Who Can Enter

The Geelong Business Awards is open to the following:

The business must reside in Geelong & the Bellarine, Surf Coast, Queenscliff, Golden Plains area and be within 40 kms from the Geelong city centre.

Please note: A business also refers to a franchise or organization. It can apply to either a private and/or commercial business or department and to a part or fully funded government organisation or department including training/educational organisations and not for profit organisations.

• Have a registered Australian Business Number (ABN);
   
• The period of the 2021 awards is 1 April 2020 to 31 March 2021. Your business needs to have been operating for a minimum of 12 months during this period;
   
• If entering for the Emerging Business Category, have been operating between 12 to 36 months;
   
• Previous Business of the Year Award winners will not be eligible to enter a business category for the three years following their win i.e. Business of the Year winner in 2020 cannot enter in 2021, 2022 or 2023;

• Individual category: Young Entrepreneur entrants must be within the age category 18 years 40 years as of the time of entries closing date;
   
• Sponsors and Partners of the awards are allowed to enter, however must not enter the category that they sponsor or represent;
   
• The business that a Judge represents or owns is not allowed to enter the awards;
   
• Geelong Chamber of Commerce Board Members and their associated business are allowed to enter (as long as they are not a judge);  
   
• In the event that retiring judges wish (either individually or their business which they own all or part of and/or are employed at) to enter or re-enter the awards, they must sit out for a minimum of 1 year from their retirement from the judging panel.