Britain’s many exciting modern technology business are applying sales at their fastest ever before speed, a new rank programs, with businesses in sectors varying from advertising and marketing sales to online payments registering breakneck growth.
It is 16 years since the consultancy firm Deloitte first started placing Britain’s fastest-growing technology companies. The Technology Fast 50 was launched at the height of the dot.com boom in 1998, yet outlasted the bursting of that bubble– today its constituents consist of a few of the brightest starts of dot.com 2.0.
Deloitte’s positions are based on sales development and also aim to judge set up innovation companies instead of start-ups. To be qualified, businesses have to have been working for a minimum of five years (the period over which revenue development is judged) and also they must have yearly sales of at the very least £42,000 (EUR50, 000). On this basis, the top 10 in the 2013 ranks are:
1. Infectious Media
With growth of 9,774% over the past five years, Infectious Media is rising high – the London-based business is at the forefront of real-time internet advertising in which advertisers bid to post their marketing instantaneously to specific users on a mass scale.
2. Avecto
Cyber-security software designer Avecto has grown 4,731% over the past five years and is proving that technology businesses don’t have to be based in London. Operating out of Manchester in the North-West of England, Avecto’s specialty is Windows security.
3. AlertMe
AlertMe is one of a growing number of technology companies clustered in and around the university town of Cambridge. It is cashing in on the government-backed market for energy meters and allows consumers to harness cloud-based computer services to improve the energy efficiency of their homes. Its growth came in at 3,393%.
4. Mobile Account Solutions
Businesses outside of the technology sector are struggling to keep up with the fast-paced mobile industry – Mobile Account Solutions provides consultancy services and mobile management solutions to help these firms cope. It has recorded growth of 3,332% since 2008.
5. Lovestruck.com
Online dating shows no sign of falling from fashion and Lovestruck.com’s founders discovered the perfect match when they launched into this market. Based in the South-East of Britain, Lovestruck.com is harnessing new technologies such as geo-location services and has grown by 2,658% over the past five years.
6. Monitise
The market for mobile payments systems, particularly for smaller businesses, is increasingly competitive but Monitise’s solutions have enabled it stand out from the crowd in recent years. It has managed to post growth of 2,214% since 2008.
7. Sixteen South
Hailing from Belfast, Sixteen South is Northern Ireland’s representative in the Fast 50. It makes children’s television programs using techniques such as stop-motion animation and has a number of big hits on its hands. Growth since 2008 has come in at 2,214%.
8. FreeAgent
Everyone hates doing their tax return – freelancers and small businesses are no exception. FreeAgent, from Edinburgh in Scotland, aims to take away that pain, offering accounting software that automates invoices and expenses for a simpler tax return. Five-year growth is 2,128%.
9. Equal Experts UK
Need a developer to build you some software? Chances are that Equal Experts has one – it operates a network of developers and clients already include telecoms giant O2. Growth over the past five years has been 2,035%.
10. Backbone Connect
Data centers are huge business in a technology driven economy and Backbone Connect is making good money from them, having grown 1,810% over the past five years. It specializes in everything from cloud solutions to virtual private networks.
