Small Giants Australia
Small Giants Academy is a Melbourne-based not-for-profit that runs cohort-based leadership development programs, Impact Safaris, an annual forum, and a podcast for purpose-driven executives, family offices, and social-change organisations, supported by a 1,000+ alumni community and Australia’s first B Corp heritage.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2007
- HeadquartersSaint Kilda, Australia
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Small Giants Australia does
Small Giants Australia, legally Small Giants Academy, is a Melbourne-based not-for-profit educational and community organisation founded in 2007 by Berry Liberman and Danny Almagor. It operates from The White House in St Kilda and Mossy Willow Farm on the Mornington Peninsula, and became Australia’s first certified B Corporation in 2012. The organisation is built around a portfolio of cohort-based leadership development programs (including the Mastery of Business & Empathy, Mastery of Systems Leadership, Systems Leadership Intensive, Climate Leadership Accelerator, Journey to Impact, Interconnected Leader, Governing for Purpose, and Storytelling for Change), experiential Impact Safaris to destinations such as Bhutan, Scandinavia, Uganda, England and Scotland, an annual Wisdom & Action Forum, the Wisdom & Action Podcast, the Dumbo Feather print and digital magazine, and a Fellows community of more than 1,000 alumni globally.
The underlying business model is multi-stream professional services revenue combined with light consumer publishing. Programs and Impact Safaris are sold through application-based enrollment via the company website, with pricing not publicly disclosed; Dumbo Feather magazine issues are sold at A$22 per copy or A$49 for a four-issue bundle through the company’s online store. Demand generation is community- and event-led, relying on the podcast, Ideas & Stories editorial platform, the annual Forum, and Impact Safaris as primary acquisition channels. Faculty and content partnerships with Lift Economy, the Yunus Centre at Griffith University, the Skoll Centre at Oxford Saïd, and B Lab Australia provide academic and ecosystem credibility, while a Head of Strategic Partnerships role signals a growing institutional and bespoke corporate engagement motion.
The customer base spans individual mid-career and senior leaders, impact-oriented family offices and foundations, and purpose-driven organisations enrolling participants or commissioning bespoke programs. The organisation does not develop proprietary technology; its core platform is its community, faculty network, and content library, and its competitive position rests on category authority in the Australian and increasingly global “Next Economy” leadership space rather than on technology differentiation.
Small Giants Australia firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Small Giants Australia
- Legal name
- Small Giants Academy
- Website
- https://smallgiants.com.au
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2007
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Small Giants Academy is a Melbourne-based not-for-profit that runs cohort-based leadership development programs, Impact Safaris, an annual forum, and a podcast for purpose-driven executives, family offices, and social-change organisations, supported by a 1,000+ alumni community and Australia’s first B Corp heritage.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Small Giants Australia industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Executive Leadership Education
- NAICS
- Educational Support Services (611710), All Other Schools and Instruction (61169)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Entrepreneurship & Small Business Workforce Programs (EDAAAOAM)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Small Business & Entrepreneurship Community Education (EDAAAFAK)
Keywords
Where Small Giants Australia is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Saint Kilda
- HQ country
- Australia
- HQ region
- Oceania
Offices2 records
Markets served
Small Giants Australia business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others
Revenue model
- Educational Programs: Revenue from leadership development programs including Mastery of Business & Empathy (MBE), Mastery of Systems Leadership, Systems Leadership Intensive, Climate Leadership Accelerator, Journey to Impact, Interconnected Leader, Governing for Purpose, and Storytelling for Change. Programs range from multi-week intensives to multi-month masteries.
- Publication Sales: Sale of Dumbo Feather magazine issues at $22 per issue, bundled packages at $49 for four issues, and subscriptions. The magazine features interviews with thought leaders and changemakers.
- Events and Experiences: Revenue from Impact Safaris (travel experiences to destinations like Bhutan, Scandinavia, Uganda), Wisdom & Action Forum tickets, and community events like Communitea ceremonies.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Single magazine issue |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Four-magazine bundle |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels6 records
Small Giants Australia product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Small Giants Academy is a not-for-profit educational organization that delivers leadership development programs for executives, change-makers, and purpose-driven leaders. Offerings include multi-month mastery programs (Mastery of Business & Empathy, Mastery of Systems Leadership), short intensives and accelerators, bespoke organizational programs, experiential Impact Safari journeys, and the Dumbo Feather magazine. Programs focus on systems thinking, regenerative business, and building what the organization calls the 'Next Economy.'
