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11. Tegan Nock (33) and Guy Hudson (40)
Loam Bio
Orange
With its Australian operations now at scale to lift the carbon capture capabilities and yield potential of farms producing wheat, barley and canola, following years of research Loam Bio has officially launched commercially in the USA this year targeting soy and corn crops.
Buoyed by $150 million in capital raised to date and a large number of PhDs in its global staff, its regional headquarters in Orange, NSW, still has the largest headcount.
Loam focuses on “impact hectares - the hectares where there is a large enough total addressable surface area that we can have an impact when it comes to carbon capture," in the words of Tegan Nock, who co-founded Loam Bio alongside Mick Wettenhall, Guy Webb and Guy Hudson.
Related story: Orange-based carbon capture scale-up Loam Bio enters US market
12. Argylica Conditsis (31) and William Conditsis (28)
BABYBOO
Sydney
Initially operating from a garage, BABYBOO has become a fast-growing pure-play fashion retailer that ships dresses, accessories and loungewear to more than 157 countries.
The brand prides itself on empowering women to look and feel their best, and works with social media influencers such as Tammy Hembrow, and Khadijah Haqq McCray to help reach their target audience.
“We are here to be her go-to reliable brand, providing timeless, stand-out looks, for all their events no matter the occasion,” says Argylica Conditsis, who dropped out of university to start the business after seeing a gap in the market, and was soon joined by her brother William.
13. Johan Misquitta (30)
SimplyAI
Sydney
With clients including government agencies, insurers, energy companies and aged-care providers, SimplyAI has built more than 1,000 automation and data solutions, utilising artificial intelligence to free employees of mundane, laborious tasks to help lift productivity.
Founded in 2019 by Johan Misquitta, Anthony Scott, Darren Geros, Jason Catania, SimplyAI was bolstered early last year by a cornerstone investment from private equity group Liverpool Partners.
Related story: SimplyAI programs new era of growth backed by Liverpool Partners
14. Kim Teo (36), Adrian Osman (32), Kerry Osborn (36) and Andrei Miulescu (33)
me&u
Sydney
Hospitality and ordering technology group me&u used to be the competition for Mr Yum founders Kim Teo, Adrian Osman, Kerry Osborn and Andrei Miulescu, but as both scale-ups sought to capture a greater stomach share domestically and globally they found themselves “butting heads”.
But in mid-2022 me&u founder Stevan Premutico caught up with Osman in Texas, initiating conversations that would eventually lead to a merger that was completed in November, with the combined group processing $2 billion in dining transactions annually for a client base of more than 6,000 food brands.
Related story: Lovers, not fighters: Mr Yum and me&u consummate hospitality merger
15. Anna Podolsky (32)
Lyka Pet Food
Sydney
While working as a management consultant in Chile, Anna Podolsky grew frustrated with the effects of regular pet food on her dog Lyka. Taking matters into her own hands, she started cooking meals for her furry companion and noticed a remarkable transformation in Lyka’s health.
Upon returning to Australia, she teamed up with vet Dr Matthew Muir to start a direct-to-consumer pet wellness company named after her dog. Today, the company not only offers dog owners a way to feed their pooch all-natural whole food ingredients, but also supplements to help dogs improve their skin, digestion, dental and joint health.
16. Chris Thompson (34) and Dan Adams (36)
Amber
Melbourne
With investors including Gentrack, Commonwealth Bank and NRMA, wholesale electricity retailer Amber doubled its number of Australian customers to 30,000 in the six months to February, when it completed an oversubscribed Series C raise that took total funding to $75 million.
The company gives customers real-time electricity prices and its tech automates devices to use cheaper, renewable energy when it’s available on the grid. Its software for batteries and electric vehicles also give users the chance for potential payment for surplus energy generated.
Related story: Renewable energy retailer Amber raises $29m as it targets global utilities with smart tech
17. Mina Nada (34) and Michael Johnson (35)
Zoomo
Sydney
Whether it be e-bikes, e-mopeds or larger cargo e-bikes, Zoomo has become a leader in its field of electrifying last-minute delivery solutions, with customers including Doordash, Domino’s, FedEx, DHL, Just Eat, and Ocado, to name a few.
Like many fast-growing tech companies, in the past 12 months Zoomo has scaled back its workforce in a bid to accelerate its path to profitability.
Related story: Zoomo partners with UK cargo e-bike company EAV
18. Sam Crowther (28)
Kasada
Sydney
At the age of 19, Sam Crowther set out to make application security simple, without the need for ongoing management in the face of evolving automated threats and online fraud. Kasada’s self-proclaimed radical approach defends websites, mobile apps, and APIs from malicious bots without impacting the end-user experience.
Now with 100-plus employees across Australia and the US, the company continues to develop new defences against sophisticated online fraud, and services major brands including Crocs, Hyatt, REA Group and Sportsbet, to name a few.
Related story: Meet the young CEO of a leading international cyber security firm
19. Rob Hango-Zada (39) and William On (39)
Shippit
Sydney
Facilitating the shipment of millions of packages each month, Shippit is a software platform that allows carriers, retailers and customers to get all the information they need from one place.
Working with e-commerce giants such as Target, Cotton On, Big W and Sephora, the burgeoning brand has made numerous acquisitions to ramp up its operations in Southeast Asia with a strong presence in Malaysia and Singapore.
"At Shippit, we are passionate about curating better delivery experiences, turning what was once a pain point into a competitive advantage for retailers," says Hango-Zada. "We also give couriers access to increased volume on preferred routes, creating a virtuous circle where everyone benefits."
"By combining billions of customer data points and spanning thousands of kilometres of deliveries, we have gained valuable insights to better represent and support our community," adds On.
20. Michael Christidis (30), Nicholas Greco (34), Christian Serrao (31) and Filippo Palermo (31)
Untitled Group
Melbourne
Untitled Group is an independent Australian cultural powerhouse whose music-loving founders have shown an insatiable appetite for new, creative business ideas that tap into a sonorous legacy, with music festivals such as Beyond the Vine and Wildlands which sold 150,000 tickets including sideshows this past summer, a touring agency for Australia and Asia, booking agency Proxy, marketing agency Underscore and UGLY vodka made from apples that would be rejected by wholesalers and supermarkets.
“When we look around, there’s one of our artists playing on the festival and patrons are drinking one of our UGLY vodka cans – it’s cool to see how the ecosystem is all working together,” says Greco.
Related story: Untitled Group ups the tempo on 'non-negotiable' festivals as sales records broken
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