Tech Track 100

Fast Track was a leading research and events company{{Cite web |title=Fast Track - About |url=https://www.linkedin.com/company/sunday-times-fast-track/about/ |publisher=LinkedIn}} that 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{{cite news|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/business-british-companies-inspiring-1287581.html|title=Business: British companies 'inspiring'|date=8 December 1997|work=The Independent|accessdate=17 April 2020}} by Hamish Stevenson,{{cite web|url=https://www.fasttrack.co.uk/about-us/|title=Fast Track Ltd|website=Fast Track|access-date=16 April 2020}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.oxfordmail.co.uk/news/6612015.branson-helps-open-new-fast-track-office/|title=Branson helps open new Fast Track office|date=16 July 2001|work=Oxford Mail|access-date=17 April 2020}} it published seven annual league tables and brought company founders and directors together at invitation-only networking awards events and alumni dinners.{{cite web|url=https://www.peoplevox.com/blogs/the-fast-track|title=The Fast Track|date=9 August 2017|website=Peoplevox|access-date=17 April 2020}}

Companies have to meet the below criteria{{cite web|url=https://www.hiscox.co.uk/business-blog/nominate-your-tech-business-for-the-sunday-times-hiscox-tech-track-100-league-table/|title=Nominate your tech business for the Sunday Times Hiscox Tech Track 100 league table|date=31 May 2019 }}https://www.fasttrack.co.uk/league-tables/tech-track-100/nominate-a-company/entry-criteria/ {{Dead link|date=February 2022}}https://www.director-zone.com/publish/1531 {{Dead link|date=August 2022}} to be able to qualify for the Tech Track 100 league table:

• Independent technology{{cite web|url=https://www.ftserussell.com/products/indices/techmark|title = Ftse Russell}} 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.{{cite web|url=https://www.somersetlive.co.uk/news/somerset-news/bath-based-business-named-among-3300666|title = Bath-based business among 10 'most exciting' UK tech firms|date = 9 September 2019}} This is a selection of companies that have either achieved, or predict, good sales growth.

• 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.

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.{{cite web |url=https://www.fasttrack.co.uk/league-tables/tech-track-100/ones-to-watch/?leagueyear=2015 |title=Ones to Watch - Fast Track |website=www.fasttrack.co.uk |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170613104448/http://www.fasttrack.co.uk/league-tables/tech-track-100/ones-to-watch/?leagueyear=2015 |archive-date=2017-06-13}} It floated in 2016 raising £21.1m.{{cite web|url=https://www.lseg.com/markets-products-and-services/our-markets/london-stock-exchange/equities-markets/raising-equity-finance/market-open-ceremony/london-stock-exchange-welcomes-blue-prism|title = London Stock Exchange welcomes Blue Prism}} In June 2019, it acquired thoughtonomy, No. 4 in Tech Track 100 2018, in a $100m deal.{{cite web|url=https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/stocks/thoughtonomy-ranked-in-the-top-set-of-high-growth-uk-tech-firms-by-sunday-times-hiscox-tech-track-100-1027519819|title = Thoughtonomy Ranked in the Top Set of High Growth UK Tech Firms by Sunday Times Hiscox Tech Track 100}}https://consent.yahoo.com/collectConsent?sessionId=3_cc-session_fedeb396-1ff6-428d-9dbc-7e9be3cc4f46&lang=en-GB&inline=false {{Dead link|date=August 2022}}

• Ocado, the online supermarket, first appeared on Tech Track 100 in 2006 with sales of £143m.{{cite web |url=https://www.fasttrack.co.uk/league-tables/tech-track-100/league-table/?leagueyear=2006 |title=League table - Fast Track |website=www.fasttrack.co.uk |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161110072531/http://www.fasttrack.co.uk/league-tables/tech-track-100/league-table/?leagueyear=2006 |archive-date=2016-11-10}} It floated in 2010.{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/business/2010/jul/06/ocado-high-flotation-value|title=Ocado is stacking up to be biggest flotation of the year, but no bargain|website=TheGuardian.com|date=6 July 2010}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.ft.com/content/8f0f67e8-7aec-11df-8935-00144feabdc0|title=Ocado gives green light for £1bn float|newspaper=Financial Times|date=18 June 2010}}

