Kiwis fly high among top growing tech firms in APAC

Run the Red heads the list of locals at number 36

By Amanda Sachtleben, Auckland | Friday, 14 December 2007
Local communications and networking firms have made a leading contribution to the Deloitte Fast 500 ranking of fast-growing Asia Pacific technology companies.

The list rates tech companies from Australia, New Zealand, China, Hong Kong, India, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Singapore, Taiwan and Thailand by revenue growth over three years, this being the sixth year the rankings have been published.

Of the 38 Kiwi firms represented, 11 were in communications and networking, nine each were software or internet-related and the rest were in biotech/pharmaceuticals, electronics, computers/peripherals and instrumentation.

Local communications and networking companies on the list include mobile commerce firm Run the Red at 36th place, touchscreen vendor Next Window at 79, Mako Networks at 91 and Tiger Networks at 175th.

They were followed by security software distributor Chillisoft at 217, Observatory Crest at 293 and Endace at 317.
Tiger Networks managing director Ben Walton says the ranking helps cement the company’s place in the minds of customers. “If you’re doing quoting and things like that, it helps to be able to put the [Deloitte Fast 500] logo on the back.”

He says the communications technology field is set for growth here. “In the next couple of years I believe it will keep taking off, especially with Telecom unbundling the local loop. There’ll be more competition and people growing very strongly.”

Last year New Zealand-based software and internet-related firms won more places on the list (11 and 10 respectively) than communications and networking (seven companies).

Eighty-three communications and networking firms were represented on this year’s Asia Pacific ranking.

Many Asia-ranked winners were also on the NZ Deloite/Unlimited Fast 50 list released earlier this year, including Digital Island at six, Next Window at 14, Mako Networks at 16 and First Rate at 21. Tiger Networks was 23rd while Chillisoft was 32nd.