Trends & Research

Lawpath New Business Index • January 2026

107,587 New Businesses in January. The data driving Australia’s latest boom

Breaking down founder ages, business origins, and the industries driving Australia forward

January 2024 - January 2026 • Monthly ABN Registration Trends and Insights

72,738

79,512

78,882

74,799

78,498

76,219

100,205

77,023

75,792

82,528

78,129

64,086

104,501

106,116

112,974

103,259

106,049

107,595

128,914

109,336

110,628

118,162

111,383

94,171

107,587

Jan'24

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

Jan'25

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

Jan

107,587

ABN registrations this month

+39.9%

Growth Rate (YoY)

94,363

Monthly Average

January 2024 – January 2026 • Monthly ACN Registration Trends and Insights

19,920

26,419

26,194

25,494

29,766

33,175

29,549

27,071

26,399

27,617

25,852

20,694

20,475

26,971

29,465

27,431

31,990

38,555

35,844

31,642

33,429

32,805

30,603

25,538

24,563

Jan'24

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

Jan'25

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

Jan

24,563

ACN registrations this month

+14.7%

Growth Rate (YoY)

28,298

Monthly Average

January 2024 - January 2026 • GST Registration Trends and Insights

30,642

23,285

21,568

33,109

24,237

20,075

62,641

23,662

22,086

33,622

23,439

17,464

34,109

25,932

24,948

35,696

27,090

23,893

63,023

27,292

25,781

35,925

25,482

19,431

27,040

Jan'24

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

Jan'25

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

Jan

27,040

GST registrations this month

+9.8%

Growth Rate (YoY)

29,259

Monthly Average

What is the
New Business Index?

We launched the Lawpath New Business Index to answer a simple but important question: how is entrepreneurship in Australia really evolving? For too long, conversations about small business have relied on lagging reports or isolated anecdotes. We wanted to give founders, policymakers, and industry leaders a clear, timely view of what’s actually happening.

Each month, the Index brings together verified data from the Australian Business Register (ABR) and ASIC with anonymised insights from thousands of registrations on the Lawpath platform. The result is a unique picture of who is starting businesses, where they are based, and which industries are driving growth.

Our goal is to make this information useful. Not just as a snapshot, but as a way to spot trends, challenge assumptions, and inspire action. When we understand the shifts happening in entrepreneurship, we can help shape a stronger, more resilient business landscape for Australia.

Statistics for January 2026

Key growth signals from the ABN registry and Australia’s latest new business registrations.

+39.9% YoY

NEW BUSINESS REGISTERED

107,587

Total ABN registrations this month

(vs 104,501 in January 2025)

Source: Australian Business Register – ABN Bulk Extract (data.gov.au, accessed 5 February 2026)

+14.7% YoY

NEW COMPANIES REGISTERED

24,563

Total ACN registrations this month

(vs 20,475 in January 2025)

Source: ASIC – Company registration statistics (monthly new company registrations), accessed 5 February 2026

+9.8% YoY

GST Status

27,040

Business Registered for GST

(vs 34,109 in January 2025)

Source: Australian Business Register – ABN Bulk Extract (data.gov.au, accessed 5 February 2026)

Summary

January often signals a fresh start, but this year, it also marked a return to structure. More than 107,000 new businesses were registered, yet unlike previous months, a higher share chose to incorporate. Company formations rose nearly 15% year-on-year, outpacing sole trader growth for the first time in recent quarters.

At the same time, GST registrations rebounded, up 9.8% year-on-year. It suggests that more founders are starting with formal plans in place, not just testing ideas, but committing earlier to structured growth.

The data also showed a demographic shift. Founders aged 55 and over saw the sharpest increase in activity, while younger age groups, though still active, grew at a slower pace. And in a notable change from previous months, the Northern Territory recorded the fastest growth nationally, driven almost entirely by sole traders.

It's a reminder that Australia's entrepreneurial energy isn't one-size-fits-all. The year began with more structure, more intent, and a broader spread of who and where new businesses are being built.

Australia’s business formation at a glance

A closer look at how Australia’s new businesses are taking shape, from the structures they choose to the regions driving growth.

Business Structures

82,812

Sole Traders

Category

Value

YoY
Growth

States & Territories

33,656

NSW

State

Value

YoY
Growth

Suburbs

960

3029

Postcode

Value

YoY
Growth

Source: Australian Business Register – ABN Bulk Extract (monthly new company registrations), accessed 5 February 2026

Most Popular Structure

Sole Trader

+77.4% YoY, leading driver of growth

Growth Leader

Northern Territory

+11.27% YoY, fastest growth

Metro Dominance

67.22%

in major metropolitan areas

Business formation breakdown by suburbs in Australia

Explore our interactive map to see where new businesses are forming across Australia, suburb by suburb.

Business Formation Rate

1000+

500-999

300-499

200-299

0-199

Australia Business Statistics

Total Active ABNs: 8,992,272

New Businesses (YTD): 107,587

Growth Rate (YTD): 2.95%

Australia Business Statistics

Total Active ABNs: 8,992,272

New Businesses (YTD): 107,587

Growth Rate (YTD): 2.95%

Business Formation Rate

1000+

500-999

300-499

200-299

0-199

Source: Australian Business Register – ABN Bulk Extract, accessed 5 February 2026

Lawpath Platform Insights

Key metrics and trends from companies registered through our platform

Data sourced from Lawpath platform. See methodology for full details on data collection and analysis.

Age Distribution of Founders

22,820

30–34 years

Age Group

YoY
Growth

Countries of Birth

39.32%

Australia

Country

YoY
Growth

Industry Distribution

16%

Personal

Industry

YoY
Growth

Sharpest Age Rise

55+ yrs

+46% YoY Growth

International Diversity

60.68%

born outside Australia

Personal Services

+16%

+54.76% YoY Growth

Methodology

Each month, the Lawpath New Business Index captures how entrepreneurship in Australia is evolving.

Using verified data from the Australian Business Register (ABR) and ASIC, combined with anonymised insights from thousands of registrations processed through the Lawpath platform, we deliver a verified, month‑by‑month view of who is starting businesses, where they are based, and the industries they are choosing.

January’s year-on-year growth was modest, but the detail matters. Company registrations recorded the strongest growth compared to ABNs and GST, and that growth was spread across age groups and regions - including older founders and places like the Northern Territory. It points to a startup landscape that isn’t accelerating in one direction, but broadening: new businesses being built by more people, in more places, and in more ways than the traditional startup narrative suggests.

Tom Willis

Chief Marketing Officer, Lawpath

January 2026

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