The Sunday Times Tech Track 100 is an annual league table published in association with The Sunday Times newspaper in the UK. It ranks Britain’s 100 private technology (TMT) companies with the fastest-growing sales over their last three years.[1] It is published in The Sunday Times each September, with an awards event typically held in November,[2][3] and networking dinners for alumni companies throughout the year. The league table is researched and produced by Fast Track, an Oxford-based research and networking events business.[4][5][6]

Sunday Times Tech Track 100 logo
Sunday Times Tech Track 100 logo

About Fast Track

edit

Fast Track is a leading research and events company that has built a network of the UK’s top-performing private companies, from the fastest-growing to the biggest, through its rankings in The Sunday Times. Founded in 1997[7] by Hamish Stevenson,[8][9] it now publishes seven annual league tables and brings company founders and directors together at invitation-only networking awards events and alumni dinners.[10]

Criteria

edit

Companies have to meet the below criteria[11][12][13] to be able to qualify for the Tech Track 100 league table:

• Independent technology[14] company

• UK registered, unquoted, and not subsidiaries

• Sales of at least £250,000 in the base year

• Sales of at least £5m in the latest year

• Trading weeks in the base and latest years have to exceed 25

Companies that do not meet the criteria can still be considered for the Ones to Watch programme.[15] This is a selection of companies that have either achieved, or predict, good sales growth.

Exclusions

edit

• Excluded companies include payday lenders, computer resellers and companies that are equal joint ventures, or majority-owned by quoted or other companies. IT consultancies and IT services companies are required to generate a significant proportion of their sales from proprietary technologies.

Notable alumni companies

edit

Tech Track 100 was launched in 2001 to recognise Britain’s private technology companies with the fastest-growing sales. Since its launch, more than 1,000 companies have appeared on the league table, including:

Blue Prism, the automation software developer, featured as a One to Watch in 2015 with sales of £4.5m.[16] It floated in 2016 raising £21.1m.[17] In June 2019, it acquired thoughtonomy, No. 4 in Tech Track 100 2018, in a $100m deal.[18][19]

Ocado, the online supermarket, first appeared on Tech Track 100 in 2006 with sales of £143m.[20] It floated in 2010.[21][22]

Sophos, the cybersecurity software provider, which first featured in 2002,[23] was valued at £1bn when it floated in 2015.[24][25]

Just Eat, the online takeaway business, which first featured in 2011,[26] was valued at £1.5bn when it floated in 2014,[27][28] and merged with Dutch firm, Takeaway.com, in a £6.2bn deal in 2020.[29][30]

King, the gaming website operator, first appeared on Tech Track 100 in 2007,[31] floated in 2014[32] and was acquired by Activision Blizzard for $5.9bn in 2016.[33][34]

Latest Tech Track 100 league table

edit

The 20th anniversary Sunday Times Tech Track 100 league table supplement was published on 6 September 2020[35] and featured companies such as tech unicorns Darktrace, Checkout.com and TransferWise. The top company was Revolut, the digital banking services provider.[36][37][38]

Previous rankings

edit

The 2012 Sunday Times Tech Track 100 league table ranked the top 100 of Britain's private technology, digital media and telecoms (TMT) companies that demonstrated the fastest sales growth over the preceding three years, between 2008 and 2011, or between 2009 and 2012.[39][40]

The 2012 Tech Track included a new category, Ones to Recognise, for the first time since the inaugural awards in 1997. This is a list of five companies which demonstrate strong potential but did not make it into the top 100 spots.

