Trendsetter Homes’ Michael Agostino Wins 2026 Business News 40 Under 40 Award

Trendsetter Homes director Michael Agostino has been named a 2026 Business News 40 Under 40 winner, recognising his leadership and contribution to Perth’s residential building industry. The award was presented at a ceremony held in Perth, celebrating Western Australia’s most outstanding business leaders under the age of 40 across a range of industries. 

Agostino joins a cohort of 40 winners drawn from across Western Australian business, selected for their demonstrated impact, innovation, and contribution to their fields. Trendsetter Homes, Perth’s award-winning custom home builder, is led by Agostino, who became one of Western Australia’s youngest registered builders at the age of 20. 

What the Business News 40 Under 40 Award Recognises 

The Business News 40 Under 40 programme identifies and celebrates the next generation of business leaders in Western Australia. The programme selects 40 winners from a competitive field of nominations across industries, including property, professional services, technology, construction, and community enterprise. 

Winners are recognised for business achievement, innovation, leadership, and their contribution to their industry and the broader Western Australian community. The 2026 cohort reflected the depth and diversity of Western Australia’s business economy. 

Michael Agostino’s Two-Decade Journey in Perth’s Building Industry 

Agostino’s career in construction began young. He became one of Western Australia’s youngest registered builders at 20 years old and has spent more than two decades building custom homes across metropolitan Perth. 

In 2022, his contributions to the industry were recognised with the prestigious Master Builders (WA) Ric New Medal for Excellence, an individual award recognising outstanding achievement and innovation in the Western Australian building and construction industry. 

Under his leadership, Trendsetter Homes has grown into one of Perth’s most considered custom home builders, with a design and construction team that works as a single discipline from the first sketch through to handover. The company operates a six-stage design process that begins with hand-drawn concept sketches and delivers homes where every decision, from ceiling height to material choice, is made deliberately. The past few years have brought significant growth, a forward-thinking vision resulting in diversification, and the development of what Michael describes as a team culture built around not settling for the easier answer. 

“I walked into the evening completely open-minded, genuinely just grateful to be nominated and surrounded by so many talented leaders and entrepreneurs,” Agostino wrote following the announcement. “Then they called my name. It took me a moment to actually stand up to receive the award as I didn’t imagine it would happen.” 

“The last few years in business have been nothing short of remarkable. But remarkable doesn’t come without sacrifice. There have been moments where we’ve had to put everything on the line. Real risk, real pressure, and real decisions that didn’t come with a safety net. Betting on growth when the comfortable path was right there,” he wrote. 

How the Recognition Reflects Trendsetter Homes’ Standard 

The 40 Under 40 award recognises business leadership, but for Agostino, leadership and design quality are the same conversation. 

The Marmion residence, which won the 2025 HIA Perth Housing Award for Custom Built Home in the $1.2 to $1.7 million category, is the clearest expression of that standard. Built on a 777-square-metre coastal site with 4000mm ceiling heights and 3230mm by 1600mm large-format porcelain sheets, every specification was chosen deliberately, with the design and construction team briefing together from the first sketch. 

“My incredible teams at Trendsetter Homes, they show up every day knowing the vision and never stop striving for excellence. This award belongs to them as much as it does to me,” Agostino wrote. “I may have walked up to collect this award, but make no mistake, it belongs to every person who has been part of this journey.” 

What This Means for Clients Building with Trendsetter Homes 

For clients investing in a custom home, the leadership behind their build matters as much as the design on the page. 

The 40 Under 40 recognition reflects what Trendsetter clients experience directly: a director who is across every project, a team that briefs together before every build, and a standard that doesn’t shift based on budget or complexity. 

Trendsetter works with a small number of clients at any one time. The full design team, including designer, interior designer, and managing director, briefs together at the start of every project and remains across every decision until handover. 

About Trendsetter Homes: Perth’s Award-Winning  Architectural Home Builders 

Trendsetter Homes has been building custom and architecturally designed homes in Perth since 1997. The company specialises in bespoke residential design across metropolitan Perth.

Recent awards and recognition: 

• Business News 40 Under 40, Michael Agostino: Winner (2026)
• HIA Perth Housing Award, Custom Built Home $1.2–$1.7 million: Winner (2025)
• Master Builders (WA) Ric New Medal for Excellence: Winner (2022)

The company holds Building Contractor registration BC 10254 with the WA Building Services Board, with active memberships in the Housing Industry Association and Master Builders Association WA.

For enquiries about architecturally designed homes in Perth, contact Trendsetter on (08) 9446 2822 or visit the team at Level 1, 3 Teakle Road, Osborne Park WA 6017.

Frequently Asked Questions 

Who is Michael Agostino? 

Michael Agostino is the owner and Managing Director of Trendsetter Homes, an award-winning custom home builder based in Osborne Park, Perth. He became one of Western Australia’s youngest registered builders at 20 years old and has over 20 years of experience in custom home design and construction across metropolitan Perth. In 2026, he was named a Business News 40 Under 40 winner. 

What awards has Trendsetter Homes received? 

Trendsetter Homes has won multiple HIA Perth Housing Awards and Master Builders WA awards across custom home, renovation, and townhouse categories. The company’s most recent build award was the 2025 HIA Perth Housing Award for Custom Built Home $1.2–$1.7 million, for the Marmion residence. Director Michael Agostino was also named a 2026 Business News 40 Under 40 winner.

What type of homes does Trendsetter Homes build? 

Trendsetter Homes specialises in custom architecturally designed homes across metropolitan Perth. Each home is designed from scratch in response to the client’s block, brief, and lifestyle. Trendsetter does not offer display homes or pre-designed floor plans.

How do I start the process with Trendsetter Homes? 

The first step is a discovery call with the Trendsetter team. From there, the design process moves through six stages from initial brief through to construction. The typical timeline from first meeting to slab down is 6 to 12 months, often longer for more complex projects. Book a discovery call here.