Greater Hobart’s top small businesses have been put in the spotlight with the official launch of the inaugural 2026 Greater Hobart Small Business Excellence Awards.
Finalists, sponsors and Business Greater Hobart representatives gathered at Florage Tasmania on Wednesday to mark the occasion ahead of the awards ceremony next month.
Winners across seven categories will be announced at RACV Hotel Hobart on Saturday, August 15.
Business Greater Hobart chair Edwin Johnstone said the finalists showcased the strength and diversity of the region’s small business community.
“Small businesses create jobs, drive our economy and bring our communities to life,” he said.
“These awards celebrate the people behind them, their hard work, resilience and ambition.”
“Our inaugural finalists are outstanding and we look forward to recognising their achievements.”
The awards come as new research paints a positive picture for small business across the state more broadly.
Launceston has been named one of the best cities in Australia to start a business, ranking seventh nationally in a 2026 study by accounting software company Reckon.
The research evaluated Australia’s 50 largest cities across 17 factors including talent pool, business landscape, internet speed and cost of living.
Launceston scored 63.60 out of 100, bolstered by strong results for business landscape, internet speed and cost of living.
The city climbed 10 places from its 2025 ranking, making it the only Tasmanian city in the national top 10.
Hobart also improved, rising from 16th to 13th nationally with a score of 56.67.
Reckon chief executive Sam Allert said regional areas are becoming increasingly attractive business hubs.
“Previously top-scoring cities like Perth and Geelong are starting to lose some ground, while cities such as Brisbane, Toowoomba or Launceston are beginning to surge ahead,” he said.
Tickets and a full list of finalists for the greater Hobart Small Business Excellence Awards are available through the Business Greater Hobart website.
