Xero, the global small business platform, today announced the 28 small business and non-profit winners of the 2024 Xero Beautiful Business Fund, each winning a share of the NZ$750,000 global prize pool. The winners represent a diverse group of organisations committed to driving meaningful change and redefining what’s possible in the field they operate in.

Winners from Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Singapore, South Africa, the UK and the US were selected based on a 90-second video demonstrating how they would use the funding to support their future business goals. Xero small business and non-profit customers could enter under four categories: Innovating for environmental sustainability, Trailblazing with technology, Strengthening community connection, and Upskilling for the future.

The 28 country winners each receive NZ$20,000 (or local currency equivalent) and four global winners receive an additional NZ$50,000 (or local currency equivalent).

The winners for 2024 are:

Innovating for environmental sustainability

Other Matter® (Australia) offers an innovative and environmentally responsible alternative to traditional vinyl decals, and is the global winner in the ‘Innovating for environmental sustainability’ category. Crafted from a sustainable, algae-based polymer, the decals are fully recyclable and ensure a circular lifecycle. Funding will help Other Matter move production from being hand-made to automated systems.

Jessie French, founder at Other Matter®, said, “It’s a tremendous honour for Other Matter® to be recognised as the global winner in the sustainability category of the Xero Beautiful Business Fund. This achievement not only underscores our commitment to innovation and environmental responsibility but also comes at a pivotal stage. The prize will be directed towards scaling, a critical step in ensuring the success and viability of our decals as a sustainable alternative to toxic PVC signage and non-petrochemical material solutions. We are excited to accelerate our mission with this support.”

The additional country winners include:

• 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

Prosthetic Art Technology (Australia) is the ‘Trailblazing with technology’ global winner. Using a combination of advanced technology and sculpture, Prosthetic Art Technology empowers and supports people by providing life-changing silicone prosthetics. They’ll use the funding to upgrade key modelling software, purchase a new 3D printer, and research new 3D scanning technology.

Sophie Fleming, founder of Prosthetic Art Technology shared: "We are utterly thrilled to have won the Xero Beautiful Business Fund. These funds will have a significant impact on how we can develop and innovate our business through the use of technology. There is a huge gap in bringing prosthetics to life for the people that need them, this gap is physical, geographical, and financial. Thanks to the fund, we can now continue to work to bridge the divide."

The additional country winners include:

• Flourishing Postpartum (Canada)
• Cusp Studio (New Zealand)
• Tack One (Singapore)
• Atomedge (South Africa)
• Primary Care International (UK)
• Ocean Conservation Research (US)

Strengthening community connection

The Bowling Club (New Zealand) is a community eatery offering $4 meals—or free for anyone in need and this year’s global winner in the ‘Strengthening community connection’ category. 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.

Jackie Bannon, The Bowling Club co-owner, said, “Winning the Xero Beautiful Business fund brings a sense of relief & also a new sense of responsibility, deepening our motivation to invest in the long-term collective wellbeing of our community. The fund will enable us to create more sustainable systems so that we can more abundantly share nourishing food and safe spaces for everyone.”

The additional country winners include:

• Zenly (Australia)
• Well Suited Kingston (Canada)
• Foreword Coffee (Singapore)
• The Underdog Project (South Africa)
• Art Works South Yorkshire (UK)
• The Chicago Tool Library (US)

Upskilling for the future

The Code Zone (UK) offers online and local coding clubs for kids aged six and upwards and is the global winner in the ‘Upskilling for the future’ category. Through the clubs, kids can learn to code in a fun and inclusive way while equipping them with critical thinking and problem-solving skills. The funding will help The Code Zone recruit and train more mentors and open more clubs to reach more children.

Ashley Payne, CEO of The Code Zone, shared: "Winning the Xero Beautiful Business Fund means the world to us at The Code Zone. This incredible support from Xero empowers us to expand our mission of making coding education accessible and fun for even more children across the UK and beyond. With this funding, we can reach new heights in upskilling the next generation, bridging the digital skills gap, and inspiring young minds to shape the future with technology. Thank you, Xero, for believing in our vision and helping us create lasting change.”

The additional country winners include:

• 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)

Sukhinder Singh Cassidy, Xero CEO, said: “Xero is proud to support all of the winners of the 2024 Xero Beautiful Business Fund. Your passion, ambition, and commitment to your communities truly embodies the spirit of what the fund is all about. Congratulations to our winners and thank you to all the entrants for sharing your stories and inspiring us as we pursue our purpose to make life better for small businesses, their advisors and communities worldwide.”

This year’s 28 country winners for the fund were chosen by a panel of five judges in each country. The 28 winners were then assessed by a global judging panel made up of six global judges who selected the four global winners — one for each category. This year’s global judging panel included Mike Cohen, Global Head of Partnerships, Square; Kate Dundas, Executive Director, UN Global Compact Network Australia; Melissa Laurie, Founder & Managing Director, Oysterly (2023 Xero Beautiful Business Fund winner); Lara Brennan, Partner, Advisory & Outsourcing, Forvis Mazars; James Bergin, EGM, Technology Research & Advocacy, Xero and Sukhinder Singh Cassidy, CEO, Xero.