Meet South Australia’s 40 Under 40 of 2025

FIRST AMONG EQUALS AWARD
PRESENTED BY RAA

Johnny Tran

Founder and CEO of Comfresh Group

You might not know his name, but you’ve certainly tasted Johnny Tran’s fresh vegetable produce.

From humble beginnings, the founder and CEO of Comfresh Group has transformed his produce business into one of the largest suppliers of fresh vegetables in Australia.

His company has more than 1000 growers on its books from across the country, and is a behemoth compared with what his mother, Oanh Nguyen, began some 25 years ago.

Comfresh was created out of Oanh Nguyen Fresh Produce in 2010, which strategically separated the vegetable-growing side of the business from wholesaling. Johnny – a second-generation immigrant to Vietnamese parents – started in the industry by helping his mother sell fresh vegetables door-to-door.

“Like many other immigrant families, we relied on this, to support our family of four children,” Johnny, now 39, says. “However, I saw the mistreatment and difficulties my mother had to go through dealing with larger wholesalers; we were not big enough to have a voice.

“That’s why I started Comfresh. It stands for community. I gathered as many local growers as possible to be large enough to stand up for ourselves.”

Comfresh can now claim to be one of the country’s largest suppliers of fresh produce to all major supermarkets Australia-wide and is in the top four suppliers nationally in categories such as tomatoes, cucumbers and herbs.

“At Comfresh, we only grow what we can’t source,” Johnny says. “This way, we still rely on our grower base to meet supermarket demands.”

Comfresh employs more than 500 staff and grows produce in state-of-the-art greenhouses nationwide. Corporate and social responsibility is at the centre of the business, says Johnny.

“We put our staff and growers front and centre,” he says. “We support smaller growers by providing a better return for their crop. We support immigrant families with employment opportunities. We sponsor families to settle in Australia to have a good life. We donate fresh produce to charitable organisations.”

He says being named a 40 Under 40 was a testament to his mother, “without whom I could not have done this”.

“I am very grateful for all the opportunities that this country has given me and my family,” Johnny says.

CREATIVE THINKER AWARD
PRESENTED BY KWP+PARTNERS

Stavroula Adameitis

Artist and designer of Frida Las Vegas

Stavroula Adameitis likely needs no introduction because her clothes do that job for her just fine.

Adelaide-born Stavroula recently returned from interstate to Adelaide to set up a Frida Las Vegas shop in her hometown.

Stavroula’s designs are known for showcasing her love of technicolour, Australian kitsch, pop culture, ‘80s glamour and bogan customs.

Since her return home, cocktail events have become seriously colourful with many people slapping on a Frida Las Vegas kaftan to catch eyes and turn heads.

Recently, Stavroula launched a new initiative called the SA Futures Agency, where she’ll be helping drive the state forward with a very colourful perspective.

INSPIRING FEMALE LEADERS AWARD
PRESENTED BY CITYMAG

Amber Brock-Fabel

Founder and director of The South Australian Youth Forum

At just 17 years old, Amber founded the South Australian Youth Forum, which grew into the state’s largest youth-led advocacy body.

She forged research partnerships leading to world-first findings on youth loneliness and has worked with governments to address period poverty and mental health access.

Amber was the 2025 Young Australian of the Year for South Australia and represented her generation at New York’s United Nations Summit of the Future conference last year.

While she’s honoured by the big accolades, Amber says the quiet moments, such as when a young person speaks up for the first time, affect her most.

RURAL AND REGIONAL AWARD
PRESENTED BY INDAILY

Emma Gilbert

Director and animal husbandry manager of IncubatePro, and The Farm – Clarendon

South of Adelaide sits the small town of Clarendon, where Emma Gilbert hopes to start a regenerative farming revolution.

The Farm – Clarendon puts sustainability at the heart of farming practices, agriculture and ethical breeding.

Emma specialises in breeding Highland cattle and rare heritage poultry, and has made a name for herself due to a commitment to high-quality genetics, livestock longevity and responsible breeding practices.

Meanwhile, Emma is also the founder of IncubatePro – a hatching app that provides real-time monitoring, expert insights and precision incubation tracking to improve hatch rates and chick viability.

GAME CHANGER AWARD
PRESENTED BY ADELAIDE BUSINESS SCHOOL

Andy Lee

Co-founder of TWL

In 2013, CrossFit was at the height of its popularity, yet friends Andy Lee and Ben Dineen struggled to find apparel and equipment to complement their training.

The pair identified a gap in the market and launched The WOD Life (TWL) from a bedroom in Adelaide, packing orders by hand and dropping them off at local gyms.

Armed with a background in law and commerce, Andy helped steer the brand from grassroots hustle to national recognition.

