KEY POINTS:
It was very pleasing to see 38 New Zealand companies named in the Deloitte Asia Pacific Technology Fast 500 rankings, which was released late last week.
The full report and list is in PDF form here.
What was even better was that six Kiwi companies made it
into the top 50. Energy Mad, which makes energy-efficient light bulbs has grown a hefty 2746 per cent when its revenue over the last three years is averaged out.
That may be off a relatively small revenue base, but is very impressive all the same. You have to give it to listed Chinese solar panel maker, Trina Solar - it took number one spot with an average three-year revenue growth rate of a staggering 27,542 per cent. It's certainly good to be green.
There are some usual suspects on the list - Trademe at 174th position with 294 per cent growth showing just how popular the auction website continues to be and network traffic monitoring company Endace takes 317th position with 165 per cent growth.
But cast your eye down the full list of Kiwi companies that made it into the Fast 500 and, like I did, you may find a number of interesting little tech companies you've never heard of. That's a good thing.
New players are coming up with innovative ideas in the tech sector. This is exactly the type of activity we need to be going on here. We just need more of it. This year New Zealand increased its contribution of companies to the list by 22 per cent. Where we are concerned, software, the internet and networking and communications products is where it's at.
What isn't really surprising in the survey accompanying the rankings is that 53 per cent of CEOs said their biggest challenge was finding, hiring and retaining talent in their companies, while 81 per cent of them think it is important to look offshore for talent these days. It's leading to more off-shoring as companies shift the work to the talent pool.
Here's the top 10 New Zealand companies that made it onto the list, with the other 28 listed below.
12 Energy Mad - 2,746.05% growth. According to its website, "Energy Mad was initially founded in 2004 with an aim to get five energy saving Ecobulbs in 50 per cent of the homes in New Zealand and save all the electricity used by Christchurch homes."
"By late 2007, Energy Mad will have achieved this aim in a remarkably short period of time!"
The company claims the spiral-shaped Eco bulb will save you $130 on your power bill.
15 Ezi-Pay - 2,691.84% growth. Sells pre-paid calling cards for Telecom, Vodafone and a host of other communications providers - allows credit to be topped up electronically at the point of sale.
32 IBEX New Zealand - 1,234.37% growth. Was named Supreme Exporter of the Year 2007 by NZTE. Makes abattoir equipment "from the slaughter chain to the meat trimming tools". Enough said.
33 Fishpond.co.nz - 1,230.76% growth. Online book and DVD seller, also in the Australian market.
40 Digital Island Communications - 1,071.59 growth. Business focused telecoms provider, selling company PBXs, tolls, internet access and conferencing equipment and services.
46 Torpedo7 - 968.32% growth. Online store specialising in extreme sports gear - snowboards, mountainbikes and the like. Also has an Australian arm.
75 CER Group - 601.63% growth. Listed on the NZX, comprised two businesses - Certified Organics and New Zealand Nature: "Both provide environmentally friendly and ecologically sustainable products to customers, primarily overseas. Both arms of the business use internet technologies to support dealing with end users."
79 NextWindow Limited Computers & Peripherals - 567.44% growth
87 Holistics Group - 519.31% growth. A software asset management and software licence profiling company with clients all over the world - in October it re-branded as Holistics Information Solutions.
"The Holistics team now numbers more than 25 people - including native or fluent speakers of more than a dozen languages - and has researched more than 30,000 organisations from all over the world, including many of the world's best known companies."
91 Mako Networks - 497.61% growth. Hardware-based broadband security and monitoring systems that has been around since 2000 and has offices in Auckland and London.
113 SilverStripe - 417.35% growth. Designs free, open source content management systems for website owners.
"We've rethought how content editors, developers, and designers should build and manage websites. We've arrived at a unique combination that empowers all three to get their jobs done more quickly and with more flexibility."
The rest...
120 Wellington Drive Technologies - electronic motors 402.17% growth.
127 Zeald.com New Zealand - Internet 391.40% growth.
154 Catch Limited New Zealand - Other 332.52% growth.
168 First Rate NZ Limited New Zealand - Communications / Networking 304.02% growth.
174 Trade Me Limited New Zealand - Internet 294.42% growth.
175 Tiger Networks Limited New Zealand - Communications / Networking 294.03% growth.
176 Magic Pulse Limited New Zealand - Software 293.69% growth.
179 RimuHosting New Zealand - Internet 289.28% growth.
185 Rock Star Recipes Limited New Zealand - Internet 278.79% growth.
190 Particle Systems Limited New Zealand - Software 262.13% growth.
215 Serverworks Limited New Zealand - Communications / Networking 237.21% growth.
216 The Optima Corporation New Zealand - Software 236.77% growth.
217 Chillisoft Limited New Zealand - Software 236.71% growth.
266 Impac Solutions Limited New Zealand - Software 195.01% growth.
293 Observatory Crest Limited New Zealand - Other 177.62% growth.
314 iQ Toys Limited New Zealand - Internet 166.99% growth.
316 Touchpoint Limited New Zealand - Software 166.02% growth.
317 Endace Group New Zealand - Communications / Networking 164.98% growth.
343 Redvespa Consultants Limited New Zealand - Communications / Networking 153.87% growth.
354 Vista Entertainment Solutions Limited New Zealand - Software 149.97% growth.
382 Web Drive Limited New Zealand - Internet 137.44% growth.
436 Author-IT Software Corporation New Zealand - Software 114.64% growth.
446 Montage Interactive Limited New Zealand - Software 113.26% growth.
463 Direct Payment Solutions Limited New Zealand -Communications / Networking 108.48% growth.
477 Seek (NZ) Limited New Zealand - Internet 106.07% growth
498 Breathe Communications New Zealand - Communications / Networking 99.22% growth.