Twenty-one Australian women-led businesses have been named finalists in the 2026 Stevie Awards for Women in Business, collectively securing 70 Stevie Awards—roughly one in every 14 awarded in a competition that attracted over 1,500 entries from 56 nations and territories. The finalists, announced on September 18, represent a cross-section of industries and backgrounds, from property development to dementia care, and will learn whether they have won gold, silver, or bronze at a ceremony in New York City on November 16.
The scale of the Australian achievement is notable. Raquel Manning of Blue Diamond Property Group leads with eight Stevies, including Lifetime Achievement and Woman of the Year in Real Estate. Shelly McElroy of Dream Culture follows with seven, while Katrina Wurm and Michelle Wollaston each have six. Malini Raj of the Australian Multicultural Women's Alliance has five, and Kerry Bolton's Caring Lotus has four. These women are not just participants; they are setting a benchmark for recognition in a global competition that honours the achievements of women executives, entrepreneurs, and employees worldwide.
The implications of this recognition extend beyond individual accolades. Awards like these provide visibility and credibility that can open doors to new markets, partnerships, and funding. For women who have often been overlooked in male-dominated fields, the Stevie Awards offer a platform to showcase their accomplishments and challenge systemic biases. As Annette Densham, award strategist at Award Writing Services, noted, "I've been doing this a long time, and it still gives me goosebumps when the finalist list drops. These are women who get on with it and rarely stop to look at what they've built. Entering the Stevie Awards is that pause to pat themselves on the back and reflect on what they've accomplished." Densham's firm was itself recognised in six categories, including Best New Product or Service for its Breadcrumb Method, a system for turning expertise into visible, verifiable authority.
The Stevie Awards for Women in Business, now in their 23rd year, have become a premier global honour, named after the Greek word for "crowned." Maggie Miller, president of the Stevie Awards, said, "As the Stevie Awards for Women in Business marks its 23rd year, we continue to be impressed by the remarkable accomplishments represented among the nominations. It's especially rewarding to see the significance a Stevie Award holds for women and the recognition it brings to their achievements, careers, and organizations." The ceremony in New York will be broadcast live, with more than 400 women and their guests expected to attend.
For Australian business, the strong showing signals a maturing ecosystem where women-led ventures are not only surviving but thriving. The finalists span sectors from health and fitness to accounting and media, demonstrating that women are leading innovation across the economy. Their success may encourage more women to pursue entrepreneurship and seek recognition for their work. As Densham observed, "People think awards are about the trophy or ego or bragging. For most of my clients, the moment that matters is reading their story and realising they've done a lot more than they gave themselves credit for."
Details about the Stevie Awards for Women in Business and the full list of winners are available at Women.StevieAwards.com. Entries for the 2027 awards open in May. More information about the Stevie Awards is available at www.StevieAwards.com, and about Award Writing Services at www.awardwritingservices.com.
