Untitled Group

Smart50 Resilience Award winner

This year’s Smart50 Resilience Award winner is Untitled Group, Australia’s largest independent music and events promoter.

What started with humble nightclub events in Melbourne back in 2017 quickly developed into a brand that grows events recognised on a global scale, such as Beyond The Valley, Pitch Music & Arts, and Grapevine Gathering, as well as fostering the careers of domestic and international touring artists.

“Untitled prides itself on being at the forefront of social and cultural movements,” said founder Michael Christidis. “We are deeply connected to our audience, which has allowed us to grow some of the most exciting, innovative and reputable brands in the Australian music industry today.”

Few if any sectors were as heavily impacted by COVID-19 as the entertainment industry. For Untitled Group, the mere fact that it survived when so many other brands folded is a success story in itself. At the height of the pandemic, its revenue fell to zero, giving it no choice but to adapt.

“We pursued various initiatives which underpinned this growth,” Christidis said. “We invested in Australian startups through our venture capital arm, Untitled Ventures.”

Untitled Group was an early investor in ventures such as QR code mobile ordering solution Mr Yum, which recently raised $89 million in the third-largest Series A in Australian history. The co-founders have also taken a 25% stake in The Daily Aus, Australia’s fastest-growing media company.

Not content to sit on their hands while the pandemic swept up their competition, the founders also launched creative marketing agency Undersc_re and are now diversifying into ventures such as Ugly vodka, which they call the world’s first sustainable vodka.

The future looks bright for a brand that was facing collapse just a few short years ago. Untitled Group exemplifies resilience, and through pivoting the business, they not only survived but prospered.

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