• Register here… @MarkLittlewood Business of Software streaming live next week from Boston http://t.co/wSES0GyH #BoS2011 #
• 50 UK technology companies with over £1 billion combined revenue growth in past 5 years. http://t.co/WCdng3UJ #
• Me thinks @indexben *might* have been hacked. RT @indexben I made $455 today! Check out how I made it http://t.co/wXMWIm1z #
• UK's fastest growing technology companies with source of funds. VC & PE strong showing. bit.ly/Fast50investors #
• RT @smhanov Going to the Business of Software conference. What to put on the back of my moo cards? http://t.co/EE4PsplR #
• RT @eCommera 'Making sense of online data' from @manross http://t.co/p9gTLZxT #data #online @marklittlewood #
• Vegan helpline. Keep being AWESOME! http://t.co/pewzunNM #
• Vegan helpline. Keep being AWESOME. This time with picture that bought light into my day. http://t.co/tBfrLnDs #
• RT @MarcinTheFrog "Domestic Chinese internet market is in essence closed" [to eBay] Great interview with eBay CEO. http://t.co/9LYVDaug #
• Geophysical porn – timelapse video of Icelandic landscape & midnight sun. http://t.co/Fbp7c6Xl #
• RT @TheRealLogic: I hope there is no AirCanada strike this week. Flying out from YYZ to #BOS2011 Sun morning #BOSMeet #
• RT @WindAddict I'm excited to see Wilmer Hale is also sponsoring Scholarships to the @bosconference! http://t.co/cb4d3qZh #BoS2011 #
• Thanks Peter. @plcowley Excellent #thebln event in London. Many interesting people & ideas. Thanks to @MarkLittlewood & Marcin #
• Cool! #BoS2011 streamed at @WebHubPrague Looks like they're having themselves a little party! http://t.co/fJaZxfSE #
• Czech it out! #BoS2011 streamed live @webhubprague http://t.co/fJaZxfSE Free live stream here: http://t.co/ZKR4qmnb #
• World ends tomorrow. #BoS2011 still going ahead. http://t.co/3haQufb7 #
• War Horse – The Movie. Just read this to daughter. Cried every night, every chapter. (She didn't) http://t.co/dcZRP3IQ #
• Real life King of the Hill. God bless Texas. http://t.co/XBgqMijY #
• Bitcasa – Infinite Storage on Your Desktop – Sign up 4 beta http://t.co/mbmeu2X9 via @Bitcasa #
• Nervous makes you awesome! 🙂 RT @dcancel Speaking at Business of Software conference next week. #nervous #BoS2011 #
• The only thing traveling faster than news of earthquake in San Fran is Jacob Rees-Moog appearing on #BBCQT #
• RT @emironichev Flying to #BoS2011 from Moscow, plan to view Boston and Museum Of Science on Saturday #BoSMeet #
• RT @DaveBooth: Looking fwd to picking brains of folks who've taken companies from 30-100 employees or grown inside sales teams! #BoSMeet #
• RT @cwg: Psyched about #BoS2011 the program & vibe feel amazing already! Anyone going for a stroll around Boston on Sunday? #BoSMeet #
• Can anyone recommend a free or paid service to back up a hashtag that actually works? Did Twitter kill them all? #BoS2011 #
• Don't forget, if you are not at #BoS2011 you can still watch the livestream. Register – http://t.co/ZKR4qmnb #
• Well played sir! Well played! RT @kovlex Arrived in Boston after 24+ hrs. 500km driven, 3 airports. #BOS2011 #BOSMeet #
• Yay! On the virgin flight to Boston. So many people on board for #BoS2011 we got a shout from the crew. #
• RT @dharmesh: Questions about how to build a great software business? Please post here for #bos2011 session: http://t.co/MCeUoADR thx. #
• #BoS2011 delegates by Job Title http://t.co/Ov1TpKxS #
• RT @asmartbear Livestreaming tomorrow – my #BoS2011 talk on Honesty in Business, at 9:45 central: http://t.co/ZKR4qmnb #
• Drum Roll please. http://t.co/wrkEyasX Ba da tish. #BoS2011 #

I don’t generally agree with child labour, unless of course those children are my own. We got talking about Daddy going to Boston.

