Australian startup founders are young and very rich, list confirms

Oh to be young and rich.
 By 
Ariel Bogle
 on 
Australian startup founders are young and very rich, list confirms
Mike Cannon-Brookes and Scott Farquhar of Atlassian. Credit: Getty Images for Fortune

It looks like it pays off to be young and in tech.

Atlassian cofounders Mike Cannon-Brookes and Scott Farquhar lead the 2016 BRW Young Rich List, announced Thursday, with other startup founders dominating the top five.

The workplace software company, which went public in the U.S. in late 2015, has helped the pair to a cool A$4.68 billion in combined wealth, according to BRW's researchers. So, not at all shabby.


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They have used some of their cash to support other Australian startups, with Cannon-Brookes backing tech-focused superfund Spaceship, and Farquhar investing in workplace safety app, SafetyCulture.

Number three and four on the BRW list are also startup founders. Dave Greiner and Ben Richardson, founders of email marketing company Campaign Monitor, reportedly enjoy a combined A$543 million.

Building apartments rather than code, Paul Blackburne of Blackburne Property Group came in at number five with A$483 million.

Rather disappointingly, there's no woman in the top 10. The first woman on the list is Cyan Ta'eed at number 13 with A$184 million, according to BRW's statement.

Ta'eed is founder and executive director of digital marketplace Envato with her husband, Collis Ta'eed.

Also making an appearance on the list (in 51st place) is fitspo Instagram superstar Kayla Itsines, with A$46 million, alongside her partner Tobi Pearce.

The BRW Young Rich List counts Australians aged 40 and under. It only considers those whose riches are self-made, and not inheritors of wealth.

Unsurprisingly, the all-ages 2016 BRW rich list, announced in May, was not so technology-heavy up top.

Harry Triguboff, the managing director of property development Meriton, was number one with A$10.62 billion.

The complete list of 100 will be published Friday morning.

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Ariel Bogle

Ariel Bogle was an associate editor with Mashable in Australia covering technology. Previously, Ariel was associate editor at Future Tense in Washington DC, an editorial initiative between Slate and New America.

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