Tech Track 100

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

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

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

• 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

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

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

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
RankingCompany NameBusiness ActivitySales growth (% per annum)Notes
1Essence[41][42]Digital marketing agency283.94http://www.essencedigital.com/
2LycaMobile[43][44]International telecoms operator247.25http://www.lycamobile.com/
3Wonga.com[45]Online money lender244.57http://www.wonga.com/
4MobileWebAdz[46][47][48]Mobile advertising provider217.72http://www.mobilewebadz.com/
5ZBD Solutions[49]E-paper display developer212.80http://www.zbdsolutions.com/
6musicMagpie.co.ukOnline entertainment trader191.31http://www.musicmagpie.co.uk/
7Nomad DigitalTransport communications provider185.69http://www.uknomad.com/
8WageDayAdvanceOnline money lender171.85http://www.wagedayadvance.co.uk/
9AlertMeSmart home monitoring provider168.99http://www.alertme.com/
10Unruly MediaVideo advertising distributor157.61http://www.unrulymedia.com/
11Equal ExpertsSoftware developer154.90http://www.equalexperts.com/
12Ubiquisys[50]Telecoms services provider151.82http://www.ubiquisys.com/
13Asperity Employee BenefitsEmployee benefits provider145.13http://www.asperity.co.uk/
14Evance Wind TurbinesWind turbines developer144.28http://www.evancewind.com/
15BCS GlobalVideo-conferencing services provider138.49http://www.bcsglobal.com/
16MedicAnimalOnline pet retailer118.42http://www.medicanimal.com/
17Skyscanner.netFlight comparison website118.20http://www.skyscanner.net/
18Bowman PowerElectrical turbogenerator developer116.99http://www.bowmanpower.com/
19RarewavesEntertainment retailer113.40http://www.rarewaves.com/
20Omnifone[46]Digital music provider106.28https://web.archive.org/web/20090810073617/http://www.omnifone.com/

2011 top ten rankings

2012 top ten rankings
RankingCompany NameBusiness ActivitySales growth (% per annum)Notes
1Wonga.com[51]Online money lender361.29http://www.wonga.com/
2Reward Gateway Employee BenefitsEmployee benefits provider266.52http://uk.rewardgateway.com/
3GadjetSupply.comPremium Mobile Phone Accessories supplier205.21http://www.gadjetsupply.com/
4FixnetixFinancial trading services provider191.13http://www.fixnetix.com/
5XConnectTelecoms services provider171.68http://www.xconnect.net/
6I SpyDigital marketing agency169.63http://www.ispymarketing.com/
7TelemetryOnline video delivery and analysis168.54http://www.telemetry.com/
8The Hut GroupOnline retailer141.62http://www.thehut.com/
9Peach TelecomTelecoms services provider137.36http://www.peachtelecom.co.uk/
10Smart TrafficDigital marketing agency129.36http://www.smart-traffic.co.uk/

2010 top ten rankings

2010 top ten rankings
RankingCompany NameBusiness ActivitySales growth (% per annum)Notes
1PKR3D poker website operator356.44http://www.pkr.com/
2MimecastEmail management services provider173.14http://www.mimecast.com/
3Quickstart GlobalIT services provider167.89http://www.quickstartglobal.com/
4The Hut GroupOnline retailer161.92http://www.thehut.com/
5Adconion Media GroupDigital advertising distributor149.65http://www.adconion.com/
6Monumental GamesComputer games developer146.31http://www.monumentalgames.com/
7ShebangPoint-of-sale software developer136.58http://www.shebang.net/
8Forward Internet GroupMedia technology developer120.04http://www.forward.co.uk/
9GPEGLCD display developer119.92http://www.gpegint.com/
10SciemusRisk-analysis software developer118.46http://www.sciemus.com/

2009 top ten rankings

2009 Top ten rankings
RankingCompany NameBusiness ActivitySales growth (% per annum)Notes
1The Hut GroupOnline retailer188.77http://www.thehut.com/
2ApaTechBone graft manufacturer180.08http://www.apatech.com/
3wewillbuyyourcar.comOnline car dealer177.88http://www.wewillbuyyourcar.com/
4MobicaMobile phone application designer174.92http://www.mobica.com/
5PhyworksIntegrated circuits developer168.03http://www.phyworks-ic.com/
6SkrillOnline payment provider152.40http://www.moneybookers.com/
7Geo NetworksFibre optic network provider146.29http://www.geo-uk.net/
8UbisensePrecision location technology provider127.89http://www.ubisense.net/
9LOVEFILM.comOnline DVD rental provider127.78http://www.lovefilm.com/
10The CloudWireless broadband service provider113.20http://www.thecloud.net/