“What are you doing there?”

“I am running a conference for people that run software businesses and they want to make their businesses better. They come and listen to really interesting people talk about how to do that.”

“Can’t they just watch them on the telly?” “I suppose so but then they don’t get to talk to each other and share ideas, work out how they can help each other.”

“Do they like doing that? Why don’t they use email?”

“Good point actually, not everyone finds it easy. Some of them are quite introverted and shy so can find it hard to talk to people they don’t know at first.”

“What is an introvert? Why don’t I give them some tips?” (The first questions is hard to explain to Violet).

I am pleased to present an 8 year old’s effort at a guide to networking. We had fun making it.

http://businessofsoftware.wistia.com/medias/8a2yp2pjmx?embedType=async&videoFoam=true&videoWidth=640

• Tip number 1 – Talk to people.
• Tip number 2 – Be visible & don’t hide behind technology.
• Tip number 3 – Introduce people.
• Tip number 4 – Be yourself & be interested in others.

The BLN is now Business of Software

Business of Software runs conferences for people that build great software businesses and products. To access talks online, hear about new events, contact speakers and stay in touch with great ideas, share your email address with us.

We love our new office. Nice, bright, shiny, new and shared with some lovely people. Also nice to realise what is important in other people’s lives from time to time. If I didn’t understand a word of the company description I just got sent via email, then this inter-office email we just received took the biscuit.

“Due to the increasing amount of biscuits being consumed in recent months it has been decided that from now onwards we will have two biscuit boxes.

“Those of you who prefer a more plain biscuit will find those in the kitchen area, the more fancy ones (e.g. with chocolate on etc) will find these by the lockers in the main office. Stock to replenish both boxes are kept near to them, please ask if you are unable to find them.

“Any questions on why etc please feel free to ask me (verbally).

“Kind regards

“REDACTED”

You really can’t make this stuff up. This description of a business I have just been sent is one of the most obtuse I have ever seen.

“We offer a web accessed end-to-end project delivery service for the Telecommunications and IT industry using real-time information to improve your project efficiency, quality, delivery speed, customer satisfaction and business profitability.

“Through using our repeatable, measurable and expedient service to improve your project teams and customer experience, you will enhance your reputation to retain customers and turn project delivery into your competitive advantage to win more project business.”

But what do you do? Who cares.

Fantastic interview with John Donahoe, CEO of eBay at O’Reilly Media’s Web 2.0 Summit.

Well worth a watch if you are a pure play or a traditional retailer building multi-channel offering. After all,

“Today, in over half of all offline retail transactions, the consumer access the web at some point in the shopping cycle.”

Join us in London, 4-7pm on November 1st for our first eCommerce Networking Forum, (#eCloud). This is a by-invitation forum for key executives from the multi-channel retail community to meet, discuss issues of common interest with their peers, exchange ideas, and do business. If you are a CIO, CTO, CFO or Director of ecommerce you should give some serious thought to getting there too. eCommerce Networking Forum

Congratulations to the Deloitte Fast 50 winners for 2011. We are proud to have worked on this programme with Deloitte for the past three years. It is great to see so many companies continue to make a strong showing but also very encouraging to see so many companies thriving in what are difficult times for any business.

We ran a quick analysis – we commented earlier this year that there seemed to be a very small number of the total number of companies with venture capital backing? Has this trend continued? Is the Fast 50 just for small businesses where it is ‘easy’ to show high growth?

The answer in both cases is a resounding, ‘NO!’

Venture Capital and Private Equity Backing

• Of the 50 companies in the UK Deloitte Fast 50, 23 have venture capital or private equity backing this year. This is 46%, a huge rise over the 16% (8 companies from last year).

