30under30 2012

For a take on philanthropy that will stand yours on its head, meet Simon Griffiths, social entrepreneur and founder of Good Goods -- or, as he is better known in media circles, "that guy with the toilet paper rolls."

Weddings and weight loss: the two industries are a match made in heaven. Grace Bowe's Bride Body targets that very specific yet popular niche of women who want to walk off the kilograms before walking down the aisle.

Philip Sondhu spent his childhood on a farm, and as his career reveals, it's hard to take the country out of the country boy. FarmBuy.com, which he established in 2009, opens up the online market to agricultural real estate.

As the 'E' in BnE Media (her sister, Beth, is 'B'), Ellen Harvey has turned a one-off comic-book into a business producing digital storybooks for kids -- featuring the adventures of the two sisters' six-year-old alter egos, complete with illustration, animation and hidden fx.

David Wei may be less famous for any company he co-founded than for the company that bought him out. That's hardly a weak point, since his first business was Crowdmass, a specialty group-buying site, and the acquisition was made by Groupon. Yes, THAT Groupon.

My Shout is an app that lets friends invite others to drinks, and conversation, via 'shouts' or digital vouchers that can be redeemed at the bar. Co-founder Myron Festejo is selling the benefits -- greater human traffic, free Facebook publicity -- to get more venues to sign on.

Adam Long's newest venture, Beehive Digital Manufacturing, is devoted to customisable products made with sustainability in mind. Long found his breakthrough in the Panda Pad, a bamboo-cover notebook that pre-sold well over a thousand copies through a crafty Kickstarter campaign.

Jessie Larcombe says her brand's appeal relies on the five senses. Certainly, hearing is paramount, because Jesselle PR keeps the Brisbane fashion community in the hum of media buzz.

Couches on wheels with DJ decks, speakers and beer. Dude, it's for real. Mardy Daniel's Festival Couch is the newest attraction at concerts and outdoor events.

A seasoned academic and scientist, 28-year-old Lachlan Blackhall is also the linchpin of the startup business community in the ACT. And he has the CV to show for it. His current project, 17Dynamics, is a boutique consultancy firm providing growth and innovation solutions for institutions in government, education, technology, energy and engineering.