Exterior cleaning franchise impresses expert judges to advance to due diligence for up to $250,000 equity investment, along with $5,000 and mentoring from Boost Juice founder Janine Allis
Melbourne, VIC – Fresh Front, an innovative exterior cleaning company, has emerged victorious at BDC Partners’ inaugural Emerging Giants Pitch Night, held last night at Level 29 of Melbourne’s iconic Rialto South Tower. Founder Marty Wilson impressed a panel of five industry-leading judges to secure the top prize and a pathway to significant growth investment.
The BDC event, designed to identify and support Australia’s most promising retail and franchise businesses in the critical 3-25 location growth phase, saw five exceptional finalists pitch their business models and field questions from expert judges in a high-stakes format.
Bruce McFarlane, CEO of BDC Partners, reflected on the success of the inaugural event:
“Last night exceeded every expectation we had for Emerging Giants. Watching these five founders present their visions with such clarity and conviction reminded us why we created this initiative in the first place. These are the businesses that will shape the future of Australian retail and franchising, and we’re honoured to support their journey. None of this would have been possible without our generous sponsors, whose commitment to nurturing emerging businesses reflects the collaborative spirit that defines our industry at its best. The energy in the room was electric, and the calibre of pitches was genuinely world-class. This is just the beginning for Emerging Giants, and we can’t wait to see where these founders take their businesses next.”
The Winners
First Place: Fresh Front (Founder: Marty Wilson) – Enters into due diligence on up to $250,000 in equity investment from BDC Investments, a cheque for $5000, one-on-one coaching session with Boost Juice founder Janine Allis.
Second Place: Spinzone (Founder: Christopher Hill) – Enters into due diligence on up to $250,000 in equity investment from BDC Investments, and a cheque for $2,500.
The three additional finalists – Banana Blossom (Healthy eating food chain), Nautical Bowls (Açai bowls chain), and Spartans Boxing (Boxing-based fitness concept) – each received $1,000 in recognition of their impressive presentations.
All five finalists will receive comprehensive three-hour strategy workshops, valued at $5000, for their leadership teams from BDC Partners and Fordham Group, along with leadership coaching sessions from Paul Roos, AFL Hall of Fame inductee and Founder of Performance by Design. They also receive $250 vouchers from Be Fit Food.
Expert Judging Panel
The finalists presented to an esteemed panel of five judges representing diverse expertise across franchise operations, investment, media, and logistics:
• Kate Save, CEO of Be Fit Food
• Jon Sully, Managing Director of BDC Investments
• Michael Sutherland, Lead Partner at Fordham Group
• Amie Larter, CEO of Octomedia
• Marcel Lal, Global COO of InXpress
Jon Sully, Managing Director of BDC Investments, praised the calibre of all participants:
“What we witnessed last night was exceptional – five businesses that represent the future of Australian retail and franchising. Each finalist demonstrated not just strong business fundamentals, but the self-awareness and collaborative spirit we look for in founders. Fresh Front and Spinzone stood out for their scalability and execution capability, and we’re excited to begin the due diligence process with both. But make no mistake, all five finalists are businesses worth watching. The passion, resilience, and strategic thinking on display gives us tremendous optimism for the emerging franchise sector in Australia.”
Marty Wilson, Founder of Fresh Front, expressed his gratitude and excitement:
“I’m absolutely thrilled and humbled to have won Emerging Giants. Standing in front of those judges and presenting our vision was nerve-wracking, but it validated everything we’ve been building at Fresh Front. Spending some time with Janine Allis is a great opportunity to learn from her experience scaling Boost Juice. And the potential investment from BDC Investments could be the catalyst that takes us to the next level. We’re ready to show Australia what’s possible for Fresh Front.”
Event Sponsors
The inaugural Emerging Giants Pitch Night was made possible through the generous support of the following sponsors:
- BDC Law
- Fordham Group
- Associated Projects
- BDC Property
- Benjamin & Benjamin Insurance Group
- Franconnect
- GapMaps
- Little Giant Finance
- Octomedia
- Be Fit Food
- Books365
- Judo Bank
About Emerging Giants
The Emerging Giants initiative, launched by BDC Partners and the BDC Partners Collective, addresses a critical gap in the Australian franchise landscape. With 64 per cent of franchise systems trapped between 20-25 outlets despite having proven business models, Emerging Giants provides the capital, resources, and expert mentoring needed to break through this growth ceiling.
The pitch night was open to retailers and franchisors with between three and 25 units, focusing on businesses that demonstrate strong brand potential, passionate founders, and alignment with BDC Partners’ values of passion, integrity, and collaboration.
About BDC Partners
BDC Partners is a multi-disciplinary advisory firm specialising in franchise recruitment and business growth services for Australia’s retail and franchise sectors. Through the BDC Partners Collective, the company provides hands-on support across strategy, operations, and funding to help emerging businesses overcome common growth obstacles and achieve sustainable success.
BDC Investments Group partners with founders to provide not only capital but also strategic direction, operational support, and commercial insights needed to build lasting success and break through the critical 20-25 outlet ceiling that limits so many promising franchise systems.
