Deloitte in association with InterTradeIreland has this week launched its annual Technology Fast 50 programme in Ireland.  The programme, now in its sixth successful year recognises and ranks the fastest-growing technology companies in the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland.  Nominations are now being sought for this year’s fastest 50 based on percentage turnover growth from the 2000 to 2004 period.   

Participants can be public or private, and encompass all technology industry segments including communications, computers and peripherals, internet, life sciences, semiconductors and software.  In addition, companies with three years’ worth of turnover growth can now enter Deloitte’s Rising Stars competition, for those younger companies who are going places fast.

Speaking at the launch, David O’Flanagan, Partner, Deloitte said: ‘The Fast 50 programme ranks companies that have demonstrated innovative strategies, sound management practices and marketplace vision driving them to achieve the status of high-growth leaders.” O’Flanagan continues, “The Technology Fast 50 awards are an opportunity for businesses to gain recognition for their successes and achievements over the previous 12 months.  The awards enable companies to benchmark their growth rates among many of the future stars of the technology sector in Ireland.”

Laurence Lord, Corporate Services Director of InterTradeIreland, one of the main sponsors said ‘This is the fifth year that we have supported this excellent event.  We are particularly delighted and excited that this year will see the Technology Fast 50 event take place in Belfast for the first time.  The Technology Fast 50 Awards are a truly all Ireland event and we have been extremely encouraged by the level of participation from companies from all parts of the island.’

Application forms are now available on the Deloitte website www.deloitte.com/ie or can be obtained by contacting the Fast 50 hotline (01) 417 2611.  The closing date for nominations is 9th September 2005.  An awards ceremony will take place on 24th November in the BBC Studio, Belfast.

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Editor’s Notes:

Deloitte Technology Fast 50

To qualify for the Deloitte Fast 50 Programme a company must have been:

• 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 owned and headquartered in Ireland (subsidiaries do not qualify)

Turnover must be over €50,000 in 2000

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 owned and headquartered in Ireland (subsidiaries do not qualify)
• 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.deloitte.com/ie
Deloitte is Ireland's largest multi-disciplinary professional services firm. We provide a full range of services and advice through 850 people located in four Irish cities – Belfast, Dublin, Cork and Limerick.  We offer our clients unrivalled expertise in four main areas: audit, tax and legal, consulting, and financial advisory.
Contacts:
David O’Flanagan, Deloitte, Tel: 01 417 2200 or email: david.o’flanagan@deloitte.ie
Frans Van Cauwelaert, WHPR, Tel: 01 669 0155 or email: frans.vancauwelaert@ogilvy.com
Andrew McLindon, WHPR, Tel: 01 669 0187 or email: Andrew.mclindon@ogilvy.com

About Deloitte

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