Ezetop charges to number one in Deloitte Technology Fast 50

Published 19 November 2012

Ezetop, (www.ezetop.com) the company which enables people living or working abroad to instantly top up mobile phones of friends and family back home, has achieved top spot in this year’s Deloitte Technology Fast 50 awards.

Pictured (from l-r) are: Brendan Jennings, Managing Partner, Deloitte, Chris Horn, co-founder and former CEO, Iona Technologies, Mark Roden, Chairman, Ezetop and Richard Howard, Partner, Deloitte

The company, whose services are available from more than 350,000 retail stores in 16 countries, as well as online and on mobile phones, achieved an aggregate growth rate of 6986% over the last five years. The company is a first time entrant to the Fast 50 awards.

The average growth rate of the Fast 50 companies named in this year’s ranking is 556%. Second place on this year’s ranking was taken by Compliance and Risks (www.complianceandrisks.com), another first time entrant to the awards programme. The company, which provides innovative online tools that deliver the most timely and accurate global regulatory intelligence, achieved this spot with a growth rate of 2886%.

The 2010 winner, Software Asset Management Ireland (www.sami.ie), a leading supplier of software and information technology solutions to the education and voluntary sector, continues to perform strongly in the ranking, taking third place with an average growth rate of 2428%. The highest ranked company from Northern Ireland was Rehabstudio Ltd in fifth place. The company demonstrated a growth rate of 1187% over the last five years.

The Fast 50 programme, now in its thirteenth year in Ireland, ranks the fastest growing technology companies in the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. The Technology Fast 50 awards are an opportunity for businesses to gain recognition for their successes and achievements.

Two companies have also been awarded Rising Star awards. This category recognises younger companies with the fastest growth in turnover over the past three years. FeedHenry Ltd, which provides a cloud mobile application platform that simplifies the development, integration, deployment and management of secure mobile apps for business, represented the Republic of Ireland in this category. The company achieved a growth rate of 2862%. The Northern Ireland winner, with a growth rate of 1618%, was Sixteen South. The company develops, creates and produces children’s television and was also the recipient of this accolade last year.

This year, there are 15 companies from Northern Ireland in the Fast 50 ranking, an increase on last year’s total of 14. There are 8 new entrants to the ranking.

Announcing the winners of the Technology Fast 50 programme, Richard Howard, Partner with Deloitte, Dublin said: “Each year, we are considerably enthused by the resilience and tenacity of the indigenous technology sector as they demonstrate high levels of growth amidst challenging economic times. One of the key drivers of this growth has been their ability to capitalise on international markets. Many Irish companies now have an increased focus on international expansion as a way to drive sustainable growth. The indigenous technology sector has been a trailblazer in this regard – some of our most successful technology companies have long been internationalising their IP and reaping the rewards. It’s encouraging to observe that so many of our Fast 50 winning companies are seeking to exploit both local and global markets to their best advantage.”

In total, seven counties across the island of Ireland are represented on this year’s listing. Dublin leads the pack with 29 companies, followed by Antrim with 12 companies. There are three companies from Cork and two companies each from Limerick and Down while Derry and Kerry are represented by one company each.

Once again this year Northern Ireland companies Novosco, Andor Technology and Texthelp ranked on this year’s listing. These companies have featured in the ranking since the beginning of the programme.   

The awards took place in the Guinness Storehouse on Friday 16th November.  Dr Chris Horn, co-founder and former CEO Iona Technologies, was keynote speaker at the event.

Details of the final Technology Fast 50 ranking list are available to download at www.fast50.ie.

Fast 50 Ranking:

County breakdown

Dublin – 29 companies

Antrim – 12 companies

Cork – 3 companies

Limerick – 2 companies

Down – 2 companies

Kerry – 1 company

Derry – 1 company

About the Deloitte Technology Fast 50 Programme
To enter the Fast 50 Awards, companies must meet the criteria listed below.  Entries must be sent in electronically, with the necessary supporting documents (audited financial statements).

Entry Criteria:

• Entrants must have been operating for a minimum of five years, with a turnover of at least €50,000 for 2007
• Entrants can be public or private companies but the parent company must be headquartered in the Republic of Ireland or Northern Ireland. Subsidiaries or divisions do not qualify
• Each entrant must be a technology company defined as producing technology; manufacturing technology-related products; being technologically intensive or using technology in problem-solving; or devoting a high percentage of effort to the research and development of technology

Rising Star category
Companies who wish to enter the programme, which have not been in business for the minimum 5 years may qualify for the Rising Star category on satisfaction of the following criteria:

• Entrants must have been operating for a minimum of three years and less than five years, with turnover of at least €30,000 for 2009
• Entrants can be public or private companies but the parent company must be headquartered in the Republic of Ireland or Northern Ireland. Subsidiaries or divisions do not qualify
• Each entrant must be a technology company defined as producing technology; manufacturing technology-related products; being technologically intensive or using technology in problem-solving; or devoting a high percentage of effort to the research and development of technology

About Deloitte
Deloitte’s 1,200 people in Dublin, Cork and Limerick provide audit, tax, consulting, and corporate finance services to public and private clients spanning multiple industries. With a globally connected network of member firms in more than 150 countries, Deloitte brings world-class capabilities and high-quality service to clients, delivering the insights they need to address their most complex business challenges.

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