A record 11 New Zealand companies were ranked in the top 100, up from eight last year. The index ranks the top 500 tech businesses according to their revenue growth over the past three years and sets the standard for high growth businesses in the Asia Pacific region.
In terms of the geographical spread of companies on the Tech Fast 500, New Zealand had by far the highest representation per capita and on numbers basis was only exceeded by China (147), Taiwan (86), Australia (62) and India (60). The success of Kiwi businesses on the Asia Pacific Tech Fast 500 proves that the country “isn’t just large dairy farm”, says leader of the New Zealand Fast 50 programme, Deloitte partner Matt McKendry.
“These businesses are operating in highly competitive regional and global technology markets where they don’t have natural competitive advantage, unlike many of our primary sector businesses,” McKendry says. “This proves that innovative, fleet-footed Kiwi businesses can match it with the best technology entrepreneurs in the world, particularly when they perform the basics well and don’t lose sight of their strategy and vision.”
The second-highest ranked New Zealand business was Auckland-based online business directory developer Gopher, with growth of 1,456%. Bay of Plenty online retailer Natureshop was placed 24th and Auckland-based telco Mobilis Networks was 25th. The overall top-ranked business was Taiwanese semiconductor manufacturer Giga Solar Materials Corp with an astonishing 24,694% growth.
• For the full Deloitte Technology Fast 500 Asia Pacific 2010 index, go to www.deloitte.com/fast500asiapac. For NZ Management’s Face to Face interview with Rod Drury visit http://www.archivesearch.co.nz/
