—— 2026 AWARDS NOW OPEN

Our History

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OVER TWO DECADES

Of consistent, credible evaluation

The Consensus Awards was established in 2000 with a clear objective: to identify innovation with real potential before it is widely recognised.

Over the past 25 years, the program has conducted more than 1,200 independent evaluations and recognised over 200 winners across multiple industries.

What distinguishes Consensus is not just longevity, but consistency.

The same structured approach to evaluation has been applied year after year, resulting in a strong track record of identifying organisations that go on to achieve meaningful success.

Current analysis has shown that 9 out of 10 Consensus winners have gone on to perform strongly in their respective markets, both in Australia and internationally.

This level of accuracy is the result of a disciplined judging process and the involvement of experienced industry professionals over time.

Today, the program continues to evolve.

Independent analysis was undertaken in collaboration with the University of Sydney during April and May 2026, alongside a global review of innovation awards programs to benchmark Consensus against international standards.

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A LEGACY

Of identifying future leaders

Many of today's successful organisations were once unknown entrants seeking recognition and validation.

Throughout its history, Consensus has consistently identified businesses before they achieved widespread commercial success, creating a unique track record that continues to distinguish the program from traditional awards initiatives.

Over time, the program has evolved from a standalone awards initiative into a broader ecosystem incorporating networking events, showcase opportunities, industry engagement and future investment pathways.

While the format has evolved, the mission has remained unchanged: identifying innovation with genuine commercial potential.

2004 Winner - Atlassian

Scott Farquhar and Mike Cannon-Brookes receiving their Awards from (left) Edward Mandla,  President Australian Computer Society and (right) Julian Day, Founder Consensus Awards

PAST WINNERS

Consensus Awards - 2000

Winners with (centre) Senator Richard Alston, Minister for Information and Communications Technology and (right) Julian Day, Founder Consensus Awards

Consensus Awards - 2025

Winners - (L to R) Julian Day, Founder Consensus Awards, the Meizon team and Rapair Medical Devices, The Hon Jacqui Munro MLC, NSW Shadow Minister for Environment, Shadow Minister for Science and Technology, KRGS Roller Grilles and StackUp

  • “The Consensus Awards have a history of celebrating some of the most cutting-edge and innovative Australian tech companies, counting world-famous firms Atlassian and WiseTech Global as former recipients. I have no doubt that this year’s recipients will follow in their success.”

    Previous Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, who has presented Consensus Awards twice

  • “Julian Day at Consensus Awards encouraged us to enter in 2004 when we were launching our first product, JIRA. It focussed us to document exactly what our offering was, sharpen our USP’s, define our target market and confirm our go-to-market strategy. It was the first of many Awards we received but by far the most significant. It was so valuable as it gave us the encouragement to leverage off the win and promote technology assessed by a large independent panel of industry experts.”

    Mike Cannon-Brookes & Scott Farquhar, Atlassian Founders - Consensus Awards 2004 Winner

  • "We entered to validate our technology against the knowledge of a large number of industry expert judges and to ensure we were on track in terms of our offering to the market, our go-to-market strategy and our marketing material. Winning an Award opened doors for us around the world and put us on a steep growth path.”

    Richard White, Founder & CEO of ASX listed WiseTech Global - Consensus Software Awards Winner 2008

  • “Recstra entered the Consensus Awards in 2017. The application and presentation process was a real eye-opener. The judging panel were incredibly astute and looked at every aspect of the Recstra model during the presentations phase. We were humbled to win the award and to follow in the footsteps of such esteemed company as Atlassian and WiseTech Global is a real boost for us. Winning the award gave us access to the Consensus Network and I have received valuable counsel from many of the judges as we navigate our start-up phase. I would have no hesitation in recommending like-minded businesses to nominate for the Consensus Awards. The media coverage and ability to 'lean' on our win has definitely converted new clients.”

    Craig Watson – Recstra Founder - Consensus Awards 2017 Winner

  • "Winning the Consensus Award in 2018 gave Solo Cover a tremendous boost and provided an invaluable opportunity to network with leaders within the sector, as well as with other entrants. We are proud to join the ranks of previous winners which have gone on to become esteemed champions, such as Atlassian, WiseTech Global and Astute Payroll."

    Jay Cooper – SAMI Insurance Founder - Consensus Awards 2018 Winner

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