand, the US, Canada and the UK.

Related story: Why Fergus Creese gives students direction with edtech SaaS scale-up My Careers

29. Matt Anderson (31) and Nic Blair (37)

Midnight Health

Brisbane

Midnight Health operates three distinct digital brands: Youly, Stagger and hub.health, which have collectively assisted more than 160,000 Australians looking for a personalised approach to their wellbeing.

To fuel their vision of creating an all-in-one healthcare ecosystem, the founders secured significant funding from listed insurer nib (ASX: NHF).

30. Peter Dodeja (35)

SAI Security Group, SAI Investments

Brisbane

With just $1,200 to his name when he moved to Australia from India as a teenager, Peter Dodeja immersed himself in the security industry and realised the market’s “immense potential”.

With a background in software and IT, through SAI Security Group he applied an innovative business model of “virtual patrols” supported by on-site cameras and alerts, allowing for a more cost-effective option for business or property owners; something he knows all about, as in tandem he has steadily been building a portfolio of suburban shopping plazas.

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