Company: PlateSpin Ltd., Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Company Description: PlateSpin is a leading developer of server virtualization software solutions that bring flexibility and automation to the data center.

Nomination Category: Company, Office & Product Awards Categories

Nomination Sub Category: Best Overall Company

Nomination Title: PlateSpin - Best Overall Company

   1. Tell the story about what this nominated company achieved in the past year (up to 500 words). Focus on specific accomplishments, and relate these accomplishments to past performance or industry norms. Be sure to mention obstacles overcome, innovations or discoveries made, and outcomes:

After winning the Won 2005 International Business Award for Best New Company, PlateSpin had an exceptional year.  In a tough selling market, we achieved a 440% growth in sales by adding over 700 new customers, many from the Global 2000 list - and we are continuing the trend having experienced 4 consecutive quarters of growth with no downturn.

On a company level, we expanded the employee base by 43% at a time when many other companies are reducing headcount.  We established our first regional EMEA office the UK to capitalize on global nature of our market opportunity. PlateSpin was named as the 4th fastest growing IT company in Canada for 2005 by Branham Group, and were listed as the #2 Mover and Shaker in the Canadian IT sector by the same. For 2006 we are on plan and fully expect to be the fastest growing company in the Canadian IT sector.

PlateSpin closed the year (2005) by securing $7.4 million in US venture capital funding to further accelerate hyper-growth model and have established

our OS Portability technology as a must-have new product category in the IT space. Our products achieved top marks by third-party independent reviews, and have been lauded by our customers and by analysts as integral to anyone using virtualization for their data center optimization needs.

Considering the hyper-growth, PlateSpin has maintained an exceptional culture, bred around the ideals of collaboration and team.  We hold monthly meetings and highlight exceptional performers in each business unit, and have a reward and recognition program where performance and attitude are held in high esteem. In growing from a small to medium sized business, we have avoided many of the pitfalls and pains that face high growth organizations by ensuring that we hire not only for skills and abilities, but for fit into the culture as well.

In 2005 we signed the company's first strategic OEM agreements to secure recognition as emerging market leader and have effectively changed the

practice of how data centers are optimized effectively. Proud to be recognized in the industry and by peers as a company that people want to do business with, PlateSpin has become one of Canada’s most promising IT companies.

   2. List hyperlinks to any online news stories, press releases, or other documents that support the claims made in the section above. IMPORTANT: Begin each link with http://, and enclose each link in square brackets; for example, http://www.youraddress.com:

PlateSpin named 4th fastest growing IT company in Canada

http://www.platespin.com/corporate/newsdetails.aspx?id=106

Customer Testimonials

http://www.platespin.com/customers/index.aspx

PlateSpin closes $7.4 million funding

http://www.platespin.com/corporate/newsdetails.aspx?id=92

eWEEK Product review

http://www.eweek.com/article2/0,1759,1826043,00.asp

SearchDataCenter Article: PlateSpin OS Portability Promising

http://searchdatacenter.techtarget.com/originalContent/0,289142,sid80_gci1103402,00.html 

Processor Magazine Article

http://www.processor.com/editorial/article.asp?article=articles/P2731/43p31/43p31.asp&guid=
B9EBCB92F02E4D508F2C5EF169111C2A

NetworkWorld Article

http://www.networkworld.com/newsletters/servers/2005/0725server2.html

   3. Provide a brief (up to 100 words) biography about the leader of this nominated company:

As CEO and President of PlateSpin, Stephen Pollack leads the overall business strategy and product management activities for the company. Stephen has a strong history of creating products and services that exceed customer expectations. He brings over 20 years of IT experience in marketing, sales, development and lifecycle support of successful commercial software products in a variety of technology and market segments.

Before joining PlateSpin, Stephen has held senior management positions at FloNetwork Inc., Fulcrum Technologies (now part of Hummingbird) and NCR Corporation. Stephen is a product of Queen's University, where he studied both Math and Computing Science.