2012 Top 1–20 Rankings
Ranking Company Name Business Activity Sales growth (% per annum) Notes
1 Essence[41][42] Digital marketing agency 283.94 http://www.essencedigital.com/
2 LycaMobile[43][44] International telecoms operator 247.25 http://www.lycamobile.com/
3 Wonga.com[45] Online money lender 244.57 http://www.wonga.com/
4 MobileWebAdz[46][47][48] Mobile advertising provider 217.72 http://www.mobilewebadz.com/
5 ZBD Solutions[49] E-paper display developer 212.80 http://www.zbdsolutions.com/
6 musicMagpie.co.uk Online entertainment trader 191.31 http://www.musicmagpie.co.uk/
7 Nomad Digital Transport communications provider 185.69 http://www.uknomad.com/
8 WageDayAdvance Online money lender 171.85 http://www.wagedayadvance.co.uk/
9 AlertMe Smart home monitoring provider 168.99 http://www.alertme.com/
10 Unruly Media Video advertising distributor 157.61 http://www.unrulymedia.com/
11 Equal Experts Software developer 154.90 http://www.equalexperts.com/
12 Ubiquisys[50] Telecoms services provider 151.82 http://www.ubiquisys.com/
13 Asperity Employee Benefits Employee benefits provider 145.13 http://www.asperity.co.uk/
14 Evance Wind Turbines Wind turbines developer 144.28 http://www.evancewind.com/
15 BCS Global Video-conferencing services provider 138.49 http://www.bcsglobal.com/
16 MedicAnimal Online pet retailer 118.42 http://www.medicanimal.com/
17 Skyscanner.net Flight comparison website 118.20 http://www.skyscanner.net/
18 Bowman Power Electrical turbogenerator developer 116.99 http://www.bowmanpower.com/
19 Rarewaves Entertainment retailer 113.40 https://www.rarewaves.com/
20 Omnifone[46] Digital music provider 106.28 https://web.archive.org/web/20090810073617/http://www.omnifone.com/

2011 top ten rankings

edit
2012 top ten rankings
Ranking Company Name Business Activity Sales growth (% per annum) Notes
1 Wonga.com[51] Online money lender 361.29 http://www.wonga.com/
2 Reward Gateway Employee Benefits Employee benefits provider 266.52 http://uk.rewardgateway.com/
3 GadjetSupply.com Premium Mobile Phone Accessories supplier 205.21 http://www.gadjetsupply.com/
4 Fixnetix Financial trading services provider 191.13 http://www.fixnetix.com/
5 XConnect Telecoms services provider 171.68 http://www.xconnect.net/
6 I Spy Digital marketing agency 169.63 http://www.ispymarketing.com/
7 Telemetry Online video delivery and analysis 168.54 http://www.telemetry.com/
8 The Hut Group Online retailer 141.62 http://www.thehut.com/
9 Peach Telecom Telecoms services provider 137.36 http://www.peachtelecom.co.uk/
10 Smart Traffic Digital marketing agency 129.36 http://www.smart-traffic.co.uk/

2010 top ten rankings

edit
2010 top ten rankings
Ranking Company Name Business Activity Sales growth (% per annum) Notes
1 PKR 3D poker website operator 356.44 http://www.pkr.com/
2 Mimecast Email management services provider 173.14 http://www.mimecast.com/
3 Quickstart Global IT services provider 167.89 http://www.quickstartglobal.com/
4 The Hut Group Online retailer 161.92 http://www.thehut.com/
5 Adconion Media Group Digital advertising distributor 149.65 http://www.adconion.com/
6 Monumental Games Computer games developer 146.31 http://www.monumentalgames.com/
7 Shebang Point-of-sale software developer 136.58 http://www.shebang.net/
8 Forward Internet Group Media technology developer 120.04 http://www.forward.co.uk/
9 GPEG LCD display developer 119.92 http://www.gpegint.com/
10 Sciemus Risk-analysis software developer 118.46 http://www.sciemus.com/

