The growth of the Welsh software and IT services sector has been exemplified by the number of Welsh software and IT companies in 'the ARM Sunday Times Tech Track 100' list of Britain's fastest growing technology companies. Recent lists have included:
Comtec - Travel and software developer.
Source Software - Mortgage and insurance software developer.
Ubiquity Software- Telecoms software developer.
FD Systems- e-business systems integrator.
Birchfield Interactive- educational software developer.
Sector breadth and capability is broad: blue chip players, like EDS, Fujitsu Services, IBM Business Consulting Services and LogicaCMG, rub shoulders with niche companies like Gamma Projects, Target Group and Avantis.
Investment in the sector is growing: international IT services company LogicaCMG has recently announced a 750-job expansion of its Bridgend IT outsourcing operation.
Niche players, like Avantis, typically exploit profitable niche markets and sectors with innovative products and services.
Advances in financial, telecoms, educational, and defence software are among the developments emerging from the Welsh IT sector.
The sector has witnessed an increase in the number of home-grown HQs, such as Secure Trading, Electric Pocket, Peter Evans and Jester Interactive.
Wales has proved attractive for companies establishing software development and support centres, such as General Dynamics U.K, Unilever and FIS-EU Ltd.
The Welsh Development Agency's account and project managers develop proactive relationships with companies to help them achieve their growth plans.
WDA programmes such as 'Winning Business' and 'Fit to Win' have enabled Welsh software and IT services companies, like Epitiro and Comtec, to achieve ambitious growth plans.
Stability and sustainability are sector 'watch-words', with enviable staff retention, motivation and skills levels.
The Welsh Electronics Forum, the leading professional body for the technology industries in Wales, actively encourages company collaboration and networking. As members of the Forum's software group, software and IT services companies collaborate to promote sector growth.
Academic collaboration in the sector is on the increase and the number of company spin-outs mirrors this growth. For example, Rockfield Software, a pioneer in industrial computational modelling, has expanded globally, whilst optical wireless communications company Aqwan, and e-Semi are amongst the latest spin-outs to emerge.
