Catapult Ranks 77 on the Inc. 500 List
AUSTIN, TX - October, 1999 - Catapult Systems Corp. based in Austin, Texas, was named the 77th fastest-growing company in the country by Inc. magazine, which just released its annual ranking of the Inc. 500, the comprehensive guide to America’s fastest-growing companies.
The Inc. 500, published on October 15th, is an exclusive report on the companies and the CEOs who are changing the face of American business. Noteworthy alumni include corporate giants such as Microsoft, Timberland, Domino’s Pizza, and Patagonia.
Catapult Systems Corp. is a consulting and software products company that develops and supports several commercial applications including Inquisite, a revolutionary electronic survey and data collection tool. Catapult was founded in 1993 by three entrepreneurs, including co-founders Sam T. Goodner and David Jacobson. The company has been privately held and funded since its inception.
President Sam T. Goodner accepted the award on behalf of Catapult Systems. “We are thrilled to receive this recognition as a company, because this phenomenal growth is truly the result of a team effort,” says Goodner. “Our dedicated employees, our dynamic company culture, and our innovative customers played a role in this success, both through our Professional Services division and our Products division.”
Inc. 500 rankings are based solely on revenue growth over a 5-year period. Since 1993, Catapult Systems has seen an average revenue growth of 77.12% per year.
Catapult Professional Services customer Mike Byrd of Texas Windstorm Insurance Association congratulated the company on its listing, which he says is well-deserved recognition. “The Catapult employees working with us have become part of the TWIA family. I’m not sure I could have selected better people anywhere else.”
Catapult is one of 38 Texas companies recognized on this year’s Inc. 500, the second most listings per state behind California’s 75. Georgia and New York share the fourth spot (24) and Illinois (23) rounds out the top five. The sales by the 18th annual Inc. 500 companies increased by an average of 1,715% (an average of over $22 million) in just five years.
A look at the Inc. 500 by industry indicates that, as in past years, computer-related companies dominate the rankings (46% of the 500), a 10% increase from the 1998 rankings. The remainder of the list is comprised from the following industries: business services (15%), consumer goods and services (10%), financial services (6%), telecommunications (5%), construction (5%), health/medical (4%), industrial products (4%), transportation (2%), media (1%), and environmental (1%).
This marks the 18th year that Inc. has charted the progress of America’s most innovative and successful entrepreneurs. To be eligible for the Inc. 500, companies have to be independent and privately held through 1998, have at least $200,000 in sales in the base year, 1994, and their 1998 sales must have exceeded their 1997 sales. The ranking is based on the percentage increase in sales from 1994 through 1998.