From renewable energy to MedTech breakthroughs: Inside the businesses competing for Brisbane’s Lord Mayor’s Business Awards
What’s Happening: Brisbane’s 2025 Lord Mayor’s Business Awards feature 31 finalists spanning climate tech, MedTech and safety innovation, reflecting the city’s $200 billion economy and 16% growth since 2020.
Why This Matters: The finalists showcase Brisbane’s emergence as a global innovation hub, with record $13.7 billion visitor spending and employment surging 22% as the city builds momentum toward 2032 Olympics.
Brisbane’s most exciting entrepreneurs and businesses are in the running for the 2025 Lord Mayor’s Business Awards, showcasing innovations from sports safety and aviation to pioneering climate technology and award-winning animation.
Now in their 20th year, the Awards recognise and celebrate the visionaries, innovators and game-changers shaping Brisbane’s future and propelling its success as one of the fastest-growing urban economies in Australia and the Asia Pacific.
This year, 31 businesses and eight business leaders across all sectors and industries are finalists in the 11 categories, spanning grassroots start-ups to established global players.
Economic momentum
Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner said the 2025 event would celebrate two decades of local businesses driving innovation and fuelling Brisbane’s economic momentum.
“Brisbane has grown and flourished over the past 20 years because entrepreneurs and enterprises have driven bold ambition and helped Brisbane’s economy surpass $200 billion,” Schrinner said.
According to Brisbane Economic Development Agency’s 2025 State of the City report, the Brisbane economy has topped $200 billion, a $28 billion – or 16% – uplift since 2020. Additionally, employment has surged by 22% in the same period.
Brisbane is also home to Australia’s fastest-growing experience economy, with a record $13.7 billion visitor spend and domestic growth three times higher than the next capital.
Innovation pipeline
Among this pool of local talent are start-ups offering renewable energy and safety innovation solutions, tourism initiatives improving the visitor economy, hospitality companies serving the best of Brisbane to the world, and organisations on the cutting-edge of MedTech and health breakthroughs.
The finalists represent diverse, fast-growing industries including sustainability, urban development, MedTech, hospitality, tourism and social enterprise. Notable finalists include AI Carer in product innovation, Blue Carbon Pty Ltd in environmental sustainability, and Audeara Limited competing in multiple categories including business transformation and international business.
“I congratulate this year’s finalists, all of whom have made their mark on Brisbane and on national and international stages,” Schrinner said.
Global recognition
Brisbane is celebrated in the 2024 Global Startup Ecosystem Report, creating $10.8 billion in Ecosystem Value. This recognition reflects the broader transformation taking place across Queensland’s capital.
The government is committed to making Brisbane an innovation powerhouse. The focus on funding, business support, and resources to build its innovation economy, drive growth, and create jobs means Brisbane is ready to take its startups and scaleups global. The new $150 million Innovation Economy Fund is boosting infrastructure and equipment improvements in precincts focused on priority industries and growth sectors.
Brisbane startups are already demonstrating this global reach, with Brisbane-based Convergence Medical, a medtech startup developing the world’s first arthroscopic surgical robot, raising $5 million in a Series A funding round led by U.S. firm Avicella Capital, valuing the company at over $30 million.
The Awards showcase the collaborative nature of doing business in Brisbane, with finalists representing the thriving and supportive business community that has emerged over two decades.
Future focus
“Brisbane’s momentum accelerates across key sectors including advanced manufacturing, logistics and knowledge industries. These businesses drive that growth and make Brisbane an even better place to live and work,” Schrinner noted.
Since its inception in 2006, the Lord Mayor’s Business Awards has honoured more than 180 local businesses and change-makers. This year’s categories span from the Accenture Australia Product Innovation Award through to individual recognition including the Port of Brisbane Young Business Person of the Year Award. The broader startup ecosystem continues to deliver impressive outcomes, with Australian startups collectively raising millions weekly across diverse sectors from medtech to agricultural technology.
The young business person finalists include Alexandra French from Nadu, Jasmine O’Reilly from The Outlier Group, Dr Navid Toosi Saidy from Propel Health AI, and Rob Joseph from Anti Ordinary Pty Ltd.
Meanwhile, the Business Person of the Year Award features Brett Clark AM from Chemist Warehouse, Michael Rayner AM from Blight Rayner, Garth Chester from Valenhold, and Karuna Mazzocchi from Coronis Group.
“Beyond individual recognition, the Awards showcase the collaborative nature of doing business in Brisbane,” Schrinner said.
The 11 category winners, culminating in the Optus Platinum Award, will be announced at the 2025 Lord Mayor’s Business Awards gala on Thursday 6 November at Brisbane City Hall.
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