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The Red Herring Names the First-Annual Top 100 Private and Public Technology Companies in Its Digital Universe Issue
PR Newswire - August 13, 1997 06:03
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Herring Editors Designate Marimba as 'Best Prey' and Predict Netscape's
Acquisition by Oracle
SAN FRANCISCO, Aug. 13 /PRNewswire/ -- The Red Herring, the leading
technology business magazine, today announced the first-annual Herring 100, a
list of the top private and public companies in digital technology, featured
in the publication's September 1997 issue. Marimba, Adobe, Bloomberg, Intel
and Lucent Technologies are among the 100 companies Herring editors have
selected as stars of the digital universe. Additionally, as part of the
Digital Universe issue, available on news stands August 21, Herring editors
and industry luminaries comment on the state of the technology industry and
offer insights and predictions on what the stars hold for the future of the
digital world.
"We have chosen the 100 companies, both private and public, which we
believe define the digital universe," said Jason Pontin, editor of The Red
Herring. "These companies are creating, developing and selling the
technologies that are changing the way the world works."
Through a system of metrical and analytical comparisons, The Red Herring
offers a new twist on what it takes for companies to rise above the rest.
Based on this premise, the first-annual Herring 100 list contains the top
50 public companies and the top 50 private companies, including a brief
profile and Herring analysis on what makes each company successful. With
categories like Best Predator (Cisco), Best Prey (Marimba), Best Bootstrap
(Microstrategy) and Best Comeback (Disney), The Red Herring's list illustrates
that surviving and succeeding in the digital universe takes widely-varied
approaches and is commendable on many different levels.
In the Digital Universe issue, The Herring ranks companies according to
criterion as unique as the Bloodiest Edge (Optivision, private company and HNC
Software, public company), which identifies the companies producing the most
technologically innovative products, to more traditional criterion such as
Best Management (Bloomberg and Intel). With each ranking and analytical
company profile, The Herring helps to uncover exactly what it is that places
these companies at the top of their industry, in addition to illustrating what
sets the technology industry apart from every other industry in the economy.
The Innovators
Privately held Bloomberg, the 15-year-old information service whose
competitors include Reuters and Dow Jones, was a big winner receiving
recognition in four categories; Best Management, Best Marketing, Best
Bootstrap and the number-two spot for Best Overall Product. The Herring
claims, "Bloomberg is like a steamroller let loose on a sharp downhill
incline: it has incredible momentum."
"We are honored to be among the smart and innovative companies chosen for
The Herring 100," said Michael R. Bloomberg, founder and CEO of Bloomberg L.P.
"The key to our success at Bloomberg, and I'm sure for many of the other
companies on the list, is to never rest on past achievement. Imagination and
energy, particularly with regard to technology, facilitate the development and
dissemination of new ideas. Whether it's entering a new medium or starting
another software or hardware project, we always look to improve, develop and
expand."
With nearly 100 percent of the market for cable modem boxes, Broadcom was
named the private company MVP, receiving five awards, including Best Overall
Product for a private company.
"Broadcom is honored to be ranked number one overall in such a competitive
field of quality companies," said Henry Nicholas, Broadcom president and CEO.
"Receiving the Best Overall Product award from a highly respected publication
such as The Red Herring helps to validate the importance of the market we
have focused on: the delivery of broadband data to the home."
Establishing Standards
Winners on the public side include Disney, "The Michael Eisner Company?"
with three awards; Intel, earned four honors including Best Overall Product;
and Lucent, with its "vast treasury of assets," wins the number-one spot for
Best Long-Term Potential.
"It's great news to have Lucent recognized by the people who chronicle
high-tech and the digital future," said Rich McGinn, president and COO of
Lucent Technologies. "Just as PCs, servers and associated software have
defined the industry for 15 years, a whole new market for communications
systems and supporting semiconductor technologies is being created. Getting
this kind of recognition in the face of such strong competition in our first
year is really gratifying to the people of Lucent, and it looks like there's
only more fun ahead in the race to the future."
The State of the Digital Universe: Essays and Articles
In addition to the Herring 100 list, which provides readers with a
snapshot of the best the technology industry has to offer in any given year,
The Red Herring's September issue also features essays from notable voices in
the industry, providing additional insight on the state of the Digital
Universe. Guest columnists include: Ann Winblad of Hummer Winblad venture
capital firm, discussing the importance of choosing a winning line-up in the
software industry play-offs; Robert X. Cringely, author/columnist, claiming
the inevitable convergence of the entertainment, communications and computer
industries; and Dave Winer, industry pundit, asking readers what exactly is
Java?
The September issue also includes two feature stories on two companies,
one private and one public, further depicting the trials and triumphs of
companies striving to succeed in the intensely competitive technology
industry. Herring Editor Andrew Madden writes on Netscape and its current
difficulties, foreshadowing a potential acquisition by Oracle "in an amicable
pooling of resources." And Editor Alex Gove gives readers a private company
scoop on PowerAgent, the troubled launch of one of the most whispered about
new companies.
About The Red Herring and Herring Communications
The Red Herring magazine is a monthly publication covering the business of
technology. Focused on the high-growth market of emerging technologies, The
Red Herring delivers a worldwide audience of market leaders, technology
executives, and top-level investors. Herring Communications, a San
Francisco-based media company, also produces high-level industry conferences;
herring.com, an online daily news service, and Hits magazine.
SOURCE Herring Communications
CONTACT: Emily Weinert of The Red Herring, 415-659-2840, or
emily@herring.com; or Caroline Leakan of Alexander Communications,
415-923-1660, ext. 110, or cleakan@alexander-pr.com, for The Red Herring
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