Food waste recycling startup Goterra leads the pack in the Startup Daily Best in Tech Awards, selected as a finalist in three of the 15 categories in 2024.
The winner of the 2023 Best Sustainability Startup award is a finalist in the Startup of the Year, Most Innovative Startup, and Best Startup Culture categories.
Last year’s Startup of The Year winner Hysata, who recently raised a record $172 million Series B also returns in the Best Culture category.
Startup Daily editor Simon Thomsen said there was strong competition across many categories, with around a third receiving around 40 nominations from more than 250 entries overall.
“In 2024 we decided to scale too, with five new awards taking the total to 15. They include future leader, the AI gamechanger, Best Startup Event, Investor of the Year and my personal favourite, the GSD Award, which feature four finalists who really are getting a ton of shit done,” he said.
This year also saw the number of finalists increased from 3 in the inaugural awards last year to four in 2024, meaning the number of finalists doubled to 60 alongside a 50% increase in categories.
“I want to thank our judges so much for their wisdom and dedication to select our 60 finalists and ultimately the winners,” Thomsen said.
“It’s been great to observe the progress by some of those who nominated last year, including winners such as Goterra, which features again in a record three categories this year, as well as the new comers.
“I’m especially excited by the investor finalists, and more importantly, with future leader finalists, with the judges selecting two women and two men. See, it can be done. ”
Xylo Systems cofounder and CEO Camille Goldstone-Henry
Female founders and women feature strongly among the finalists, including Xylo Systems in the Sustainability category and Cauldron in Best Regional Startup. Industry champion features three women: Cheryl Mack from Aussie Angels, Emily Casey from What the Health, and Vicki Stirling from The Startup Network. Female founder-focused LaunchVic sidecar fund, the Alice Anderson Fund is a finalist in Investor of the Year.
The second year of the Best in Tech awards has seen AWS Startups return as major sponsor, with the Tank Stream Labs S2S Summit, ACS Labs and more to be announced.
The winners of the 2024 Startup Daily Best in Tech Awards will be announced at a gala dinner in Sydney’s ivy Ballroom on Wednesday, September 4.
Tickets are on sale now through the social impact startup Humanitix for $220 or $2000 a table of 10.
S2S Summit will also present the awards night after party in the ivy Penthouse.
Startup Daily has also partnered the Spark Festival with the awards to be one of the signature events of the week-long startup and tech event.
Spark co-CEO David Lillo-Trynes said they are thrilled to welcome the Startup Daily Best in Tech Awards 2024 as a highlight of the Spark Festival 2024 program.
This celebration not only aligns with our mission to spark engagement into and across the ecosystem but also recognises the outstanding contributions of individuals and startups shaping Australia’s tech landscape,” he said.
“It’s a testament to our vibrant community’s dedication to driving impactful change and pushing the boundaries of the new economy.”
Thomsen said he’s thrilled to have the support of AWS Startups and many other sponsors to make the awards possible.
“This is a mammoth effort, and just has the AWS Startups team helps founders succeed, we really appreciate their support in helping us recognise those achievements,” he said.
Here are the 2024 Best in Tech finalists.
Startup of the Year
Goterra
Consultmed
Fortiro
Pathzero
Scaleup of the Year
Assurance Lab
Hnry
Xemplo
Deputy
Most Innovative Startup
Goterra
Nourish
Agili8
Tetratherix
Best Startup Culture
Goterra
Hysata
Cake
Hnry
Best regional startup
Cauldron
Everlast Networks
Vennu
Cough-up
Industry Champion
Cheryl Mack, CEO, Aussie Angels
Cheryl Mack, Aussie Angels
Emily Casey, What the Health
Vicki Stirling, The Startup Network
Dickie Currer, Tech Advocates Australia
Best sustainability startup
Samsara Eco
Net Nada
Xylo Systems
Volt Solar Tiles
Best New Idea
Build Buddy
Sunflower AI
Truyu
Andromeda Robotics
Best Technical Leader
Anna El Tahchy, Nourish Ingredients
Vincenzo Marciano, Build Buddy
Sam Fitz-Roy, NRN
Lena Fussan, Waterfall Finance
Best New Founder
Sean Law, Doohly
Vikram Palit, Consultmed
Rehka Kharbanda, Infinity Studio
Clinton Hopkins, ONVOL
The AI Gamechanger
Marqo
Curious Thing
Consultmed
Andromeda Robotics
Best Startup Event
Hunter Innovation Festival
_Southstart
Agrifutures evokeAG
Spark Festival
Startup Investor of the Year
Startmate
Skalata
Alice Anderson Fund
UNSW Founders Fund
Future Leader
Dina Titkova, UNSW Founders
Caitlin Tanaka, Youth in Motion
Alan Hunter, NRN
Mitchell Hughes, NextGen Ventures
The GSD Award
Birchal
Tank Stream Labs
Cut Through Venture
LaunchVic
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