Today, TWL is more than an online retailing hub – it’s one of the nation’s leading names in functional fitness with a bold mission: to build the world’s best training brand and community.

SOCIAL IMPACT AWARD
PRESENTED BY COMMUNITY CORPORATE

Rochelle Mutton

Founder of Motivate Kids

In 2009, occupational therapist Rochelle Mutton and her family sponsored a four-year-old boy who had experienced severe early childhood abuse and neglect, had multiple failed foster placements and was living in a shared residential care facility.

Rochelle says his diagnoses of autism, dyspraxia, dyslexia, dyscalculia and ADHD changed her perspective on neurodiversity and the “gaps in therapy services across allied health and medical sectors still to this day”.  In 2017, Rochelle founded Motivate Care: a paediatric occupational therapy practice in SA, dedicated to changing the trajectory of children’s development.

The Motivate Kids team now consists of 30 occupational therapists, along with other staff members.

FOOD INNOVATION AWARD
PRESENTED BY BETTY’S BURGERS

Alec Randall

Founder and director of It’s Olio

Known for its squeezy bottle packaging, It’s Olio is a health conscious, cold-pressed extra virgin olive oil brand based in South Australia.

Founded by Alec Randall, who remains director of the brand, he was inspired by his travels and cooking classes in Italy, and wanted to bring a fresh, high quality extra virgin olive oil back home to South Australia.

The brand, which is now stocked in more than 100 cafes and stores across Australia, is 100 per cent SA owned and directly supports local farmers and growers by sourcing its organic olives from the Fleurieu Peninsula. Its innovative squeezable bottle is reusable and was designed to make cooking effortless and enjoyable.

DISCOVERY AWARD
PRESENTED BY CMAX

Katharina Richter

Head of Richter Lab at The University of Adelaide

Superbugs are predicted to kill 10 million people annually by 2050, but biomedical researcher Katharina is leading a team to change that.

Superbugs are antibiotic-resistant bacteria for which the Richter Lab is developing new treatments, including collaborating with veterinary and food scientists to develop sanitisers to improve animal wellbeing, decontamination processes, and create safer, sustainable food production.

Katharina has earned a reputation as an expert biomedical researcher and has managed millions in research funding, including $3 million she secured herself in a highly competitive environment that has a success rate of about five per cent.

EMERGING INDUSTRIES AWARD
PRESENTED BY PIPER ALDERMAN

Edward Robinson

Founder and CEO of Robinson Aerospace Systems

Edward Robinson was just 18 when he founded Robinson Aerospace Systems: an education company with a mission to “inspire students to pursue careers in space and STEM”.

He was “frustrated with the long-outdated textbook style learning” that he’d experienced after graduating from high school in 2021.

Robinson Aerospace Systems provides hands-on skills with tools such as the RASCube – “a flatpack educational satellite, enabling school students to build a replica satellite”.

With a mission to make STEM education more memorable and informative, the RASCube brings space into the classroom through data collection, allowing students to do experiments and analyse the results.

ENTREPRENEURIAL AWARD
PRESENTED BY WILLIAM BUCK

Greg Stevens

Founding director of Core Ventures Group and general manager of Seed Terminator

Greg Stevens is the founder of Core Ventures Group (CVG) – a seed-to-stage venture capital firm.

He is also the general manager of agricultural technology company Seed Terminator. Greg says Seed Terminator is revolutionising weed management with mechanical harvest seed control.

Meanwhile, CVG has developed outdoor living brands Billy Smoker, Solarpergola and SEA~T Collective, as well as the design and engineering consultancy Plant Grow Prosper.

“I am dedicated to scaling an Adelaide-born start-up globally, while building an innovation group that develops commercially successful, socially responsible products,” says Greg.

INSPIRING FUTURE LEADERS AWARD
PRESENTED BY SA BUSINESS CHAMBER

Elaine Tang

Founder and CEO of Melvory Skincare

In 2017, Elaine was on maternity leave when she developed the first product – Lavender Cocoa Butter – as part of Melvory Skincare.

A pharmacist by trade and mum on a mission, Elaine was searching for a product to treat her children’s painful eczema after off-the-shelf creams had failed to help.

Taking matters into her own hands (and to the lab), Melvory Skincare started as a DIY eczema remedy and has since grown into a nationally awarded skincare brand.

The Melvory range is cruelty-free, environmentally friendly and handmade in SA.

Elaine has a world-first innovation landing in 2025 and is eyeing the global stage.

“We have big goals and we aren’t afraid to strive for them,” she says.

SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS LEADERS AWARD
PRESENTED BY TERRACE FLOORS + FURNISHINGS

Jason Wisniewski

Co-founder and CEO of Vana Care

Jason Wisniewski co-founded disability support provider Vana Care with his friend Jesse Trout in 2021. Jason says the idea for Vana Care came after “a simple yet powerful” realisation while working with a client as a disability support worker.

