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Entrepreneurship plays an important role in building connections between France and Australia. For Bilateral Solutions, supporting the people behind those businesses is a natural extension of our work with international companies operating in Australia.
The French-Australian Excellence Awards, organised by Le Courrier Australien, celebrate the outstanding contributions of French and Australian citizens and organisations whose talent, entrepreneurial spirit, innovation and dedication enrich the French-Australian community and strengthen the relationship between the two countries.
Bilateral Solutions is proud to support the Entrepreneurship category of the 2026 Awards.
What does the Entrepreneurship category recognise?
The Entrepreneurship category recognises individuals, teams and organisations demonstrating outstanding entrepreneurial spirit, innovation and business acumen.
The 2026 criteria recognise those who have successfully launched and grown a business, showing resilience, creativity and leadership in responding to challenges and opportunities.
Importantly, the category is broader than technology entrepreneurship. The criteria specifically exclude technology startups and recognise entrepreneurial achievements across a wider range of businesses and sectors.
The Awards also look at the impact of entrepreneurship: from innovative products and disruptive business models to social entrepreneurship, industry impact, community contribution, economic growth and innovation.
In other words, entrepreneurship is not simply about starting a business. It is about creating something meaningful, responding to challenges and generating value.
Why this category matters to Bilateral Solutions
For Bilateral Solutions, supporting entrepreneurship is closely aligned with the work we do every day.
Your Australian partner for international business, Bilateral Solutions supports overseas companies establishing, representing and operating their businesses and subsidiaries in Australia.
A key part of our work is providing local representation and practical support for international companies that need a trusted Australian presence. This includes Public Officer, Local Director and Local Agent services, alongside the financial, tax and administrative support required to operate successfully in Australia.
Our services include:
- Local representation and Australian business support
- Australian company setup and compliance
- Public Officer, Local Director and Local Agent services
- Bookkeeping and accounting
- Australian tax compliance and company tax returns
- Payroll management
- International and group reporting
- Ongoing financial and administrative support
We work closely with overseas management teams and adapt our services to their structure, reporting requirements and Australian operations.
This gives us a close understanding of the practical realities that international businesses face when entering or operating in the Australian market.
Entrepreneurship requires more than a strong idea. Building and operating a business also means understanding the local environment, meeting Australian requirements, managing financial and administrative responsibilities and having the right support in place.
That is where local expertise and representation can make a difference.
A French-Australian perspective on business
Bilateral Solutions was founded by Martine Joly, Australian Chartered Accountant, registered Tax Agent and member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.
Martine’s professional background spans both France and Australia, bringing an international perspective together with Australian expertise.
That perspective is central to Bilateral Solutions’ work with overseas companies establishing and operating in Australia.
Whether a business is entering the Australian market, establishing a subsidiary or already operating in Australia, having a trusted local partner can help provide the expertise, representation and ongoing support needed to navigate the Australian business environment.
It is also why recognising entrepreneurs contributing to the French-Australian business community feels particularly relevant to Bilateral Solutions.
Entrepreneurs help build connections between markets. They develop businesses, create opportunities, form partnerships and contribute to the broader business community.
The French-Australian Excellence Awards provide an opportunity to recognise that contribution.
Celebrating different paths to entrepreneurship
One of the strengths of the Entrepreneurship category is that there is no single definition of entrepreneurial success.
Entrepreneurship can take many forms: building a business from the ground up, developing an innovative approach to an established industry, creating a new business model, responding successfully to challenges or developing an initiative that creates meaningful social or community impact.
The 2026 category criteria reflect this breadth by recognising resilience, creativity, leadership, innovation and impact alongside business growth.
That makes the category an opportunity to shine a light on entrepreneurs whose contribution may extend well beyond their own organisation.
Continuing a tradition of recognising entrepreneurial talent
Bilateral Solutions has proudly supported the Entrepreneurship category since the inaugural French-Australian Excellence Awards in 2021.
As a loyal supporter of the Awards, Bilateral Solutions has continued to stand behind the category across all five previous editions and is proud to support the sixth edition in 2026.
Among the winners from these previous editions are:
- 2021 | Cyprien Picard (Victor Churchill)
- 2022 | Maitena Hernandez (My Little France)
- 2023 | Sandra Ira (France at Home)
- 2024 | Dominique Gill (Urban Core)
- 2025 | Geoffroy Henry (Ofload)
These entrepreneurs reflect the diversity of businesses and entrepreneurial journeys recognised through the Awards, and the contribution that French-Australian entrepreneurs make to the broader business community.
For Bilateral Solutions, being part of that recognition year after year is an opportunity to support the people behind the businesses — and the ideas, determination, innovation and leadership that drive them.
Who should you nominate?
If you know an entrepreneur whose achievements deserve recognition, the 2026 French-Australian Excellence Awards are an opportunity to put their name forward.
The nominee should demonstrate the qualities outlined in the Entrepreneurship category, including entrepreneurial spirit, innovation, business acumen, resilience, creativity and leadership, together with a meaningful impact on their industry, community or the broader economy.
Anyone can nominate a candidate, making it an opportunity to recognise an entrepreneur whose contribution deserves greater visibility. Nominations close tonight 21 September 2026.
👉 You can still nominate someone for the 2026 French-Australian Excellence Awards:
https://forms.gle/sPzGka79cSLHAv6FA
Proud to support entrepreneurship
Entrepreneurs play an important role in strengthening connections between France and Australia.
At Bilateral Solutions, we see the practical side of international business every day. We help overseas companies establish, represent and operate their businesses and subsidiaries in Australia, providing local expertise, representation and ongoing financial, tax and administrative support.
Supporting the Entrepreneurship category allows us to extend that role by recognising the people whose ambition, innovation, resilience and leadership contribute to the wider French-Australian business community.
We look forward to seeing the entrepreneurs nominated for the 2026 French-Australian Excellence Awards and to celebrating their achievements in Melbourne on 5 November 2026.