Trends from the SmartCompany50 Awards

The SmartCompany Class of ’07 are 50 of Australia’s fastest-growing and innovative companies – mostly private – that are building national and international businesses. Many of them are changing the business landscape forever.

In putting together this list to identify them and showcase all 50 of them for the 2006-07 year, we identified three key trends shaping business today.

Save the environment

Climate change has spawned a number of businesses on the SmartCompany50. While they are not providing planet-saving technology, they are proving very popular with guilty consumers trying to do their bit.

New Water, which has won the SmartCompany 2007 Award for Best Innovator sponsored by Allianz, came up with new technology to develop rainwater tanks to enable homes to reduce water consumption as much as 60%. And Ecowash Mobile has developed a waterless mobile car washing business.

Save time

Consumers are increasingly time poor. Any business that will not only save consumers time but can market the message in a simple compelling way, will do well. Contours, which started three years ago and now has revenue of $25.4 million, has a simple message and product for women who want to get into shape: all it takes is 29 minutes, three times a week.

Save money and make life easier

Industries are becoming increasingly globalised and more complex. Any software, tools or companies that can bring different parties together to work on projects are growing fast. Also outsourcing continues to boom. The latest trend is the large number of companies setting up to provide IT, bookkeeping, computer or marketing services to other small and medium businesses. This was until recently seen as a very difficult marketplace, with SMEs reluctant to spend money on outsourcing.

Save your health

Whether it is gyms, healthy salads or low-fat takeaways, health is a key trend, and businesses that are coming up with clear branding and a message, such as Healthy Habits and SumoSalad, are booming.

>> SmartCompany50 Award Winners

>> Top Story: Meet the SmartClass 07

>> The 2007 SmartCompany Awards

>> SmartCompany50 main list

>> SmartCompany50 state lists

>> SmartCompany50 industry lists

>> Photographs from the SmartCompany50 Award night