Vilnius, Lithuania – June

Deloitte announces the opening of registration for the Technology Fast 50 Central Europe competition. The prominent regional competition for companies in the technology sector is now in its 18th year and highlights both established and emerging technology companies.

Today Deloitte opens registration for the 2017 edition of the Technology Fast 50, an annual ranking of the fastest-growing technology companies in Central Europe. This is the 18th consecutive year that Deloitte has run the programme in the following Central European countries: Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Kosovo, Latvia, Lithuania, Macedonia, Moldova, Montenegro, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, and Slovenia.

The Technology Fast 50 Central Europe programme ranks the fastest-growing technology companies based on their revenue growth over a four-year period. For the 2017 ranking, revenues from 2013 to 2016 will be analysed. The competition is divided into 3 categories and 1 special award:

Fast 50

In order for a company to be considered eligible for the main Fast 50 ranking, it must meet following criteria:

• Annual revenues of at least €50,000 in each year between 2013 and 2016;
• Has its headquarters in a Central European country (Albania and Kosovo, Bulgaria, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Croatia, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Macedonia, Moldova, Montenegro, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, or Slovenia);
• Develops or manufactures propriety technologies or spends a significant amount of capital on research & development;
• Has an ownership structure that excludes majority-owned subsidiaries of strategic entities.

Rising Stars

In the ‘Rising Stars’ category, Deloitte ranks ‘young’ companies that show great potential but are too young to meet the minimum criteria of four years in operation for the main category. Eligible companies must be in operation at least three years and have to exceed revenues of €30,000 in each of the last three years (2014 – 2016). Otherwise the same criteria apply as for the main Fast 50 ranking.

Big 5

The ‘Big 5’ category ranks large fast-growing companies that have achieved extraordinary growth in the previous four years. To be eligible, companies must meet the same criteria as the main Fast 50 ranking with

the exception of annual revenue in the final measured year (2016), which must exceed €25 million.

Most Disruptive Innovation

The ‘Most Disruptive Innovation’ award recognizes one company that develops a unique and innovative product or provides services that have a revolutionary impact on the market. Only one winner will be selected based on an assessment by an independent jury.

Online registration and eligibility criteria can be found on the regional Technology Fast 50 website at www.deloitte.com/cefast50. Eligible registrants will be entered automatically into the Deloitte EMEA Technology Fast 500 competition.

Registration for this year’s ranking will close on 31 July 2017. The ranking will be announced in October 12th, 2017.