Mr Yum, Linktree and Brighte among Australia’s best startups to work for in 2021

An investment consultancy business has been named the best tech startup to work for in Australia, as COVID-19 sees priorities changing and new businesses coming to the fore.

The LinkedIn Top Startups 2021 list named 25 startups that are attracting and retaining employees, as some of the best places to work in Australia.

Advisory and investment consultancy firm Sayers took the number one spot, making its list debut.

Founded in 2020, mid-pandemic, the business describes itself as built ‘for the new economy’, and has seen its headcount grow by 45% over the past six months.

Payroll platform Employment Hero came in second place, followed by mattress startup Koala, food ordering and delivery startup Mr Yum and telehealth startup Eucalyptus.

Social media startup Linktree scored highly, taking eighth place, while Shippit and Brighte came in a ninth and tenth, respectively.

Other less tech-y businesses to be honoured included financial services firm Barrenjoey and construction company Kapitol Group.

Last year, neobanks dominated the top ten, with Judo Bank taking the top spot with Volt in Second and Xinja in fifth, this year Judo has slipped to seventh, while Volt comes in at number 12.

Xinja stopped trading as a bank in December last year.

But this year the list has shifted slightly, with about 60% of the startups listed not strictly coming from the technology industry.

Almost three quarters (72%) are also new entrants to the list.

In a statement, Mr Yum co-founder and chief executive Kim Teo said making the list is particularly meaningful, “because it is completely data-driven”.

It also speaks to the quality of the talent the startup has managed to attract, she added.

“The number one differentiation between startups is the team — it’s all down to execution,” Teo said. 

“This is testament to the incredible humans who have taken a chance, believed in our mission and are now killing it across the world.

“We have fun, lift each other up, run towards the fire and think 10x. So proud and grateful for the first 100 people to have hopped on this rocketship.”

Capucine Yeomans, managing editor at LinkedIn News Australia, said the changes in the list are indicative of a “great reshuffle”.

Some people are seeing startups as places where they can see career growth and the opportunity to contribute to a growing company, while also having flexibility in their work.

Workers at the top startups had an average of 9.1 years’ experience before they accepted their role, Yeomans noted, suggesting that experienced professionals are looking to startups for their next steps.

“Everyone is rethinking not just how we work, but why we work,” she said.

“Professionals are asking themselves the question: ‘what’s next?’ driven by changing priorities in their work and life.”

The list is compiled based on four metrics: employee growth; interest from jobseekers; member engagement with the business and other employees; and how well the startups attract talent from businesses on LinkedIn’s Top Companies list.

In order to be eligible, startups must be less than seven years old, and have at least 50 employees. They must also be privately held and headquartered in Australia.

You can see the full list of the top 25 startups to work for in Australia here.