North Melbourne’s Seesaw crowned City of Melbourne’s Small Business of the Year

North Melbourne design studio Seesaw has been named the City of Melbourne’s Small Business of the Year, recognised not only for its creativity but also for its commitment to giving back to the community.

Founded in 2005 by designers Anita McArthur and Matthew McKenzie, Seesaw has built a reputation as a strategic brand, design and digital agency with a difference. Alongside its commercial work, the business dedicates significant resources to pro bono projects and donates to causes close to its heart – including gender equality, mental health, sustainability, equitable education and affordable housing.

Over the years, Seesaw’s distinctive model has allowed it to support a wide range of organisations such as Smiling Mind, the Victorian Pride Centre, the Australian Gender Equality Council, CERES Environmental Park and Joy FM.

Speaking after receiving the award, Ms McArthur said the recognition was deeply meaningful.

“To be recognised, not only for our longevity but also for the impact we have made, is wonderful,” she said. 

Lord Mayor Nick Reece praised the North Melbourne studio for showing how small businesses can combine design excellence with social purpose.
“Seesaw proves design isn’t just beautiful, it drives change, strengthens communities and makes a real difference,” he said.

Seesaw topped this year’s Lord Mayor’s Small Business Awards, which celebrate the vital role that small businesses play across Melbourne. Almost 85 per cent of shopfronts are now filled, from global names to local independents – a figure the Lord Mayor said highlighted how small business was the city’s “beating heart – loved locally, celebrated globally, and deeply connected to our community.”

While Seesaw took out the top honour, other winners reflected the breadth of innovation and entrepreneurship across the municipality.

The Small Business Innovation Award went to Maternal and Infant Wellbeing Melbourne (MIWM) in Parkville. The organisation is transforming pre- and post-natal care by bringing GPs, paediatricians, physiotherapists, dietitians, sleep consultants and nurses together under one roof, creating a truly comprehensive model of support for new families.

The inaugural Small Social Enterprise Award was awarded to Ngarrgu Djerring, a CBD café founded by social entrepreneur and Olympian Kyle Vander-Kuyp. The café is providing employment opportunities for young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people facing adversity, while championing sustainable practices.

The awards also honoured 53 long-standing businesses that have contributed to Melbourne’s cultural and economic life for decades. Among those recognised were City Hatters, the iconic store beneath Flinders Street Station’s clocks; premium menswear retailer Henry Bucks; Books for Cooks at Queen Victoria Market; Marche Board Game Café on A’Beckett St; and fine dining restaurant RuYi Modern Chinese on Liverpool St.

Cr Kevin Louey, chair of the council’s city economy and business portfolio, said the awards were an opportunity to celebrate Melbourne icons new and old.

“These awards celebrate Melbourne icons – from City Hatters beneath the famous Flinders Street clocks to Marche Board Game Café, where coffee and laughter go hand in hand,” he said.

For Seesaw, the award is the culmination of 20 years of design innovation in North Melbourne – and a recognition of how a small local business can shape culture well beyond its suburb.

The full list of winners can be found here.