Size of company by Revenue

• The average revenue of the winning companies in their fifth year is a staggering £21,375,000 per annum.

These are decent sized companies by any measure – particularly as they are growing at such impressive rates.

The combined revenue growth over five years of the winning companies is 1,592% with the total revenue of the companies in the top 50 being £1,076,000,000. That is over £1 billion of revenue created by companies that had a combined revenue of less than £70,000,000 five years ago. We think that is awesome.

Employees & R&D

Those companies have also been employing people. The average number of employees across the Deloitte Fast 50 winners is 97. Most interestingly, the average number of employees in R&D activity in those companies is 29 – almost a third of the employees in these companies work in research and product development.

First conclusions.

If you want to know what makes companies grow, don’t sit about and listen to experts pontificate.

Have a look at some of these companies and what they have done right. These are companies that aren’t sitting about, they are focused on growing to meet the needs of their customers. These 50 companies employ almost 5,000 people. What can you learn from them? Congratulations one and all.

Here is the full list. Congratulations to everyone that made it.

Deloitte Fast 50 Winners 2011

1. Fixnetix – Computers/Peripherals – 24557% – Private equity
2. LeadPoint UK – Internet – 21801% – Private equity
3. GPEG International Ltd – Semiconductor, Components and Electronics – 17716% – Bank
4. PKR – Internet – 9314% – Private equity
5. RatedPeople.com – Internet – 8144% – Private equity
6. Nujira – Greentech – 4487% – Venture capital
7. Mimecast – Software – 3102% – Venture capital
8. notonthehighstreet.com – Internet – 2720% – Private equity
9. Voice 2 Voice Ltd – Telecommunications/Networking – 2610% – Owner funded
10. Quickstart Global – Software – 2481% – Owner funded
11. Adconion Media Group – Internet – 2443% – Venture capital
12. Monitise plc – Software – 2408% – AIM Listed
13. Forward Internet – Internet – 2388% – Owner funded
14. Grove Group – Internet – 1817% – Owner funded
15. eZze-Talk Ltd – Telecommunications/Networking – 1547% – Bank
16. Kelway (UK) Ltd – Computers/Peripherals – 1447% – Private equity
17. Global Personals Ltd – Software – 1371% – Owner funded
18. Block Solutions Ltd – Telecommunications/Networking – 1332% – Owner funded
19. Cupid plc – Media/Entertainment – 1317% – AIM Listed
20. Creativity Software – Telecommunications/Networking – 1311% – Private equity
21. Media Ingenuity Ltd – Internet – 1232% – Private Equity
22. Mercato Solutions – Software – 1219% – Bank
23. Koozai Ltd – Internet – 1173% – Owner funded
24. Essence – Internet – 1139% – Owner funded
25. Skrill – Internet – 1113% – Private equity
26. Learning Pool – Software – 1100% – Owner funded
27. Skyscanner Ltd – Internet – 1030% – Private Equity
28. Contigo Ltd – Software – 1019% – Owner funded
29. Innovise plc – Software – 1019% – AIM Listed
30. Sciemus – Semiconductor, Components and Electronics – 970% – Private equity
31. Bglobal plc – Greentech – 932% – AIM Listed
32. Frog – Software – 909% – Owner funded
33. Isomob – Media/Entertainment – 873% – Owner funded
34. Ixaris Systems – Internet – 859% – Private equity
35. DEM Solutions – Software – 852% – Private equity
36. Comtact Ltd – Telecommunications/Networking – 829% – Owner funded
37. CV-Library – Internet – 822% – Owner Funded
38. NanoSight Ltd – Biotech/Pharmaceutical/Medical Equipment – 809% – Private equity
39. BlueGnome Ltd – Biotech/Pharmaceutical/Medical Equipment – 808% – Angel Funded
40. TranslateMedia Ltd – Media/Entertainment – 785% – Owner funded
41. Beaming Ltd – Telecommunications/Networking – 782% – Owner funded
42. Academia Ltd – Software – 750% – Owner funded
43. Breathing Buildings Ltd – Greentech – 749% – Venture capital
44. Exco InTouch – Biotech/Pharmaceutical/Medical Equipment – 730% – owner funded
45. Content and Code – Software – 720% – Owner funded
46. Geo Networks Ltd – Telecommunications/Networking – 709% – Private equity
47. Wireless Logic – Telecommunications/Networking – 698% – Owner funded
48. Reactec Ltd – Semiconductor, Components and Electronics – 697% – Private equity
49. Reevoo – Internet – 683% – Venture capital
50. The Foundry – Software – 675% – Venture capital

