Record year for NZ tech companies in record-breaking year for Asia Pacific technology

38 New Zealand companies have made the Deloitte Asia Pacific Technology Fast 500 this year, up from 31 in 2006 and 23 in 2005 – the highest representation yet in these rankings which benchmark revenue growth across ten countries in the region – Australia, China (including Hong Kong), India, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, New Zealand, Singapore, Taiwan, and Thailand. 

Seven New Zealand Companies have top 50 ranking this year, our best performance yet. This achievement is particularly noteworthy as this year’s Technology 500 sees the highest level of growth since the rankings began in 2002, with CEOs reporting record levels of confidence in business conditions.

The 38 New Zealand companies in this year’s sixth annual Deloitte Asia Pacific Technology Fast 500 grew the New Zealand economy by $335 million between FY2005 and FY2007 and almost doubled staff numbers to 910 FTE during the period.

What makes our tech companies so successful this year?

To achieve this growth, these companies have shown an unerring focus on their market niche, and have secured clear channels to market both nationally and internationally. They have demonstrated courage, in pursuing their vision and executing their strategy.

Green means go; international results confirm rise of green on growth agenda

Energy Mad’s number one ranking in this year’s Deloitte/Unlimited Fast 50 demonstrated that responding to consumers’ growing environmental concerns can be good for business.  China’s Trina Solar, winner of this year’s Deloitte Asia Pacific Technology Fast 500, certainly confirms this with an astounding 27,542% growth over the period surveyed. 

In addition to the growing appeal of clean and green technologies for consumers, our surveys highlight an increasing awareness within the business community that taking steps towards more sustainable business practices is not only potentially good for business, it’s the right thing to do; and over two-thirds of CEOs responding in this year’s Technology Fast 500 survey agree.  40% of respondent companies are undertaking some form of energy conservation and 33% are implementing waste reduction initiatives.

As public awareness of the need to preserve the environment increases, CEOs are also accepting that sustainable business practices are crucial to attractively positioning their HR brand in tight labour markets.  Employees are more mobile and have more choices about where to work, so business needs to work harder to attract and retain staff, and the survey results now indicate that sustainable business practices are influencing workplace choice.

Other key findings

Sixteen companies return from previous years, and five of these are appearing for the third time – Run the Red, First Rate, Web Drive, Seek (NZ), and Breathe Communications.  Trade Me returns for the fifth consecutive year, and Endace for the fourth year since 2003.

This year represents New Zealand’s best showing in the regional index since 2003.  In 12th position, Energy Mad (2746%) achieves the second best placing of a New Zealand company since the rankings began (Prolificx made number 6 in 2003 with 2,281%).  Ezi-Pay Limited, at number 15 with 2692%, records our fourth best ranking to date (behind Trade Me’s 2003 13th place with 967%).  These companies are joined in the top 50 by five other New Zealand companies – IBEX, Fishpond.co.nz, Run the Red and Digital ISLAND Communications of Auckland and Torpedo7 of Hamilton.