Old jeans, tiny homes, and bugs galore: The 2026 Smart50 Awards category winners

Detailed summary

The winners of the 2026 Smart50 Awards category honours prove there’s more than one way to build a successful business. Australia’s fastest-growing businesses aren’t just posting…

AI-powered healthcare, cashback payments, wool packaging and giant cockroach costumes. The winners of the 2026 Smart50 Awards category honours prove there’s more than one way to build a successful business.

Australia’s fastest-growing businesses aren’t just posting impressive revenue figures. They’re finding new ways to tackle old problems, build stronger teams and compete on the world stage.

Here are the businesses and entrepreneurs taking home the category honours at the 2026 Smart50 Awards.

Fresh bok choy, seafood, pantry staples and household essentials — putting together an Asian home-cooked meal can mean running around between several different shops. Sydney-based online grocer Umall is making that a thing of the past.

Founded in 2020 by Ming Chen, Dapeng Zhang, Jing Zhu and Xiaoming Xu, the business brings Asian groceries, fresh produce, meat, seafood and household essentials together on one platform, delivering directly to customers’ doors.

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Keeping fresh produce in stock and customers happy is no easy task. Umall uses shopper feedback and purchasing data to anticipate demand, keep popular products available, and reduce food waste.

The formula has proven successful, with revenue surging from $16.4 million in FY24 to $63.6 million in FY26.

Staying ahead of the curve, Umall is investing in warehouse automation and AI-powered demand forecasting to make grocery shopping even more convenient.

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