Deloitte, the professional services firm, launches this years Technology Fast 50 Awards, an independent ranking and celebration of the UKs fastest-growing technology companies. The awards are run regionally throughout the UK, concluding with a national award which identifies the overall Fast 50 winner for the UK and Ireland.
The programme, in its seventh year, showcases technology companies that have achieved high revenue growth over a five year period. The ranking features both private and public listed technology companies that have demonstrated innovative strategies, sound management practices and marketplace vision driving them to achieve the status of high-growth leaders. Details of how to enter the award can be found at www.fast50.co.uk
In addition, companies with three years worth of turnover growth can now enter Deloittes Rising Stars competition, for those younger companies who are going places fast.
In a climate where technology CEOs are cautiously optimistic about growth in sales and the prospects for the UK economy as a whole for the next 12 months, this years awards will provide a real insight into the shape of the sector, William Touche, Chairman of the Technology Fast 50 programme comments. Over half of the 2003 national ranking comprised software companies, alongside a steady increase in the number of telecoms companies. Companies based in Ireland and the Eastern, Welsh and South West regions showed the highest growth rate as compared to London and the South East. It will be very interesting to see if this trend is repeated this year.
The Technology Fast 50 awards are an opportunity for businesses to gain recognition for their successes and achievements over the previous 12 months. In what has been a turbulent environment for the sector, there has never been a more important time for businesses to highlight their achievements.
The awards programme is sponsored nationally by the London Stock Exchange, one of the worlds leading equity exchanges, and for the London area by Intellect, the trade association for the information, telecommunications and electronics industries in the UK.
About the Deloitte Technology Fast 50 Programme
The programme consists of a series of regional programmes covering the East, London & South East, Midlands, South West & South Wales, the North and Scotland and Ireland. Each region will host an awards ceremony to honour the 50 fastest growing technology companies in their areas in October and November. Following the regional programmes, Deloitte will publish a national ranking of the UKs Technology Fast 50 companies.
The ceremony for the London & South East region will be held on Thursday 28th October 2004 at the Savoy Hotel in London.
Eligibility criteria for the Technology Fast 50:
In business for a minimum of 5 years
Entries must be considered a technology company, defined as:
- producing technology
- manufacturing technology-related products
- technologically intensive or uses unique technology in problem-solving
- devoting a high percentage of effort to research and development of technology
The parent company must be UK owned and headquartered in a participating region (subsidiaries or divisions do not qualify)
Turnover must be over Euro 50,000 in 1999
Eligibility criteria for the Rising Starts competition:
In business for a minimum of three years but no more than five
Entrants must be a technology company, defined as:
- producing technology
- manufacturing technology- related products
- technologically intensive or using unique technology in problem-solving
- devoting a high percentage of effort to research and development of technology
The parent company must be UK owned and headquartered in a participating region (subsidiaries or divisions are not eligible)
Entrants must have turnover of over euros 30,000 in 2001
The Technology Fast 50 programme was originally started in San Jose, the centre of Silicon Valley, California in 1995 and has expanded across the globe in the last six years. Both the regional Technology Fast 50 and the national Technology Fast 500 were created to recognise the outstanding contribution of fast growing technology companies to the US economy.
For further information and details of how to enter the award, visit http://www.fast50.co.uk
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