You can see more about the Deloitte Fast 50 here.

The BLN MiM Forum on March 22nd brings mobile buyers together with companies and investors who are delivering mobile today.

The BLN MiM Forum shows how YOU can make it in mobile today. It’s where corporates with budgets meet businesses that can solve their problems and active investors get stuck in too.

This is not about future-gazing, sales pitches or corporate nonsense. We share actionable ideas for your business today. We want you to leave with at least one idea you will implement in your company within a month.

BLN MiM2012 is different from a lot of mobile events you might have been to. We are not selling speaking slots to sponsors so you end up hearing from people with genuinely valuable, interesting content that will help you define your mobile strategy. Our supporters understand that the best way to grow their businesses is to help grow the industry. We think this approach is unusual, if not unique, in the mobile industry.

For more information and EARLY BIRD REGISTRATION.

A conversation with Rupert Cook (Head of M&A at goetzpartners) & Bernard Morgan (CFO, Nujira)

We are delighted to announce Rupert Cook and Bernard Morgan will be leading a discussion around the importance of ‘Blatancy’ in raising money and aligning your company for a successful, competitive trade sale.

Through a series of real-life examples Rupert will explain what he means by ‘Blatancy‘ and why it is so important in getting the very best deal for your business.  In addition, Bernard will share his experience of raising cleantech investment, highlighting how changing the emphasis or impression of your business can reap rewards.

Rupert was once an FT journalist and is the author of Selling Your Technology Company for Maximum Value: A Comprehensive Guide for Entrepreneurs. In writing the book, he spoke to a huge number of buyers and sellers of businesses, and he now sells businesses at Goetz Partners so has a good deal of insight into what makes a valuable company.

Bernard is the CFO for Nujira, the leading developer of technology to reduce power consumption in smartphone transmitters by 30-50%. In May 2011 Nujira secured a further £10 million of funding for its growth plans, led by a new investor, Climate Change Capital Private Equity (CPE) and supported by existing investors Amadeus, NES Partners, Environmental Technologies Fund (ETF) and angel investors. Bernard has worked in VC/private equity backed companies for over 10 years and immediately prior to joining Nujira, worked for seven years at Celoxica Holdings plc, a leading provider of accelerated computing software and solutions, culminating in the company’s IPO in 2005.

The BLN Breakfast Brainstorm is a high-level peer-to-peer discussion forum for CFO’s to learn from each other, share best practice and advance the role of the CFO in high growth companies in a relaxed, entertaining and facilitated environment. The event is run under Chatham House Rule.

Attendees: The BLN CFO Breakfasts have already included some of the most experienced public and private company CFOs and FDs in the region including CFO/FD’s from Red Gate Software, NXT plc, nCipher, CSR, Alertme, Xaar, Domino, DisplayLink, Ubisense, Broadcom, Cambridge Broadband, Aveva, Ridgeons, Light Blue Optics, Nujira, Owlstone, Zeus, Sphere Medical, Atlantic Healthcare and 1spatial amongst others.

Supporters: This initiative is supported by BDO and breakfast is provided courtesy of Red Gate Software.

Places are limited and in high demand so a prompt reply is advantageous to secure a place. If you would like to attend, please get in touch.

Please note that by applying we CANNOT guarantee a place, although we do our best to accommodate relevant individuals. Our priority is always to ensure that our guests are relevant to the specific discussion.