The document discusses the rapid growth and innovative strategies of Fast, a Nordic software company acquired by Microsoft for $1.2 billion. Key factors contributing to Fast's success include a clear vision of transforming search technology, attracting highly capable and motivated personnel, and fostering a customer-driven innovation culture. The company has established itself as a leader in enterprise search solutions with a significant global presence and numerous partnerships.

1. Innovation in the Nordic Software IndustryDr. John M. Lervik Stanford Engineering School European Entrepreneurship @ Silicon ValleyMarch 08, 2010

2. FAST Was Acquired By Microsoft ForIts Vision, People, And TechnologyTechnologyPeopleVision$1.2B

3. FAST: Some History3

4. Foundation: Scalable Search!Foundation: scalable search!Arne Halaas, NTNU.Tor A. Ramstad, NTNU.

5. alltheweb.com – Largest Web Search IndexFoundation: scalable search!alltheweb.com – largest Web search index

6. SearchFindObtainGoogle & Advertising

7. FAST Web Search  Overture/Yahoo!SOLD $100m

8. Customer-Driven Innovation Working with world leading companies

9. FAST, a Microsoft SubsidiaryFAST is transforming search into a key enabler for mission-critical applications and an IT infrastructure necessityPublicly listed on Oslo Stock Exchange since 2001 (ticker FAST)#1 in revenue growthOver 3600 installations750 employees in 32 locations150 alliance and OEM partnersTromsøStockholmOslo HelsinkiCopenhagenTorontoLondonChicagoAmsterdamBostonParisMunichSalt Lake CityFrankfurtMilanSeoulNew YorkSan FranciscoRomeTokyoWashington DCDubaiDallasAtlantaMadridHong KongMexico CitySingaporeRio de JaneiroSao PauloSydneyCape TownMelbourneFAST was one of the fastest growing softwarecompanies in the worldGoing forward: FAST, a Microsoft Subsidiary 9

10. Success Factors10

12. (1) Clear Vision- & Challenging TargetsMARSFAST vision more expansive & elaborate than others from startFAST: Search is much more than searchWill change the way the information stack will work within an IT infrastructureWill change the way people market and sell products onlineWill change the way data is processed and analyzedCompetitors: Look at this feature… it is quite nice, isn’t itYou never go farther than your dreams…!

13. (2) The BestPeople – As a TeamInnovation and growth is a result of ambition and will powerHence, prime focus is on people:Attract the right people and keep them motivatedFor FAST people had these characteristics:Extreme capabilitiesHave great level of ambitionPeople that are team orientedThere is no substitute for hard work…

14. (3) Game Changer AmbitioneBusinessBUSINESS SEGMENTSFAST InStreamClient SpecificSearch AppsFAST MarketracFASTProPublishFAST AdVisorFASTImPulseClient SpecificSearch AppsFASTMobileClient SpecificSearch AppsSEARCH DERIVATIVEAPPLICATIONS (SDAs)RDBMS(JDBC, ODBC,SQLNet, DW, DM)Legacy Data(e.g. ISAM, VSAM, IMS)Applications(e.g. ERM, CRM,Help Desk)DMS(e.g. M’Soft CMS, Documentum)eMail Systems(e.g. Notes,Exchange)From Search as a Feature To Search as a PlatformApplicationEnablement(OEM)KnowledgeDiscoveryFirst ever printed memoryPatent protected; Award winningRoll-to-roll manufacturingMillions to 100s of millions of unitsFAST ESP™ENTERPRISE SEARCHPLATFORM (ESP)Files(e.g. Word, Excel,pdf, images, mp3)WWW(HTML, XML, WML,JavaScript)Direct PushMessage Queues(e.g. TIBCO, MQ-Series)Private Webs(e.g. news feeds,Intranets)Portals(e.g. WebSphere, WebLogic)REAL-TIMEUNSTRUCTUREDSTRUCTURED

15. Decisions Insight InformationData & Content(4) Customer-Driven Innovation – Choose the Best & Most Demanding ClientsLearning by doing….

16. (5) Innovative, Result-Oriented Culture“VIP” Culture: Vision, Integrity, PassionPassion“Yes, we can” attitude“Quiet confidence”No use for an innovation culture without substance:Built on extreme capabilitiesDriven by market demandCorporate culture is not a coincidence...!Make sure all of the organization is aligned from engineering to salesE.g. HR, legal, finance: Support innovation, growth, and efficiencies

17. Q&A17