Polish IT firms third in region

Polish IT firms accounted for 18% of the companies included in a ranking of the 50 fastest growing technology companies in Central and Eastern Europe, issued last week by international management consulting firm Deloitte & Touche.

The ranking was based on the firms' percentage of revenue growth during the past three years.

The highest ranking Polish company, Warsaw-based e-point, which provides software solutions for Internet marketing, corporate communications and e-commerce systems, landed in the number six position with a 921% revenue increase during the past three years. It was the only Polish firm in the ranking's top 10. The other nine Polish firms in the top 50 ranking and their respective positions and revenue growth percentages include:

* Spin (14) - 468%

* Aram (19) - 288%

* Emax Group (33) - 111%

* Infovide (34) - 111%

* Winuel (39) - 98%

* Super Media Group (40) - 93%

* Infocon (44) - 82%

* Comp Rzeszów (46) - 71%

The ranking also included companies from the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. Czech tech firms took most of the top 50 positions with 29%, followed by Hungary with 27%, Poland, 18%, Latvia with 14%, Estonia with 6%, Slovakia with 4% and Lithuania with 2%.

The companies included in the ranking had to be high tech developers or manufacturers with an operating history of at least three years and an independent ownership structure that excluded majority-owned subsidies of foreign companies. The initial survey pool included more than 10,000 firms in the region, of which more than 200 were examined in detail.

Roseanne Gerin