Product overview
Small Giants Academy is a not-for-profit educational platform offering multiple interconnected programs for leadership development in the Next Economy. The core portfolio includes: Mastery of Business & Empathy (MBE) and Mastery of Systems Leadership as flagship mastery programs; Journey to Impact, Systems Leadership Intensive, Climate Leadership Accelerator, Governing for Purpose, Storytelling for Change, and Interconnected Leader as shorter programs; Impact Safari as experiential learning journeys; and Wisdom & Action Forum as an annual flagship event. Content offerings include the Wisdom & Action Podcast and Ideas & Stories editorial platform. The community layer includes a Fellows program and a store offering Dumbo Feather magazine. Programs can be delivered as open cohort courses, bespoke organisational programs, or through regional campuses in St Kilda and Main Ridge, Victoria.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Mastery of Business & Empathy (MBE) A reinvention of a traditional MBA for executives, change makers and leaders to develop the skills, networks and mindset to lead purpose-driven organisations in a complex world.
- Mastery of Systems Leadership An immersive journey for leaders ready to navigate complexity and drive transformation, co-designed with Kate Raworth, Daniel Schmachtenberger, Indy Johar and leading systems thinkers.
- Systems Leadership Intensive An 11-week online program equipping participants with a toolkit of mindfulness and somatic leadership practices to help navigate complex systems.
- Climate Leadership Accelerator: Into the Arena A program running September-November 2026 to deepen understanding of systems creating the climate crisis and develop a framework for climate action.
- Journey to Impact: Wealth & Legacy Australia An impact investing workshop designed for individuals, family offices and foundations to explore the alignment of wealth and values.
- Interconnected Leader A program integrating body-based, science-backed practices into the heart of leadership to help leaders remain present and navigate paradoxes of the 21st century.
- Governing for Purpose A program for board members and executives ready to move beyond compliance and govern with both rigour and strategic purpose.
- Storytelling for Change A program to harness storytelling to create meaningful change for communities and the planet.
- Bespoke Programs Customised learning solutions for organisations focused on cultivating emerging leaders, equipping executives for strategic change, or transforming team dynamics.
- Impact Safari Experiential learning journeys combining study tours and leadership experiences, exploring concepts like Gross National Happiness in destinations such as Bhutan, Scandinavia, England, Scotland, and Uganda.
- Wisdom & Action Forum Annual forum exploring questions of what it means to be human and how we want to live, featuring global thought leaders and change-makers.
- Dumbo Feather Magazine Quarterly print and digital magazine featuring conversations with changemakers and thought leaders on topics of purpose, sustainability, and social change.
Quantifiable outcome
- 140+ leaders graduated from MBE program in 4 years
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Small Giants Australia
Customer profileNamed customers6 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Small Giants Australia technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Small Giants Australia partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Four partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- Lift EconomycoreErin Axelrod from Lift Economy contributed to the design and delivery of the Mastery of Business & Empathy (MBE) program. Lift Economy specializes in regenerative economics and inclusive economies.
- Yunus Centre (Griffith University)coreProfessor Ingrid Burkett and Professor Alex Hannant from the Yunus Centre contributed to the MBE program design. The Yunus Centre focuses on social business and social finance.
- Skoll Centre (Oxford Saïd)coreBronwyn Dugtig from the Skoll Centre contributed to the MBE program. The Skoll Centre is a leading center for social entrepreneurship at Oxford University.
- B Lab AustraliacoreAndrew Davies, CEO of B Lab Australia (B Corporation), contributed to the MBE program faculty. B Lab is the nonprofit network transforming the global economy to benefit all people, communities, and planet.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves9 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Small Giants Australia competitors and assessment
Company assessmentEmerging players
- Conscious Leadership Group: Leadership development organization offering cohorts and coaching for conscious, purpose-driven leaders. Comparable to Small Giants on audience and inner-work/outer-work integration, but smaller in scale and with a US-centric footprint.