• Sophos, the cybersecurity software provider, which first featured in 2002,{{cite web |url=https://www.fasttrack.co.uk/league-tables/tech-track-100/league-table/?leagueyear=2002 |title=League table - Fast Track |website=www.fasttrack.co.uk |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160917224522/http://www.fasttrack.co.uk/league-tables/tech-track-100/league-table/?leagueyear=2002 |archive-date=2016-09-17}} was valued at £1bn when it floated in 2015.{{Cite news|url=https://www.ft.com/content/6cbd4a0a-1bd4-11e5-8201-cbdb03d71480|title=Sophos valued at £1bn in flotation|newspaper=Financial Times|date=26 June 2015|last1=Ahmed|first1=Murad}}{{cite web|url=https://www.cityam.com/sophos-ipo-londons-biggest-ever-tech-float-coming-july-apax-partners-reveals/|title = Sophos IPO: London's biggest ever tech float is coming in July, Apax Partners reveals|date = 3 June 2015}}

• Just Eat, the online takeaway business, which first featured in 2011,{{cite web |url=https://www.fasttrack.co.uk/league-tables/tech-track-100/league-table/?leagueyear=2011 |title=League table - Fast Track |website=www.fasttrack.co.uk |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161110073910/http://www.fasttrack.co.uk/league-tables/tech-track-100/league-table/?leagueyear=2011 |archive-date=2016-11-10}} was valued at £1.5bn when it floated in 2014,{{cite web|url=https://www.standard.co.uk/business/business-news/just-eat-soars-as-city-rushes-to-get-a-bite-of-15bn-float-9235389.html|title=Just Eat soars as City rushes to get a bite of £1.5bn float|date=3 April 2014}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.ft.com/content/4d24d4d6-baf7-11e3-948c-00144feabdc0|title=Just Eat flotation delivers with £1.5bn valuation|newspaper=Financial Times|date=3 April 2014}} and merged with Dutch firm, Takeaway.com, in a £6.2bn deal in 2020.{{cite web|url=https://www.cityam.com/cma-clears-6-2bn-just-eat-takeaway-merger/|title = CMA clears £6.2bn Just Eat Takeaway merger|date = 23 April 2020}}{{cite news |url=https://www.ft.com/content/5d193cd4-9108-4e28-be60-3f309b2ef5d5 |title=UK competition watchdog approves Just Eat-Takeaway.com merger |first=Tim |last=Bradshaw |date=23 April 2020 |newspaper=Financial Times |location=London}}

• King, the gaming website operator, first appeared on Tech Track 100 in 2007,{{cite web |url=https://www.fasttrack.co.uk/league-tables/tech-track-100/league-table/?leagueyear=2007 |title=League table - Fast Track |website=www.fasttrack.co.uk |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170620093933/http://www.fasttrack.co.uk/league-tables/tech-track-100/league-table/?leagueyear=2007 |archive-date=2017-06-20}} floated in 2014{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/business/2014/mar/25/candy-crush-king-flotation-king-entertainment-shareholder-windfalls|title = Who are the Candy Crush millionaires?|website = TheGuardian.com|date = 25 March 2014}} and was acquired by Activision Blizzard for $5.9bn in 2016.{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-34707701|title = Candy Crush maker King bought by Activision Blizzard|work = BBC News|date = 3 November 2015}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.ft.com/content/680ccbd2-81d4-11e5-8095-ed1a37d1e096|title='Candy Crush' owner King sold to Activision Blizzard for $5.9bn|newspaper=Financial Times|date=3 November 2015|last1=Bradshaw|first1=Tim|last2=Garrahan|first2=Matthew}}

The 20th anniversary Sunday Times Tech Track 100 league table supplement was published on 6 September 2020{{cite web |url=https://www.fasttrack.co.uk/the-latest-tech-track-100-findings/ |title=The latest Tech Track 100 findings - Fast Track |website=www.fasttrack.co.uk |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200815031711/https://www.fasttrack.co.uk/the-latest-tech-track-100-findings/ |archive-date=2020-08-15}} and featured companies such as tech unicorns Darktrace, Checkout.com and TransferWise. The top company was Revolut, the digital banking services provider.{{cite web|url=https://www.barclayscorporate.com/insights/industry-expertise/tech-track-100/|title = Tech Track 100 | Barclays Corporate}}{{cite web|url=https://www.crowdcube.com/explore/blog/crowdcube/celebrating-the-fastest-growing-tech-start-ups|title = Celebrating the fastest-growing tech start-ups|date = 20 September 2019}}{{cite web|url=https://www.finextra.com/pressarticle/80083/in-the-red-revolut-reports-350-increase-in-revenues|title = In the red Revolut reports 350% increase in revenues|date = October 2019}} This is the last time that the Sunday Times Tech Track 100 league table was published.

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.{{cite web |url=http://www.hiscox.com/news/sponsorship/sunday-times-hiscox-tech-track100sponsorship.aspx |title=Sunday Times Hiscox Tech Track 100 Sponsorship}}{{cite web|url=https://www.fasttrack.co.uk/league-tables/tech-track-100/|title=Tech Track 100 programme}}

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.

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

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Category:Superlatives

Category:The Sunday Times (UK)