Today, he has learned patience. Tomorrow, he will try his luck on the next wave. But he will be wiser; he has learned how to think.

The si100 2002 honors such people with no names. People who have retained their independence. People who still believe in the power of innovation.
Our decisions are well explained in the phrase we have used for our cover: still independent, still innovative, still Indian.
The si100 is a product of intense research into enterprise evaluation. The multiples of measurement are many and take on many dimensions when observed in context.

While we realize that chest-beatings will be accompanied by equally loud disgruntled sniffs, we also realize that both emotions are just—which is why we would like to emphasize the importance of participation. As with any history, the old order gives way to the new. Some companies have stayed on, some companies have left, some new ones have been included.

In this chaos, let reason ascend to its rightful throne. Here are some multiples that we have used to compile this list.


• The technology itself: After the multitude of debacles in the recent past, we believe that only those technologies which deliver value to customers and clients have survived.

Some technologies have been recognized for their latent potential, some technologies are still in their paces, while some are expanding horizons in applications. Experts from the user side have helped us understand the true value of each of these technologies.

• Team factor: Ultimately, as Dave Kamath says in the CIO Column (see page 42), technology alone is not enough. We have used the perceived strengths in team experience and expertise that have brought or will bring these technologies to successful contexts, where their applications are evident.

Start-ups in the recent past have often impressed us by their impressive track records.

• Support systems: Nobody understands better than us that innovation needs nurturing. When other multiples were insufficient on their own, we studied the support systems that the companies possessed: market sizes, VC partners who possessed the reputation to remain stoic in times of turmoil, and potential partnerships with other companies.

• Client testimony: Many si100 contenders claimed that their product or service delivered tremendous value to their clients’ businesses. We sought client opinions to evaluate these claims.

• Market viability: Although for many companies, the technology might have been good, the team might have been all that could be desired, the viability of the technology in the current market scenario remains doubtful.

• The pedigree: In the category for consultants and service companies, we used the age of the company and the diversity of services offered to measure the worth of the contenders.

Some companies have used technologies in new applications. We have created a new category for thesecompanies.

It has been tough. For you. For us. Here’s wishing us all good luck and better times ahead.