“We had an amazing session, engaging in fitness and social interaction. At the end of the session, the personal trainer thanked me, mentioning that most support workers typically wait in the car instead of actively participating,” says Jason.

“That moment struck me – it highlighted a gap in the industry where clients were missing out on meaningful engagement and support.”

Lauren Brooks

Principal of Saint Ignatius’ College

At just 37, Lauren Brooks heads up one of SA’s top private schools: Saint Ignatius’. Since 2023, Lauren has focused on transforming the school’s culture.

“By fostering a culture of collaboration and care, our school has become a place where both students and staff thrive,” she says.

Harry Carpenter

Managing director of Corcillum

When medical software start-up Corcillum was co-founded in 2022, its mission was to “prevent one million heart attacks by the middle of the century”. Dr Harry Carpenter says its flagship platform corSUITE helps clinicians and researchers “identify and treat problems with heart arteries earlier and more precisely”.

Teagan Carpenter

Founder and director of Vintage Chef Co

Teagan Carpenter was working as a chef when she had an epiphany and decided to start a catering business.

From small beginnings, Vintage Chef Co has expanded to a team of 52 employees and now delivers more than 7000 meals a week to homes across South Australia.

Ricky Chau

Managing director of Taste Studios

After a decade in food and consumer goods, Ricky co-founded Taste Studios in 2017.

From UniSA’s Innovation and Collaboration Centre, the start-up made waves with “Eat Active” – a bold push to tackle childhood obesity through smarter food innovation.

Elvis Chidi-Ezeama

Founder and CEO of Biomicrology

After Elvis Chidi-Ezeama practised as a medical doctor in Africa, he witnessed first-hand the impacts of unreliable diagnostic tools for those who lacked essential medical care.

So, in 2023 he founded Biomicrology: a business that integrates artificial intelligence and microscopy to change how malaria is diagnosed.

Silvia De Marco

Director of Chicco Palms

The idea for restaurant Chicco Palms came after a trip to Palm Springs, witnessing first-hand the blend of Italian/American dining with mid-century-inspired interiors.

Now an Adelaide household hospitality name, Silvia De Marco continues to work with Adelaide-based suppliers, wineries and producers to create quality food.

Helen Dockrell

Director of Notitia

Notitia aims to bridge the gap between raw data and actionable insights through its owner-led data and digital transformation consultancy.

Helen Dockrell says the business “empowers organisations to make smarter, data-driven decisions”.

Notitia works with government agencies, healthcare providers and more, across its offices in Adelaide and interstate.

Philip Donnelly

Director and head baker of Mayfair Bakery and Patisserie

At just 21, Philip took over Port Adelaide’s Mayfair Bakery and Patisserie.

With a resume dotted with experience at top SA bakeries, he’s since led the evolution of the 155-year-old institution, introducing a catering business and wholesale food service, featuring gluten-free creations.

Lukas Gerstweiler

Lecturer in bioprocessing at The University of Adelaide

Dr Lukas Gerstweiler, lead of The University of Adelaide’s Biomanufacturing Research Group, developed the first continuous manufacturing process for virus-like particle vaccines through his PhD research.

He also co-founded Neopuriph in 2024, where he is developing novel materials for macromolecular purification and haemoperfusion.

Verity Gobbett

Chief executive officer of Women’s & Children’s Hospital Foundation

Verity joined the Women’s & Children’s Hospital Foundation in 2021 as head of mission, now rising to CEO.

She was instrumental in the record-breaking year of financial contributions in 2024.

Carla Groves

Co-founder OF GUESTPIX

In under three years, private photo sharing platform GUESTPIX has reached more than 100,000 customers and shaped a new category in the market for event photography.

Carla says her biggest challenge and proudest achievement is balancing rapid business growth with family life.

Olivia Jenkins

Director of Olivia Jenkins Consulting

Raised in the business world through family-owned skincare brand Kosmea, Olivia launched her self-titled consultancy firm in 2019.

Now an award-winning strategist, the mum of three is on a mission to empower women in business and guide SA brands into the AI age.

Matthew Kirkbride

Founder and executive director of Connekt Plumbing

Matthew Kirkbride left Victor Harbor High School at the end of Year 10, and in 2002 started working as a trade apprentice.

Qualifying as a plumber by the age of 20, his business, Connekt Plumbing, is now a leading hydraulic services contractor in SA, employing more than 60 staff in 2025.

Jacob Kuchel

Managing director of Kuchel Contractors

Kuchel Contractors is a third-generation transport business now run by Jacob, the grandson of founder, Max.

The company operates a national fleet transporting everything from almonds to tuna meal. Jacob started Kuchel Custom Trucks – a truck and hot rod customisation division – which adds a bit of flair to the enterprise.