2009 top ten rankings

edit
2009 Top ten rankings
Ranking Company Name Business Activity Sales growth (% per annum) Notes
1 The Hut Group Online retailer 188.77 http://www.thehut.com/
2 ApaTech Bone graft manufacturer 180.08 http://www.apatech.com/
3 wewillbuyyourcar.com Online car dealer 177.88 http://www.wewillbuyyourcar.com/
4 Mobica Mobile phone application designer 174.92 http://www.mobica.com/
5 Phyworks Integrated circuits developer 168.03 http://www.phyworks-ic.com/
6 Skrill Online payment provider 152.40 http://www.moneybookers.com/
7 Geo Networks Fibre optic network provider 146.29 http://www.geo-uk.net/
8 Ubisense Precision location technology provider 127.89 http://www.ubisense.net/
9 LOVEFILM.com Online DVD rental provider 127.78 http://www.lovefilm.com/
10 The Cloud Wireless broadband service provider 113.20 http://www.thecloud.net/

2008 top ten rankings

edit
2008 top ten rankings
Ranking Company Name Business Activity Sales growth (% per annum) Notes
1 Mobile Interactive Group Mobile and digital technology provider 422.30 https://web.archive.org/web/20120617185936/http://www.migcan.com/
2 LOVEFILM.com Online DVD rental provider 239.28 http://www.lovefilm.com/
3 Netbasic Website developer 235.30 http://www.netbasic.co.uk/
4 Timico Converged communications provider 205.70 http://www.timico.co.uk/
5 ApaTech Bone graft manufacturer 204.57 http://www.apatech.com/
6 Tideway Systems Software developer 184.01 http://www.tideway.com/
7 NEG Telecom Telecoms services provider 175.40 https://web.archive.org/web/20060721201749/http://www.networkeuropegroup.com/
8 The Hut Group Online retailer 173.07 http://www.thehut.com/
9 Tomorrow Communications IT network provider 153.11 http://www.tomorrowcomms.com/
10 Forward Internet Group Media technology developer 151.91 http://www.forward.co.uk/

2007 top ten rankings

edit
2007 top ten rankings
Ranking Company Name Business Activity Sales growth (% per annum) Notes
1 Holiday Rooms Direct Online hotel agency 513.98 http://www.holidayroomsdirect.com/
2 Codian Video conferencing 489.49 http://www.codian.com/
3 The Best Of Community website franchisor 486.31
4 AMV Holding Mobile content provider 467.00 https://web.archive.org/web/20130303185311/http://amvholding.com/
5 LOVEFILM.com Online DVD rental provider 367.92 http://www.lovefilm.com/
6 Pitch Entertainment Mobile services provider 326.42 http://www.pitch.tv/
7 Stirk Lamont & Associates ICT consultancy 317.64 http://www.sla-ltd.com/
8 NEG Telecom Telecoms services provider 265.73 https://web.archive.org/web/20060721201749/http://www.networkeuropegroup.com/
9 buy.at Online marketer 254.10 http://www.buy.at/
10 Timico Converged communications provider 253.99 http://www.timico.co.uk/

2006 top ten rankings

edit
2006 top ten rankings
Ranking Company Name Business Activity Sales growth (% per annum) Notes
1 Gamesys Gaming website operator 301.48 http://www.gamesyscorporate.com/
2 Apertio Mobile telecoms software developer 299.50 https://web.archive.org/web/20120414152916/http://www.apertio.co.uk/
3 Pulsic Silicon chip software developer 272.31 http://www.pulsic.com/
3 The Search Works Search engine advertiser 272.31 http://www.thesearchworks.com/
5 Redtray E-learning software developer 253.19 http://www.redtray.co.uk/
6 ITM Soil Soil testing equipment maker 249.32 https://web.archive.org/web/20130611201638/http://itm-ltd.com/
7 Mobile Fun Online retailer 237.83 http://www.mobilefun.co.uk/
8 Vivo Technologies Communication accessories provider 204.30 http://www.pdamods.com/
9 Assima E-learning software publisher 195.02 http://www.assima.net/
10 Latitude Digital marketing agency 191.42 https://web.archive.org/web/20081123044923/http://www.searchlatitude.com//

