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These are the aspirational stories of the business leaders unveiled in News Corp Australia’s Top 250 Young Entrepreneurs list, revealing the brains behind some of the nation’s most recognisable brands. All aged under 45, their influence spans a dynamic array of industries, from cutting-edge tech start-ups and advanced manufacturing to creative arts and sustainable agriculture. They include Edward Robinson, who founded Robinson Aerospace Systems at just 18, and Bianca Tarrant and David McGiveron, founders of Our Cow, a national meat subscription service connecting over 100 local producers directly with households. READ THE FULL 250 YOUNG ENTREPRENEURS LIST HERE Daniel Flynn was just 19 when he, his girlfriend and best mate decided to end world poverty. They created Thankyou – a social enterprise with a belief that business could be a force for good. “I was in first year uni and I was doing some research when I came across this number that said 900 million people didn’t have access to clean water,” Mr Flynn said. “The next number I read was 4500 thousand children die every day from waterborne disease. “I was crying. I was moved. And then I saw this number that I could not unsee. It said in 2008, we were collectively spending $50bn a year on bottled water. “And the idea of Thankyou literally formed there. I thought, well couldn’t the money from that ridiculous thing, bottled water, just fund that (people without water)?” Nearly two decades on, Mr Flynn and his wife Justine, now aged in their late 30s, have built a movement that’s generated over $18m in profits, all directed toward life-changing projects around the world. They are just a handful of the new generation of young digital natives, actively shaping the next wave of business. Many have forged their own paths through experience alone, moving away from traditional degrees and career trajectories. From high school dropout to retail royalty, Brittney Saunders, founder of Fayt the Label, operates five retail stores and an online shop for her size-inclusive clothing line. Ms Saunders built Fayt from a consumer base she cultivated through her YouTube channel, sharing behind-the-scenes glimpses of her business and life, and leveraging audience feedback to grow her brand into an eight-figure enterprise. Beyond profit, a significant number of the 250 Young Entrepreneurs are driven by a strong commitment to sustainability and social impact, embedding these values into their core business models from inception. SEE THE 250 YOUNG ENTREPRENEURS SERIES HERE SNEAK PEEK OF AUSTRALIA’S TOP ENTREPRENEURS: Ingrid Bonnor Based in the soft sand of Queensland’s iconic Gold Coast, Homebodii was born from a simple idea: to present a considered curation of products that evoke, founder Ingrid Bonnor says, feelings of comfort, serenity, and elegance. In 2012, the brand introduced its first collection of bridal robes and has since then become the leader in modern bridal loungewear. Homebodii made its New York Fashion Week debut in 2016 and is now represented in retailers across the globe. Read Ingrid’s story here and see Queensland’s top 50 young entrepreneurs here. Michael Ramsay Strong pilates $50 million in annual revenue Michael Ramsey is a Melbourne‑based fitness entrepreneur and co‑founder of Strong pilates, the globally expanding boutique fitness franchise he launched with his partner Mark Armstrong in 2019. It is renowned for its innovative blend of reformer pilates, strength training, and cardio using the exclusive Rowformer and Bikeformer machines. The pilates brand has expanded to 100 studios across 14 countries, with 155+ planned across the U.S. See Victoria’s top 50 young entrepreneurs here. Daniel Flynn and Justine Flynn $18.5 million in revenue over 17 years Daniel Flynn, Justine Flynn, and Jarryd Burns co-founded Thankyou, a social enterprise launched in 2008 to help end global poverty through consumer products. Starting with bottled water to fund safe water projects, the brand expanded into personal care, baby, and household products. Profits fund life-changing programs around the world. Known for their bold marketing campaigns and purpose-driven mission, the founders have inspired a global movement focused on using business as a force for good. Read the Thankyou story here Cyan Ta’eed and Collis Ta’eed Estimated $295.65 million in 2024 Cyan and Collis Ta’eed co-founded Envato in 2006, building a global online marketplace for creative assets. Headquartered in Australia, Envato grew steadily, serving millions of users worldwide. In 2024, the company generated US$198m in revenue before being acquired by Shutterstock for US$245m, expanding Shutterstock’s content offerings and Asia-Pacific presence. The Ta’eed siblings are recognised as influential entrepreneurs in the tech and creative industries. Jason Daniel $150 million in annual revenue Once known by his high school nickname ‘Loose Kid’, the founder of LSKD has turned the moniker into one of Australia’s fastest-growing sportswear brands, now generating $150 million a year. Mike Cannon-Brookes and Scott Farquhar $7.6 billion in annual revenue Mike Cannon-Brookes and Scott Farquhar were university friends when they started their software development company, Atlassian. The NASDAQ-listed tech giant makes tools for team collaboration and software development, which help workers manage and track their work. It generated US$5 billion ($7.6 billion) in revenue in the last financial year. See NSW’s top 50 young entrepreneurs here Nik Mirkovic and Alex Tomic $300+ million in annual revenue HiSmile founders Nik Mirkovic and Alex Tomic have, since starting their company with $20,000 and an idea in 2014, built a staggering global following for their products, which include a teeth whitening light, gels, toothpastes and mouthwash. Its products are available online and at more than 20,000 retail sites, from Coles in Australia to Boots in Britain and Walmart in the US. Daniel Roberts and William Roberts $752.2 million in annual revenue Brothers William and Daniel Roberts co-founded Nasdaq-listed bitcoin mining company IREN in 2018. The tech giant, which is headquartered in Sydney, builds, owns and operates data centres and electrical infrastructure for the mining of Bitcoin. The company’s market capitalisation recently topped US$10 billion, after it doubled its AI Cloud capacity by acquiring more than 12,000 graphics processing units (GPU) for US$674 million. Kristina Scutella and Miriam Weir Scutella and Weir are two of the four women behind Mumamoo, which has developed a range of scientifically formulated, premium milk formulas. The founders spent almost two years developing their products in collaboration with pediatric nutritionists before they were launched. The brand is now carried in close to 2000 stores across Australia, including major retailers such as Drakes, Foodland, Chemist Warehouse and Woolworths, and there are now plans to expand into new markets overseas. See the list of SA’s top 50 young entrepreneurs here Melanie Perkins, Cliff Obrecht and Cameron Adams $2.5 billion in annual revenue Melanie Perkins, partner Cliff Obrecht, and chief product officer Cameron Adams are the co-founders of Canva, an online graphic design platform that claims to have more than 240 million users each month. Ms Perkins, also the company’s CEO, was 26 when she started the platform with Mr Obrecht, and only five years later, it achieved unicorn status. The company recently gave itself a $65 billion valuation as it launched an employee share sale.
