Indigenous Business of the Year
Indigenous Business of the Year recognises an Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander-owned business demonstrating strong commercial performance, leadership, sustainable growth and measurable impact. It celebrates businesses creating economic opportunity, employment, industry capability and long-term value through the strength of the enterprise they have built.
Choose this category when: Your strongest story combines commercial business performance with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander ownership, leadership, economic participation and measurable impact.
Is this your category?
A quick read on the businesses this title is written for.
Demonstrates strong commercial performance and sustainable business growth.
Shows clear leadership, strategy and operational capability.
Creates meaningful employment, procurement, industry or economic opportunities.
Can demonstrate measurable outcomes for customers, people, industry or community.
What judges need to see.
The five areas your answers are assessed against.
Foundation
Foundation: Ownership, business model, commercial position and the opportunity the business is pursuing.
Results
Results: Financial performance, growth, customers, contracts, workforce and other measurable commercial outcomes.
Decisions
Decisions: Strategic choices, investment, innovation and execution that strengthened the business.
Leadership
Leadership: Leadership of people, culture, Indigenous participation, capability and business partnerships.
Impact
Impact: Economic opportunity, employment, procurement, industry contribution, community outcomes and future direction.
Evidence to start gathering
Financial evidence is required for this category. Entrants should support commercial claims with clear figures and appropriate documentation. Evidence may also demonstrate employment, workforce development, procurement, capability, industry contribution and other measurable outcomes created through the business.
Read the Evidence Pack guideRevenue, profit or commercial growth with clear timeframes.
Customer, contract or market growth.
Employment and workforce development outcomes.
Indigenous employment or career progression data.
Procurement or supplier outcomes involving Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander businesses.
Training, mentoring or capability-development outcomes.
Major projects, partnerships or industry milestones.
Community, regional or economic outcomes supported by measurable evidence.
Entry details and eligibility
The format, the dates and the conditions that apply to this title.
The business must be at least 51% Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander owned, managed and controlled.
- Assessment period
- 2024–27.
- Minimum business age
- 12 months.
- Written responses
- 5.
- Evidence Pack
- 5 pages.
1 January 2024 to 28 February 2027
Minimum 12 months in business as at 4 October 2026.
5 written responses, up to 400 words each.
One PDF, up to 5 pages and 10 MB.
Resources
Before you enter
Five short reads that answer almost everything. Each one opens the Entry Guide at the right place.
Evidence Pack guide
What counts as evidence, what does not, and how to lay the PDF out.
Full eligibility
The rules that apply to every title, including trading dates and locations.
How judging works
Who reads your entry, how it is scored and how finalists are chosen.
Build a strong entry
How to answer the five questions with specifics instead of adjectives.
Frequently asked questions
Costs, deadlines, multiple entries and everything else people ask first.
RAYE Awards 2027
Indigenous Business of the Year
Entries are written and submitted in the RAYE Awards portal, a separate system to RAYE Haus. Read the criteria, gather your evidence, then head across.