Richard Howard, partner, Deloitte, and Denis O'Sullivan, group chief financial officer at Populis, the 2011 Fast 50 winner, at the launch of the 2012 Deloitte Fast 50 Technology Awards
Deloitte is now accepting entries from technology companies for this year’s Technology Fast 50. The awards programme aims to recognise Ireland’s indigenous technology companies that have experienced an exceptional growth in turnover over the past five years.
The 2011 winner of the Deloitte Fast 50 was the Dublin-headquartered digital media company Populis, which owns and operates more than 600 websites. Deloitte said the company won for having achieved an aggregate growth rate of 7,982pc over the last five years
Other past winners have included the Co Kerry-headquartered PulseLearning, which designs customised learning solutions. Software Asset Management Ireland, Daft Media and Lincor Solutions have also won the Deloitte 50 in the past.
The awards are now in its 13th year and this year’s theme is ‘powerful connections’. Deloitte said this theme is to reflect the community of Fast 50 companies that have developed over the past 13 years of the awards, not only in Ireland, but also throughout Europe.
Fast 50 companies in Ireland also get entered into Deloitte’s EMEA Fast 500 award programme.
Richard Howard, a partner at Deloitte, encourages indigenous Irish technology firms to enter the awards.
“Every year we are extremely impressed with the growth rates that are achieved by Irish technology companies who have demonstrated an ability to both develop offerings and then market them in Ireland and abroad,” he said.
Deloitte said the Fast 50 ranking will feature both private and publicly listed technology companies that have shown innovative strategies, sound management practices and marketplace vision.
Fast 50 entrants must have been operating for a minimum of five years, with a turnover of at least €50,000 for 2007.
There will also be a Rising Star category to honour two companies that have been in business for less than five years. Rising Star entrants must be operating for a minimum of three years and less than five years, with turnover of at least €30,000 for 2009.
The closing date for the 2012 entries is 14 September and the awards will take place in the Guinness Storehouse in Dublin on 16 November.
