23rd annual Flying 40 goes virtual
The pandemic can lock people down, but it can’t stop New Mexico from celebrating its high-flying tech companies.
Unlike all past celebrations — where Flying 40 awardees, sponsors and organizers gathered for in-person award presentations — this year’s bash is all online at www.flying40.com. Rankings for the 2020 list of awardees went live there today, along with photos of Flying 40 individuals and company teams, an event book that highlights accomplishments by all companies on the Flying 40, and full coverage by Business Outlook.
COVID-19 forced award organizers to postpone the celebration from June, when it’s usually scheduled, said Flying 40 event manager Roberta Eads. And the awards themselves — a blue-tinged, hand-blown glass “tear drop” art piece — were presented to winners as a traveling photographer captured the moment at each awardee’s outdoor site of choice.
Compiled by KPMG LLP from applications submitted earlier this year, the Flying 40 ranks firms by total revenue and by percentage revenue growth.
Companies participate in one of three categories: top revenue companies regardless of growth, top-growth companies with revenue above $10 million, and top-growth companies with revenue below $10 million. Growth is measured over five years, from 2015-2019.
Four companies — Raven Defense Corp.; Science, Engineering, Management Solutions; Goodman Technologies; and Rebellis Development Group — received Falcon awards. Those are honorable mentions for firms that might not have the five-year history or minimum $1 million in revenue needed to qualify for a Flying 40 award, but whose strong growth shows high potential for creating jobs in the future.
This year’s event sponsors include Sandia Science and Technology Park Development Corp., Business Outlook, Delta Dental, KPMG LLP, New Mexico Bank & Trust, NMA Ventures, New Mexico MEP, True Health NM, and the City of Albuquerque’s Economic Development Department. Community sponsors include the Albuquerque Hispano Chamber of Commerce, Sandia Laboratory Federal Credit Union, and the New Mexico Technology Council.