Benefits of featuring on our league table awards programmes
The benefits of companies winning a place on one of our league table awards programmes include:- Participation in our league table and events programmes at no charge, thanks to our sponsors
- A profile of your company in the league table supplement published in The Sunday Times
- Attendance at an invitation-only national awards event, with the opportunity to network with key directors from other companies on the league table, and to hear from inspirational speakers
- A certificate to celebrate your inclusion on the league table, and the opportunity to win a special award, ranging from the best management team award to the innovation award
- Participation in the Fast Track community, with invitations to annual follow-up networking dinners for the alumni of current and past league table companies
- Improved standing in the eyes of clients, potential clients, banks and backers, as well as enhanced staff morale and retention
To download a PDF about the full benefits of participating on our league tables click here.
Nominate a company
Fast Track uses multiple reference sources, including self-nominations, to compile its league tables. To ensure your nomination is appropriate, please read the criteria below before submitting your nomination form.
The 2012 league table will rank companies based on the latest accounts (i.e. 2011 or 2012)
and a base year of 2008 or 2009.
The closing date for nominations is 13 July, with publication on 16 September.
Entry criteria
- Independent tech* company
- UK registered, unquoted, and not subsidiaries
- Sales of at least £250,000 in the base year (2008 or 2009)
- Sales of at least £5m in the latest year (2011 or 2012)
- Year-on-year sales growth in the latest year from 2010 to 2011,
or 2011 to 2012, plus forecast
(or actual) sales growth - Excluded companies include pure computer resellers, and those with
accounts qualified as
"going concern"
*The definition of a technology company is based on the amended London Stock Exchange's techMARK definition, i.e. "a company that shows a commitment to innovation, research and product development, and operates in sectors including software, internet, telecoms and biotech."
To nominate a company for the Tech Track 100 click here
The 2012 league table will rank companies based on the latest audited accounts (i.e. 2011 or 2012) and a base year of 2008 or 2009.
The closing date for nominations is 28 September, with publication on 2 December.
Entry criteria
- UK registered, unquoted, and not subsidiaries
- Sales of at least £250,000 in the base year (2008 or 2009)
- Sales of at least £5m in the latest year (2011 or 2012)
- Ten or more employees in the latest year (2011 or 2012)
- Pre-tax profits in the latest year (2011 or 2012)
- Year-on-year sales growth in the latest year from 2010 to 2011, or 2011 or 2012, plus forecast (or actual) sales growth
- Excluded companies include technology, LLPs, pure property and financial trading companies, and companies with sales of over £500m
To nominate a company for the Fast Track 100 click here
The 2012 league table will rank companies based on the latest audited accounts (i.e. 2010 or 2011) and a base year of 2008 or 2009.
The closing date for nominations is 2 March, with publication on 13 May.
Entry criteria
- Companies must be unquoted, independent and registered in the UK
- International sales must be at least £500,000 in the base year (2008 or 2009)
- International sales must be more than £1m in the final year (2010 or 2011)
- International sales must be greater than 10% of total sales in the final year
- Total sales must be at least £5m in the final year
- Profit before tax must be positive in the final year
To nominate a company for the International Track 100 click here
The closing date for nominations is 17 February, with publication on 15 April.
Entry criteria
- UK registered, unquoted, and not subsidiaries
- Profits of at least £500,000 in the base year (2007 or 2008)
- Profits of at least £3m in the latest year (2010 or 2011)
- Profits are defined as operating profits with directors' remuneration added back
- Profits must increase in the latest year, from 2009 to 2010, or 2010 to 2011
- Excluded companies include pure property and financial trading companies, and those with restricted accounts
To nominate a company for the Profit Track 100 click here
The closing date for nominations is 7 December 2012, with publication in February 2013.
Entry criteria
- UK registered, unquoted, and not subsidiaries
- At least 20% of shares owned by private equity
- Profits are EBITDA defined as operating profits + amortisation + depreciation (excluding exceptional costs and impairment of assets)
- Profits of at least £1m in the base year (2009 or 2010)
- Profits of at least £3m in the latest year (2011 or 2012)
- Profits must increase in the latest year, from 2010 to 2011, or 2011 to 2012
- Sales must be at least £10m in latest year
- Excluded companies include property and financial trading companies, and those with restricted accounts
To nominate a company for the Buyout Track 100 click here
The closing date for nominations is 3 August 2012, with publication on 14 October.
Entry criteria
- Companies have to be unquoted at the time of publication of the league table and UK registered
- Sales are taken as total turnover, net of VAT
- Companies are required to have increased either their sales or their operating profits over their latest year
- Companies may have their ultimate holding company offshore
- Sales are typically between £150m and £540m
- Companies that are either equal joint ventures, or majority-owned by quoted companies
- Companies with the majority of sales generated by quoted subsidiaries
- Companies with fewer than 50 staff
- Not-for-profit companies, co-operative societies, mutual societies, provident associations, and member-owned buying groups
To nominate a company for the Top Track 250 click here
The closing date for nominations is 27 April, with publication on 24 June.
Entry criteria
- Companies have to be unquoted at the time of publication of the league table and UK registered
- Sales are taken as total turnover, net of VAT
- Companies are not required to be in profit
- Companies may have their ultimate holding company offshore
- Sales are typically between £550m and £10bn
- Companies that are either equal joint ventures, or majority-owned by quoted companies
- Companies with the majority of sales generated by their quoted subsidiaries
- Pure trading companies with fewer than 50 staff
- Not-for-profit companies, including co-operative societies, mutual societies, provident associations, and member-owned buying groups
To nominate a company for the Top Track 100 click here
Tech Track 100
Fast Track 100
International Track 100
Profit Track 100
Buyout Track 100
Top Track 250
Top Track 100