- Climate Reality Project: Global climate leadership training organization founded by Al Gore. Comparable to Small Giants' Climate Leadership Accelerator in training leaders to address the climate crisis, but operates through free advocacy training rather than paid executive programs.
Broad incumbents
- Harvard Business School Executive Education: The dominant global executive education provider offering leadership, sustainability, and strategy programs for senior executives. A broad incumbent that overlaps with Small Giants at the executive leadership and sustainability curriculum level but serves a much larger, mainstream audience.
- Stanford d.school (Hasso Plattner Institute of Design): Stanford's design thinking institute offering executive programs, fellowships, and learning experiences for innovation and leadership. Comparable as a higher-education-anchored innovation leadership educator, but operates at much larger scale and broader audience.
Direct peers
- B Lab: The non-profit network behind the B Corp certification. Small Giants is an active partner (Andrew Davies, B Lab Australia CEO, sits on the MBE faculty), and both organizations serve the purpose-driven business community with overlapping leadership and certification programming.
- Skoll Centre for Social Entrepreneurship (Oxford Saïd): A leading academic centre for social entrepreneurship at Oxford University that contributes faculty to Small Giants' MBE program. Compares closely in target audience (social entrepreneurs, impact leaders) and educational programming.
- Yunus Centre (Griffith University): Australian academic centre focused on social business and social finance, with Professors Ingrid Burkett and Alex Hannant contributing to Small Giants' MBE faculty. Directly comparable on mission (social business leadership), audience, and Australian base.
- Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership: CISL runs executive education and leadership programs for sustainability and systems change, including the Masters in Sustainability Leadership and the Prince of Wales Global Sustainability Fellowship. Closely comparable to Small Giants on leadership-for-sustainability curriculum and senior-executive audience.
- School of System Change: Run by Forum for the Future, the School of System Change offers multi-month learning journeys and a fellowship for leaders working on systems change. Highly comparable to Small Giants Academy's Mastery of Systems Leadership and MBE programs in target audience, pedagogy, and Next Economy-aligned framing.
- Presencing Institute: Founded by Otto Scharmer at MIT, the Presencing Institute offers the u.lab and Theory U programs for systems leadership and inner-personal change. Directly comparable to Small Giants' Interconnected Leader and Systems Leadership Intensive in combining inner work with outer systems change practice.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Small Giants Australia social profiles
Digital presenceSmall Giants Australia financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Small Giants Australia leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles3 records
Small Giants Australia funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Small Giants Australia M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments2 records
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Small Giants Australia
What does Small Giants Australia do?
Small Giants Academy is a not-for-profit educational organization that delivers leadership development programs for executives, change-makers, and purpose-driven leaders. Offerings include multi-month mastery programs (Mastery of Business & Empathy, Mastery of Systems Leadership), short intensives and accelerators, bespoke organizational programs, experiential Impact Safari journeys, and the Dumbo Feather magazine. Programs focus on systems thinking, regenerative business, and building what the organization calls the 'Next Economy.'
Is Small Giants Australia a public or private company?
Small Giants Australia is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Small Giants Australia founded?
Small Giants Australia was founded in 2007. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Small Giants Australia based?
Small Giants Australia is headquartered in Saint Kilda, Australia, in the Oceania region.
How does Small Giants Australia make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Educational Programs are the primary driver. The others are publication Sales and events and Experiences.
Who are Small Giants Australia's main competitors?
Emerging players on record are Conscious Leadership Group and Climate Reality Project. Broad incumbents are Harvard Business School Executive Education and Stanford d.school (Hasso Plattner Institute of Design). Direct peers are B Lab, Skoll Centre for Social Entrepreneurship (Oxford Saïd), Yunus Centre (Griffith University), Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership, School of System Change and Presencing Institute.
Does Small Giants Australia have an API?
No public API is recorded for Small Giants Australia.
What industry is Small Giants Australia in?
Small Giants Australia's product category is Executive Leadership Education. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAAAOAM, Entrepreneurship & Small Business Workforce Programs, with a secondary code of EDAAAFAK, Small Business & Entrepreneurship Community Education. Its NAICS code is 611710 and its SIC code is 8200.