Business NSW Aligned Awards

The Outstanding New Business Award recognises a start-up that has effectively driven growth and is able to demonstrate potential to achieve future success.

Entry Criteria

Entrants must demonstrate their commitment to being an outstanding start-up over the past 12 months. This category is open to businesses that have been trading for less than 24 months at the time of entry.

Award eligibility check box
✓ This business has been trading for a period of less than two years and is not bankrupt or trading insolvent at the time of entry.
✓ This business has not been purchased or acquired and is not part of a franchise.
✓ The business has not entered the categories of Outstanding Community Organisation, Excellence in Micro Business, Excellence in Small Business or Excellence in Business.
✓ A representative of this business has not been a judge in this category in 2024.
✓ A representative of this business is not a judge in the 2025 Business Awards program.

Questions
1. Provide an overview of your business, including the product or service you offer, how you identified the market need and who your target customers are. Maximum word count: 200
2. Provide an overview of the key features of your business development strategy and projected outcomes for the future. Maximum word count: 300
3. Describe why your product or service offering is unique within your industry and differentiates your business from competitors. Maximum word count: 300
4. Detail the measurable growth and key milestones you have achieved since launching your business. Maximum word count: 400
5. Describe the key challenges your business has faced as a new business and how you overcame them. Maximum word count: 400

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The Excellence in Micro Business Award recognises a business that has effectively driven growth and can demonstrate the specific strategies implemented to achieve business success and/or resilience.

Entry criteria

Entrants must demonstrate their achievements in business excellence over the past 12 months at the time of entry. This category is open to businesses with fewer than five employees at the time of entry, that have been trading for more than 24 months.

Award eligibility check box
✓This business has been trading for a continuous period of two years or more and is not bankrupt or trading insolvent at the time of entry.
✓ This business has fewer than five employees on the payroll in Australia at the time of entry.
✓ This business has not entered the categories of Outstanding Community Organisation, Outstanding New Business, Excellence in Small Business or Excellence in Business.
✓ A representative of this business has not been a judge in this category in 2024.
✓ A representative of this business is not a judge in the 2025 Business Awards program.

Questions
1. Detail what your business goals and key milestones were for the past 12 months and how you achieved all or part of them. Maximum word count: 300
2. Provide an overview of the key features of your business plan including goals, innovations, strategies, and projected future outcomes. Maximum word count: 400
3. Describe what makes your product or service unique within your industry and how it differentiates your business from its competitors. Maximum word count: 400
4. Demonstrate how your business contributes to the local economy in your region. Maximum word count: 400
5. Describe the key challenges your business has faced over the past 12 months and explain how. Maximum word count: 400

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The Excellence in Small Business Award recognises a business that has effectively driven growth and can demonstrate the strategies implemented to achieve business success and/or resilience.

Entry criteria

Entrants must demonstrate their achievements in business excellence over the past 12 months. This category is open to businesses with five to 20 employees at the time of entry, who have been trading for more than 24 months at the time of entry.

Award eligibility check box
✓ This business has been trading for a continuous period of two years or more and is not bankrupt or trading insolvent at the time of entry.
✓ This business has five to 20 employees on the payroll in Australia at the time of entry.
✓ This business has not entered the categories of Outstanding Community Organisation, Outstanding New Business, Excellence in Micro Business or Excellence in Business.
✓ A representative of this business has not been a judge in this category in 2024.
✓ A representative of this business is not a judge in the 2025 Business Awards program.

Questions
1. Detail what your business goals and key milestones were for the past 12 months and how you achieved all or part of them. Maximum word count: 300
2. Provide an overview of the key features of your business plan including goals, innovations, strategies, and projected future outcomes. Maximum word count: 400
3. Describe what makes your product or service unique within your industry and how it differentiates your business from competitors. Maximum word count: 400
4. Demonstrate how your business contributes to the local economy in your region. Maximum word count: 400
5. Describe the key challenges your business has faced over the past 12 months and explain how you have managed their impact on your business’s strategic direction. Maximum word count: 400

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The Excellence in Large Business Award recognises a business that has effectively driven growth and can demonstrate the specific strategies implemented to achieve business success and/or resilience.

Entry criteria

Entrants must demonstrate their achievements in business excellence over the past 12 months. This category is open to businesses with 21 or more employees at the time of entry, who have been trading for more than 24 months at the time of entry.

Award eligibility check box
✓ This business has been trading for a continuous period of two years or more and is not bankrupt or trading insolvent at the time of entry.
✓ This business has 21 or more employees on the payroll in Australia at the time of entry.
✓ This business has not entered the categories of Outstanding Community Organisation, Outstanding New Business, Excellence in Micro Business or Excellence in Small Business.
✓ A representative of this business has not been a judge in this category in 2024.
✓ A representative of this business is not a judge in the 2025 Business Awards program.

Questions
1. Detail what your business goals and key milestones were for the past 12 months and how you achieved all or part of them. Maximum word count: 300
2. Provide an overview of the key features of your business plan including goals, innovations, strategies, projected outcomes for the future. Maximum word count: 400
3. Describe what makes your product or service unique within your industry and how it differentiates your business from competitors. Maximum word count: 400
4. Demonstrate how your business contributes to the local economy in your region. Maximum word count: 400
5. Describe the key challenges your business has faced over the past 12 months and explain how you have managed their impact on your business’s strategic direction. Maximum word count: 400

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The Outstanding Community Organisation Award recognises an organisation that works to improve the social, cultural, or environmental wellbeing of the community.

Entry criteria

Entrants must demonstrate their commitment over the past 12 months to being an outstanding community organisation. This category is open to social enterprises and not-for-profit organisations that have been trading for a period of over 24 months at the time of entry.

Award eligibility check box
✓ The organisation has been trading for a continuous period of two or more years and is not bankrupt or trading insolvent at the time of entry.
✓ The organisation has not entered the categories of Outstanding New Business, Excellence in Micro Business, Excellence in Small Business or Excellence in Large Business.
✓ A representative of this business has not been a judge in this category in 2024.
✓ A representative of this business is not a judge in the 2025 Business Awards program.

Questions
1. Explain the social purpose of your organisation and how it contributes to the social, cultural, or environmental wellbeing of the community. Maximum word count: 300
2. Provide an overview of your organisation, including the product or service you deliver within the community. Maximum word count: 200
3. Provide an overview of the key features of your business development strategy and projected outcomes for the future. Maximum word count: 300
4. Demonstrate how your organisation contributes to the local economy in your region. Maximum word count: 400
5. Outline the key challenges your organisation has faced over the past 12 months and explain how you have managed the impact of these challenges. Maximum word count: 400

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