2005 top ten rankings

edit
2005 top ten rankings
Ranking Company Name Business Activity Sales growth (% per annum) Notes
1 Daisy Communications Telecoms service provider 457.77 http://www.daisycommunications.co.uk/
2 iFone Wireless games publisher 357.94 https://web.archive.org/web/20100126033753/http://www.ifone.com/
3 Intelligent Energy Clean power systems developer 327.09 http://www.intelligent-energy.com/
4 Total PDA Online multimedia retailer 288.11 http://www.totalpda.co.uk/
5 Marketpipe Financial software developer 271.41 http://www.marketpipe.com/
6 Gamma Telecom Telecoms network operator 261.32 http://www.gammatelecom.com/
7 Betfair Online bookmaker 231.00 http://www.betfaircorporate.com/
8 MX Telecom Wireless technology developer 228.91 http://www.mxtelecom.com/
9 Clearswift Security software developer 215.75 http://www.clearswift.com/
10 Argogroup Testing software developer 211.26 http://www.argogroup.com/

Other Fast Track publications

edit

Tech Track 100 is one of seven league tables of private companies produced by "Fast Track" and published in The Sunday Times:

  • Fast Track 100 – ranks the UK’s fastest-growing private companies based on sales (excluding TMT companies, which appear in Tech Track 100)
  • SME Export Track 100 – ranks the UK's SMEs with the fastest-growing international sales
  • Tech Track 100 – ranks the UK’s fastest-growing private technology companies based on sales (the sister table to Fast Track 100)
  • International Track 200 – ranks the UK’s private mid-market companies with the fastest-growing overseas sales
  • Profit Track 100 – ranks the UK’s private companies with the fastest-growing profits
  • Top Track 250 – ranks the UK’s leading mid-market private companies based on sales and/or profits growth
  • Top Track 100 – ranks the UK’s biggest private companies based on sales

