127,513 New Businesses in July. The data driving Australia's latest boom
Breaking down founder ages, business origins, and the industries driving Australia forward
January 2024 - July 2026 • Monthly ABN Registration Trends and Insights
127,513
ABN registrations this month
-2.38%
Growth Rate (YoY)
95,704
Monthly Average
January 2024 - July 2026 • Monthly ACN Registration Trends and Insights
44,040
ACN registrations this month
+22.87%
Growth Rate (YoY)
29,765
Monthly Average
January 2024 - July 2026 • GST Registration Trends and Insights
46,002
GST registrations this month
-29.72%
Growth Rate (YoY)
29,831
Monthly Average
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.
Key growth signals from the ABN registry and Australia’s latest new business registrations.
July 2026’s numbers show new business formation cooling, and the geographic story flipping compared to recent months. 127,513 new businesses were registered, down 2.39% YoY, while 44,040 companies were registered, up 22.87%.
Growth at a state level turned negative almost everywhere. Queensland was the only state or territory to post positive growth, up 0.70%, followed by the ACT at ‑0.88% and the Northern Territory at ‑2.39%. Western Australia (‑2.89%), NSW (‑3.35%) and Victoria (‑4.47%) all slowed, Tasmania fell 5.82%, and South Australia recorded the sharpest pullback at ‑8.81%. NSW and Victoria still carry the highest registration volumes, but neither is contributing to growth this month.
At a suburb level, the CBD slide continued: Sydney CBD 2000 and Melbourne CBD 3000 both fell, down 22.19% and 14.58% YoY. Point Cook 3029 remains the largest postcode by volume but slipped into decline too, down 2.42%, while Liverpool 2170 and Clyde/Cranbourne 3977 led growth, up 12.00% and 10.56%.
The founder profile stayed mature, with 45 to 54 year olds the largest cohort at 23% share and the only group over 40 still growing, up 21.67%. Business Services and Personal Services topped the industry mix at 20% share each, with Business Services the fastest growing major category, up 64.41%. Together, the data points to a formation wave that’s stopped broadening and started concentrating, with fewer regions and age groups carrying the growth.
A closer look at how Australia’s new businesses are taking shape, from the structures they choose to the regions driving growth.
| Category | Value | Share | YoY Growth |
|---|
| State | Value | Share | YoY Growth |
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| Postcode | Value | YoY Growth |
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Explore our interactive map to see where new businesses are forming across Australia, suburb by suburb.
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 Group | Share | YoY Growth |
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| Country | Share | YoY Growth |
|---|
| Industry | Share | YoY Growth |
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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.
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Complete July 2026 analysis with detailed breakdowns
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