Tech firms take on best in Asia

Sam Morgan and Nigel Stanford of internet auction site TradeMe. Picture / Fotopress

More than 20 local companies have made a list of the 500 fastest-growing technology businesses in the Asia-Pacific region this year.

Internet auction site TradeMe - set up and run by young entrepreneur Sam Morgan - was the top-ranking New Zealand business, coming in at number 23 on the Deloitte Technology Fast 500 Asia Pacific index.

Following close on TradeMe's heels is software company Endace Group.

The third annual Deloitte Technology index covers companies from Australia, China, India, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, New Zealand, Singapore, Taiwan and Thailand.

Alan Dent, New Zealand head of Deloitte's Telecommunications, Media & Technology practice, said the Fast 500 was an opportunity for Fast 50 technology companies to benchmark themselves internationally.

"The results show that New Zealand technology businesses are right up with the play."

Ranking Kiwis

TradeMe (internet) 23; Endace Group (computers and peripherals) 24; Prolificx (semi-conductors, components & electronics) 30; The Hyperfactory (communications) 44; Interactive Technologies (software) 62; Black Coffee (software) 68; New Zealand Tourism Online (internet) 85; Xenacom (software) 98; Maximum Internet (communications) 102; The Outfit (software) 119; Orcon Internet (internet)139; SiliconCOACH (software) 156; InFact (software) 165; Orion Systems Intl (software) 181; Hairy Lemon Web Solutions (communications) 205; Xytech Technologies (software) 206; INTAZ (software) 229; PayGlobal (software) 271; Breathe Communications (internet) 273; Datacol NZ (software) 279; Ascent Technologies (computers and peripherals) 285