References

edit
  1. ^ Cameron, Greig. "Cities ride high as unicorns lead the way".
  2. ^ "Tech stars celebrate at Tech Track 100 awards".
  3. ^ "[Video] Singer Capital Markets's Sponsorship of Tech Track 100 2019". 8 November 2019.
  4. ^ "Branson helps open new Fast Track office". 16 July 2001.
  5. ^ "Business: British companies 'inspiring'". Independent.co.uk. 8 December 1997.
  6. ^ "About us - Fast Track". www.fasttrack.co.uk. Archived from the original on 15 April 2016.
  7. ^ "Business: British companies 'inspiring'". The Independent. 8 December 1997. Retrieved 17 April 2020.
  8. ^ "Fast Track Ltd". Fast Track. Retrieved 16 April 2020.
  9. ^ "Branson helps open new Fast Track office". Oxford Mail. 16 July 2001. Retrieved 17 April 2020.
  10. ^ "The Fast Track". Peoplevox. 9 August 2017. Retrieved 17 April 2020.
  11. ^ "Nominate your tech business for the Sunday Times Hiscox Tech Track 100 league table". 31 May 2019.
  12. ^ https://www.fasttrack.co.uk/league-tables/tech-track-100/nominate-a-company/entry-criteria/ [dead link]
  13. ^ https://www.director-zone.com/publish/1531 [dead link]
  14. ^ "Ftse Russell".
  15. ^ "Bath-based business among 10 'most exciting' UK tech firms". 9 September 2019.
  16. ^ "Ones to Watch - Fast Track". www.fasttrack.co.uk. Archived from the original on 13 June 2017.
  17. ^ "London Stock Exchange welcomes Blue Prism".
  18. ^ "Thoughtonomy Ranked in the Top Set of High Growth UK Tech Firms by Sunday Times Hiscox Tech Track 100".
  19. ^ https://consent.yahoo.com/collectConsent?sessionId=3_cc-session_fedeb396-1ff6-428d-9dbc-7e9be3cc4f46&lang=en-GB&inline=false [dead link]
  20. ^ "League table - Fast Track". www.fasttrack.co.uk. Archived from the original on 10 November 2016.
  21. ^ "Ocado is stacking up to be biggest flotation of the year, but no bargain". TheGuardian.com. 6 July 2010.
  22. ^ "Ocado gives green light for £1bn float". Financial Times. 18 June 2010.
  23. ^ "League table - Fast Track". www.fasttrack.co.uk. Archived from the original on 17 September 2016.
  24. ^ Ahmed, Murad (26 June 2015). "Sophos valued at £1bn in flotation". Financial Times.
  25. ^ "Sophos IPO: London's biggest ever tech float is coming in July, Apax Partners reveals". 3 June 2015.
  26. ^ "League table - Fast Track". www.fasttrack.co.uk. Archived from the original on 10 November 2016.
  27. ^ "Just Eat soars as City rushes to get a bite of £1.5bn float". 3 April 2014.
  28. ^ "Just Eat flotation delivers with £1.5bn valuation". Financial Times. 3 April 2014.
  29. ^ "CMA clears £6.2bn Just Eat Takeaway merger". 23 April 2020.
  30. ^ Bradshaw, Tim (23 April 2020). "UK competition watchdog approves Just Eat-Takeaway.com merger". Financial Times. London.
  31. ^ "League table - Fast Track". www.fasttrack.co.uk. Archived from the original on 20 June 2017.
  32. ^ "Who are the Candy Crush millionaires?". TheGuardian.com. 25 March 2014.
  33. ^ "Candy Crush maker King bought by Activision Blizzard". BBC News. 3 November 2015.
  34. ^ Bradshaw, Tim; Garrahan, Matthew (3 November 2015). "'Candy Crush' owner King sold to Activision Blizzard for $5.9bn". Financial Times.
  35. ^ "The latest Tech Track 100 findings - Fast Track". www.fasttrack.co.uk. Archived from the original on 15 August 2020.
  36. ^ "Tech Track 100 | Barclays Corporate".
  37. ^ "Celebrating the fastest-growing tech start-ups". 20 September 2019.
  38. ^ "In the red Revolut reports 350% increase in revenues". October 2019.
  39. ^ "Sunday Times Hiscox Tech Track 100 Sponsorship".
  40. ^ "Tech Track 100 programme".
  41. ^ "Essence ranks number 1 in Sunday Times Hiscox Tech Track". 17 September 2012.
  42. ^ "Tech trailblazers take the honours". The Sunday Times. 18 November 2012. Archived from the original on 3 March 2016.
  43. ^ "Lycamobile celebrates 2nd place in the Tech Track 100". 28 September 2012. Archived from the original on 5 March 2016. Retrieved 12 March 2013.
  44. ^ Withers, Paul (20 September 2012). "Lycamobile ranked as runner up in Tech Track 100".
  45. ^ "Wonga, Tech City and entrepreneurialism". 23 October 2012. Retrieved 12 March 2013.
  46. ^ a b Cett, Hans (24 September 2012). "Mobile firms do well in Tech Track 100 league". Retrieved 12 March 2013.
  47. ^ Corcoran, Sorcha (25 September 2012). "MobileWebAdz fourth fastest growing tech company in the UK". Retrieved 12 March 2013.
  48. ^ O'Brien, Ciara (27 September 2012). "Fast-growing mobile ad firm considers opening office in Ireland". The Irish Times. Retrieved 12 March 2013.
  49. ^ "ZBD ranks 5th in Sunday Times Tech Track 100 League Table of Britain's Fastest Growing Technology Firms". 17 September 2012. Retrieved 12 March 2013.
  50. ^ Day, Keith (15 November 2012). "Ubiquisys collects Tech Track 100 award as one of Britain's fastest-growing private technology companies". Retrieved 12 March 2013.
  51. ^ Hobson, Sophie (6 June 2012). "Can Wonga become Facebook for finance? Interview with Errol Damelin". Retrieved 12 March 2013.