2008 top ten rankings

2008 top ten rankings
RankingCompany NameBusiness ActivitySales growth (% per annum)Notes
1Mobile Interactive GroupMobile and digital technology provider422.30https://web.archive.org/web/20120617185936/http://www.migcan.com/
2LOVEFILM.comOnline DVD rental provider239.28http://www.lovefilm.com/
3NetbasicWebsite developer235.30http://www.netbasic.co.uk/
4TimicoConverged communications provider205.70http://www.timico.co.uk/
5ApaTechBone graft manufacturer204.57http://www.apatech.com/
6Tideway SystemsSoftware developer184.01http://www.tideway.com/
7NEG TelecomTelecoms services provider175.40https://web.archive.org/web/20060721201749/http://www.networkeuropegroup.com/
8The Hut GroupOnline retailer173.07http://www.thehut.com/
9Tomorrow CommunicationsIT network provider153.11http://www.tomorrowcomms.com/
10Forward Internet GroupMedia technology developer151.91http://www.forward.co.uk/

2007 top ten rankings

2007 top ten rankings
RankingCompany NameBusiness ActivitySales growth (% per annum)Notes
1Holiday Rooms DirectOnline hotel agency513.98http://www.holidayroomsdirect.com/
2CodianVideo conferencing489.49http://www.codian.com/
3The Best OfCommunity website franchisor486.31
4AMV HoldingMobile content provider467.00https://web.archive.org/web/20130303185311/http://amvholding.com/
5LOVEFILM.comOnline DVD rental provider367.92http://www.lovefilm.com/
6Pitch EntertainmentMobile services provider326.42http://www.pitch.tv/
7Stirk Lamont & AssociatesICT consultancy317.64http://www.sla-ltd.com/
8NEG TelecomTelecoms services provider265.73https://web.archive.org/web/20060721201749/http://www.networkeuropegroup.com/
9buy.atOnline marketer254.10http://www.buy.at/
10TimicoConverged communications provider253.99http://www.timico.co.uk/

2006 top ten rankings

2006 top ten rankings
RankingCompany NameBusiness ActivitySales growth (% per annum)Notes
1GamesysGaming website operator301.48http://www.gamesyscorporate.com/
2ApertioMobile telecoms software developer299.50https://web.archive.org/web/20120414152916/http://www.apertio.co.uk/
3PulsicSilicon chip software developer272.31http://www.pulsic.com/
3The Search WorksSearch engine advertiser272.31http://www.thesearchworks.com/
5RedtrayE-learning software developer253.19http://www.redtray.co.uk/
6ITM SoilSoil testing equipment maker249.32https://web.archive.org/web/20130611201638/http://itm-ltd.com/
7Mobile FunOnline retailer237.83http://www.mobilefun.co.uk/
8Vivo TechnologiesCommunication accessories provider204.30http://www.pdamods.com/
9AssimaE-learning software publisher195.02http://www.assima.net/
10LatitudeDigital marketing agency191.42https://web.archive.org/web/20081123044923/http://www.searchlatitude.com//

2005 top ten rankings

2005 top ten rankings
RankingCompany NameBusiness ActivitySales growth (% per annum)Notes
1Daisy CommunicationsTelecoms service provider457.77http://www.daisycommunications.co.uk/
2iFoneWireless games publisher357.94https://web.archive.org/web/20100126033753/http://www.ifone.com/
3Intelligent EnergyClean power systems developer327.09http://www.intelligent-energy.com/
4Total PDAOnline multimedia retailer288.11http://www.totalpda.co.uk/
5MarketpipeFinancial software developer271.41http://www.marketpipe.com/
6Gamma TelecomTelecoms network operator261.32http://www.gammatelecom.com/
7BetfairOnline bookmaker231.00http://www.betfaircorporate.com/
8MX TelecomWireless technology developer228.91http://www.mxtelecom.com/
9ClearswiftSecurity software developer215.75http://www.clearswift.com/
10ArgogroupTesting software developer211.26http://www.argogroup.com/

Other Fast Track publications

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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