Belfast-based fintech company Lightyear is the highest ranked NI business

Nine companies from across Northern Ireland have made it on to this year’s Deloitte Technology Fast 50 list.

Belfast-based fintech company Lightyear, which appears in the Fast 50 for the first time, is the highest ranked Northern Ireland business, coming in at number 11 on the list.

The other businesses featured are AquaQ Analytics, Datactics, Fibrus Networks, Foods Connected, Locate a Locum, SciLeads, Totalmobile and WorkPal. Fibrus, Locate a Locum and WorkPal also made it into the list for the first time.

Now in its 23rd year, the programme celebrates the innovation and entrepreneurship in Ireland’s indigenous technology sector by ranking the fastest growing technology companies based on revenue growth over a four-year period.

Cumulatively, the 2022 Fast 50 winners generated approximately €500m in total annual revenues and employed over 5,500 people in 2021. The average revenue of companies featured in the ranking was approximately €10m, while the average growth rate of the companies over the last four years was 594%.

This year’s Fast 50 features a total of 17 new entrants and companies from all four provinces, with 29 from Leinster, eight from Munster, nine from Ulster and four from Connacht.

Aisléan Nicholson, Deloitte Technology Fast 50 programme partner in Belfast, said: “I would like to congratulate all the companies listed this year, in particular the nine from Northern Ireland. As the business and economic environment becomes more complex, it is encouraging to see that the technology sector has continued to show great resilience, innovation and tenacity.

“This year’s ranking shows growth across a broad range of sectors with companies coming up with innovative solutions to address changing consumer and business demands.”

Same day grocery delivery company Buymie emerged as the fastest growing technology company in this year’s awards. The company, which delivers groceries from Lidl, Dunnes Stores and Woodies in Ireland in as little as one hour, expanded into the UK earlier this year.

Based in Dublin, Buymie has seen growth of 6,903% in the last four years.