We’re thrilled to announce the global and country winners of the 2024 Xero Beautiful Business Fund, who each share in the NZ$750,000 total prize pool. We were blown away by the entries from passionate small businesses and non-profits across seven countries. Our judging panels were both inspired and challenged by the task of selecting 28 exceptional winners. A special thanks to our judges, and a huge thank you to all who entered and shared their wonderful stories.
Small businesses from Australia, the UK, the US, Canada, New Zealand, Singapore, and South Africa shared 90-second videos explaining how they would use the funds in one of the four categories: innovating for environmental sustainability, strengthening community connection, trailblazing with technology and upskilling for the future. The fantastic entries reiterated what we know about our customers – they’re passionate individuals dedicated to making a difference in their communities.
The four global winners each receive NZ$70,000 (or the local currency equivalent) and the other 24 winners each receive NZ$20,000 (or the local currency equivalent). Check out the winners in our announcement video below:
Strengthening community connection
Congratulations to the global winner in this category, The Bowling Club. It’s a community eatery in New Zealand offering $4 meals, or free meals, to those in need. Originally a food truck, it now serves an average of 900 meals per night with a team of 23 staff members. The funding will go towards a new blast chiller and storage to help meet growing community needs. We can’t wait to see the impact it makes.
Congratulations to the other country winners too:
- Zenly (Australia)
- Well Suited Kingston (Canada)
- Foreword Coffee (Singapore)
- The Underdog Project (South Africa)
- Art Works South Yorkshire (UK)
- The Chicago Tool Library (US)
Innovating for environmental sustainability
Congratulations to Australian small business, Other Matter®, the global winner in this category. They offer an innovative and environmentally responsible alternative to traditional vinyl decals. Crafted from a sustainable, algae-based polymer, the decals are fully recyclable and enable a circular lifecycle. Funding will help Other Matter® move production from being handmade to using automated systems. We’re excited to see this unique approach to decals grow.
Congratulations to the other country winners too:
- Glory Allan (Canada)
- Confidential Document Destruction (New Zealand)
- Seven Clean Seas (Singapore)
- House Harvest (South Africa)
- Kapdaa (UK)
- Sea Quester Farms (US)
Trailblazing with technology
Congratulations to Prosthetic Art Technology, an Australian company using technology and sculpture to empower and support people by creating life-changing silicone prosthetics, and the global winner in this category. They’ll use the funding to upgrade key modelling software, purchase a new 3D printer, and research new 3D scanning technology. We look forward to seeing the impact of this new technology on their business.
Congratulations to the other country winners too:
- Flourishing Postpartum (Canada)
- Cusp Studio (New Zealand)
- Tack One (Singapore)
- Atomedge (South Africa)
- Primary Care International (UK)
- Ocean Conservation Research (US)
Upskilling for the future
Congratulations to the global winner, UK-based The Code Zone, who offer online and local coding clubs for kids aged six and upwards. Through the clubs, kids can learn to code in a fun and inclusive way while getting equipped with critical thinking and problem-solving skills. We’re delighted that the funding will help The Code Zone recruit and train more mentors and open more clubs to reach more children.
Congratulations to the other country winners too:
- Anika Legal (Australia)
- Flourish Kitchen (Canada)
- Christchurch Riding for the Disabled Association (New Zealand)
- Two Men Bagel House (Singapore)
- ABEOD (South Africa)
- Kendra Baker Veterinary Relief Services (US)
Again, congratulations to all of our winners and a heartfelt thank you to everyone who participated.
Learn more about the 2024 winners and their incredible stories on our website. Or follow Xero on LinkedIn, Facebook and Instagram for more updates and opportunities like this.
First launched in 2023, the Xero Beautiful Business Fund aims to empower Xero’s small business customers to achieve their growth plans and drive future success.
The post Announcing the 2024 winners of the Xero Beautiful Business Fund appeared first on Xero Blog.
