FAST Receives Six Industry Awards and High Praise From Leading Search Industry and Technology Media
Oslo, Norway (ots/PRNewswire)
- Industry Recognises FAST for Innovation and Rapid Growth
Fast Search & Transfer(TM) (FAST(TM)) (OSE: FAST), the leading developer of enterprise search and real-time alerting technologies, today announced that it has received a number of prominent awards from leading search and IT industry media for the Company's innovation and technology advancements, as well as its corporate growth.
FAST's most recent awards, listings, and nominations include the following:
- Software Magazine's 2004 Software 500 - Software Magazine has ranked FAST in its 2004 Software 500 listing as one of the world's leading software vendors based on its strong revenue in 2003. FAST was ranked number 269 after increasing company revenues 17.7 percent over the previous year. The Software 500 is a revenue-based ranking of the world's largest public and privately-held software and services suppliers targeting enterprise IT organisations. The full Software 500 list can be viewed online here: http://www.softwaremag.com/S_FocusAreas.cfm?Doc=The500
- KMWorld's Trend-Setting Products for 2004 - KMWorld's editorial staff, a host of industry analysts and users - running the gamut from C-level executives to entry-level knowledge workers - selected the FAST Enterprise Search Platform (FAST ESP(TM)) as one of KMWorld's Trend-Setting Products for 2004. The coveted distinction was bestowed upon FAST's technology after a thorough review of more than 1,000 knowledge management products from over 200 different vendors. Products were judged upon their usability, flexibility, adoption rate, and total cost of ownership. Vendors were also identified for their vision toward the future or for a collection of offerings. In April 2004, KMWorld also named FAST as one of its "100 Companies that Matter in Knowledge Management" for 2004. The complete list of KMWorld's 2004 Trend-Setting Products can be viewed online here: http://snipurl.com/938y
- Deloitte Technology Fast 500 EMEA - With a growth over the past five years of 6,307%, FAST was listed for the second consecutive year as the #1 fastest growing Norwegian technology company in the Deloitte Technology Fast 50 Norway. Additionally, FAST ranked #14 among the fastest growing EMEA technology companies in the Deloitte Technology Fast 500 EMEA. The Deloitte Technology Fast 50 and 500 programs rank the public and private high-tech companies based in Norway and throughout Europe, the Middle East, and Africa that have achieved the fastest rates of annual revenue growth during the past five years. Official information about the Fast 500 can be found at: www.deloitte.com/fast500emea, and the complete list can be downloaded from http://www.deloitte.com/fast500emea
- Online Information's Information Industry Award - The winners of the International Information Industry Award for best search product were FAST ESP and Google, who tied for first place. The judges were impressed with FAST ESP's innovative search platform which gives organisations a single point of access to all of their enterprise information, with diverse applications across a variety of sectors. Further information on the awards can be found here: http://www.online-information.co.uk/ol04/awards.html
- 2004 VARBusiness Tech Innovators Award - CMP Media's VARBusiness has named FAST ESP, FAST's enterprise search platform, the winner of its Second Annual Tech Innovators Awards in the category of Enterprise Software. The VARBusiness Tech Innovators Awards program recognises vendors for outstanding achievement in technology innovation. The VARBusiness Tech Innovators Awards event is an integral component of CMP Media's XChange Tech Innovators Conference. Further information on the 2004 VARBusiness Tech Innovators Award can be found online here: http://snipurl.com/9zv9. Earlier in 2004, FAST was also named a winner of the 2004 VARBusiness 5 Star Partner Program
- 2004 EContent 100 - For the fourth consecutive year, EContent magazine named FAST to its annual EContent 100 listing. Formulated by EContent's contributing editors, staff, and editors at fellow ITI publications, the EContent 100 list includes 100 companies that matter most in the digital content industry. It provides readers specific solutions and a better understanding of the way the pieces of eContent fit together to produce more effective an efficient business processes over all. EContent has announced the winners of this award in its December 2004 issue. Further information on the EContent 100 can be found in EContent's print issue and online here: http://www.econtentmag.com/EContent100/
"We are delighted that some of the most important publications and organisations around the world continue to recognise FAST as an innovative and driving force in the Enterprise Search space," said John M. Lervik, FAST's chief executive officer. "These accolades would not exist without all the hard work and dedication of our employees. In 2004, we successful launched the industry's most comprehensive Enterprise Search Platform, FAST ESP(TM), and cleared the way for the creation of new and innovative Search Derivative Applications (SDAs) for unique applications, including market intelligence, content monitoring, online retail, and the growing online directories market. This further positioned FAST as the innovative leader in the enterprise search market. The awards FAST has won so far this year underscores the increasing momentum we are bringing to market as we enter 2005."
FAST has received numerous awards and widespread industry recognition for its corporate growth and superior enterprise search offerings. For a complete listing of all of FAST's recent awards, please visit FAST's Awards and Recognition web page located at: www.fastsearch.com/us/fast_awards_recognition.
FAST has transformed enterprise search from a powerful, yet narrowly perceived function, into an enterprise-wide strategic and tactical capability of pivotal importance. FAST ESP and the FAST portfolio of solutions and SDAs supply a complete information retrieval solution ideal for a growing number of key vertical markets and applications including e-Commerce and Internet Portals, Financial Services; Government; Life Sciences; Media and Publishing; and Telecom. For FAST, the search never stops.
About FAST
FAST creates the real-time search and filter technology solutions that are behind the scenes at the world's best known companies with the most demanding search problems. FAST's flexible and scalable integrated technology platform elevates the search capabilities of enterprise customers and connects people to the relevant information they seek regardless of medium. This drives revenues and reduces total cost of ownership by effectively leveraging IT infrastructure. FAST's powerful enterprise search technology solutions are used by a wide range of global customers and partners, including AT&T, Cardinal Health, CareerBuilder.com, Chordiant, CIGNA, CNET, Dell, Fidelity Investments, Findexa, FirstGov.gov (GSA), IBM, Knight Ridder, LexisNexis, Nordstrom, Overture, Rakuten, Reed Elsevier, Reuters, Sensis, Tenet Healthcare, Thomas Industrial Networks, T-Online, US Army, Virgilio (Telecom Italia), Vodafone, and Wanadoo.
FAST is headquartered in Norway and is publicly traded under the ticker symbol 'FAST' on the Oslo Stock Exchange. The FAST Group operates globally with presence in Europe, the United States, and Japan. Additionally, the FAST Group has business partners and customers in a number of other locations, such as Brazil, Canada and Australia. For further information about FAST, please visit www.fastsearch.com.
(c) 2004 Fast Search & Transfer ASA - Fast Search & Transfer, FAST, FAST ESP, FAST Data Search, FAST MarkeTrac, FAST AdVisor, FAST InStream, FAST ImPulse and the FAST four-colored logo are trademarks of Fast Search & Transfer ASA. All rights reserved. FAST disclaims any proprietary interest in the marks and names of others. All other trademarks mentioned in this document are the property of their respective owners.
Contact:
Fast Search & Transfer, pr@fastsearch.com, Peter Gorman (U.S.),
+1-781-304-2495; Carine Zeier (Europe), +47-23-01-13-47