Business Applications

For the Internet to truly revolutionize the way we live and work, websites need to be automated to give good customer service, secure payment systems put into place, convenient infrastructure devised for the delivery of goods ordered online, content transmitted seamlessly to consumers regardless of the device they are using at the time and supply chains and internal networks made more efficient. These companies make the under-the-hood stuff aimed at making that happen.

Autonomy
Public company based in Cambridge, England, and San Francisco, California
CEO: Mike Lynch
What it does: Autonomy’s software uses pattern recognition to identify concepts, tag them and automatically set up hyperlinks with related information on company Intranets as well as the Web
Why it is hot: Although it has been hit by the economic downturn, Autonomy is generating about 50% of its revenues in the U.S. and anticipates even more growth as software is adopted by commercial sites
www.autonomy.com | last year’s Top 50

Brokat Technologies
Public company based in Stuttgart, Germany, and San Jose, California
CEO: Stefan Roever
What it does: Produces e-finance applications and mobile payment software
Why it is hot: Targeting the burgeoning field of mobile commerce, Brokat is offering cell phone operators secure software to turn handheld devices into electronic wallets
www.brokat.com | last year’s Top 50

Idoox
Private company based in Prague, Czech Republic
CEO: Roman Stanek
What it does: Makes Web applications and service platforms that promise to revolutionize the dynamics of selling products and services online
Why it is hot: The market for hosting infrastructure and services online is expected to grow to $400 billion by 2004
www.idoox.com

Kiala
Private company based in Brussels, Belgium
CEO: To be announced
What it does: Provides a software backbone and set of distribution services to any type of European direct vendor
Why it is hot: It’s headed by two of Europe’s most experienced serial entrepreneurs and it is the first to target this specific market in Europe
www.kiala.com

Reef
Private company based in Brussels, Belgium
CEO: Philippe Brawerman
What it does: The firm’s Internetware enables non-techies to manage e-commerce, online publishing, content brokering and more. And it has technology to transfer data on the fly, adapting it to fit mobile phones, personal digital assitants, desktop computers or television sets
Why it is hot: U.S. analysts say no other firm has gone as far in cutting companies’ website costs and putting data management back in users’ hands
www.reef.com | last year’s Top 50

SAP
Public company based in Walldorf, Germany
CEO: Hasso Plattner and Henning Kagermann
What it does: Designs and implements efficiency-building software solutions that slash costs and give managers control over global empires by consolidating a company’s operations, from order taking to production and accounting
Why it is hot: SAP’s product range is broad and its focus on e-business helped the company report a 29% increase to $1.4 billion in the first quarter over the same period last year
www.sap.com