Akash Kumar

Founder of Keen Care Australia

Akash created Keen Care, a cloud-based health tech software after identifying a major gap in digitisation in the care industry.

“My goals are all about restoring dignity to the elderly and disabled by transforming the way care is delivered,” he says.

Lily Li

Chief operating officer of Venergy Solar Australia

Lily Li has a background in global food exports but switched to renewables due to Australia’s deteriorating relationship with China.

Lily says a career highlight was identifying an opportunity to provide cost-effective solar power to community lifestyle villages by leveraging existing fibre optic infrastructure.

Kosta Mantis

Director of Pega Sports

Former West Adelaide Soccer Club captain Kosta Mantis started Pega Sports to give all players a quality gear option at an affordable price.

“I grew up playing for community clubs and I have seen first-hand the hard work that these volunteers put in,” he says.

Melissa McCradden

AI director and deputy research director of Women’s and Children’s Health Network

Melissa is the only bioethicist in the world with a combined background in technical and bioethics, bringing a truly unique approach to the governance of artificial intelligence in healthcare.

She has been published in leading medical journals and developed an SA-first framework, with a focus on Aboriginal rights and equity.

Cale McPherson

Co-founder of Sodii

Cale is one half of a team that’s myth-busting salt’s nutrition factor and disrupting the hydration industry.

With business partner, and fellow 2025 40 Under 40 finalist, Jason Thomas, they’ve made Sodii the go-to electrolyte supplier for elite athletes, supplying the Paris 2024 Australian Olympic team, LIV Golf athletes and more.

Sam Morton

Founder and CEO of SKDA Moto Creative

Today, SKDA Moto Creative is a million-dollar global brand of cutting-edge motorcycle graphics, but it originally started as a hobby out of Sam’s bedroom in the family home.

Sam says he’s “absolutely obsessed with what I do” and plans to continue to expand SKDA’s role in the broader motorcycle market.

Brian Njuguna

Director of BCOGNITIVE

Brian worked for a decade as a defence lawyer with Aboriginal Legal Services and later as a prosecutor before taking a leap of faith to start BCOGNITIVE, a specialist mental health agency.

He translated his lived experience with mental health challenges into a purpose-driven career.

Danielle Pollock

Senior research fellow at HESRI, School of Public Health, The University of Adelaide

Dr Danielle Pollock says the approach behind research group Health Evidence Synthesis, Research and Impact (HESRI) is to “ensure that health decisions, policy and practice are based on scientific evidence as opposed to opinion”. This is done through systematic reviews, guideline development, and evidence implementation.

Kristian Roocke

COO of Lutheran Homes Group

Former Norwood Football Club player Kristian Roocke drives the mission of Lutheran Homes Group forward as the company’s chief operating officer. He oversees a team of more than 1000 staff and volunteers, and has more than doubled the group’s revenue since 2022.

Jason Thomas

Co-founder of Sodii

Jason Thomas co-founded Sodii, a sports hydration brand, with Cale McPherson (fellow 2025 40 Under 40 finalist) to create a “saltier, more hydrated world”. Sodii is an electrolyte supplement made with sodium, potassium and magnesium. In the past year, revenue has quintupled, and Sodii is sold in more than 600 stores.

Matthew Wallen

Senior research fellow in cancer survivorship and academic lead for exercise science and clinical exercise physiology at Flinders University

Dr Matthew Wallen is a healthcare professional who established the Cancer, Exercise and Physical Activity service at Flinders University, which promotes the benefits of exercise as a cancer treatment. Matthew has published more than 65 peer-reviewed articles and has secured nearly $12 million in competitive research funding.

Matt Warner

Managing director of Built Structural

Matt Warner has a background in carpentry, but in 2021, he decided on a new career path in the structural steel industry. Since then, his business, Built Structural, has grown to 28 staff and recently relocated to a spacious warehouse and office space in Mawson Lakes.

Chalitha Weerakkody

Owner of Editoz Club

After being laid off as a videographer during the Covid pandemic, Chalitha started his own YouTube channel that caught the attention of Oodie founder Davie Fogarty, who hired him to build his YouTube channel. Now, Chalitha runs a personal branding agency, Editoz Club, working with high-profile entrepreneurs globally.

Matthew Woodrow

Group managing director of Sarah Group

A sudden stroke at age 31 gave businessman Matthew a fresh perspective and serious drive.

By 37, he became the first non-family member to lead Sarah Group, one of the state’s largest privately owned building and construction businesses, making his mark on the industry through innovation and philanthropy.

This article first appeared in CityMag‘s winter print edition of 2025, which is on streets now.

Our 40 finalists were photographed at Upstairs Studio at The Mill with furniture supplied by Terrace Floors + Furnishings.