IKANO Press Releases:

IKANO Communications Achieves Top 50 Ranking in the Inc. 500 Listing of America?s Fastest Growing Companies

Date:October 1st, 2003
Release: IMMEDIATE

Salt Lake City (October 1, 2003) – IKANO Communications, the nation?s largest provider of private-label Internet services, today announced that it ranked 40th in the Inc. 500 listing of the nation?s fastest growing companies. IKANO achieved an explosive 5-year growth rate of 3,120%. The Inc. 500 Special Issue will appear in newsstands October 14.

"IKANO's significant growth rate over the past five years is a result of our ability to anticipate product needs, combined with our strong recurring revenue model," said Henry Smith, IKANO President and CEO. "Despite the current economic conditions, we've managed to grow through new strategic partnerships and pure hard work," said Smith.

The companies that made this list have thrived through continued stagnation in the economy, posting an average five-year sales growth of 1,312%. With aggregate revenue of $14.4 billion, Inc. 500 companies are a formidable market force. While the United States shed 1.5 million jobs in 2002, Inc. 500 companies – half of which were launched with less than $20,000 – provided employment for 67,973 people.

"The entrepreneurs you?ll find on the Inc. 500 have the type of attitude we need to get this economy moving again," said Inc. editor-in-chief John Koten. "For them, a tough market is not an excuse for poor performance, but an opportunity to innovate and rise above the competition."

IKANO has received a total of $33.5 million in venture capital funding. During the past five years, the company expanded from 50 employees to more than 350 employees. In April 2002, the Initiative for a Competitive Inner City (ICIC) and Inc. Magazine ranked IKANO Communications third in the "Inner City 100," a listing of the fastest growing companies located in America?s inner cities. In October 2002, the Mountain West Venture Group ranked IKANO the sixth fastest growing company in the state of Utah as part of its Utah 100 Awards program.

The Inc. 500 ranks privately held companies according to sales growth over the past five years. With 75% of all new job creation in the U.S. coming from small businesses, the Inc. 500 is a prescient indicator of the companies and industries that are driving the economy forward.

About IKANO Communications, Inc.
IKANO Communications was founded over 10 years ago as a regional Internet service provider in the Intermountain West and since then has flourished to become the industry leader in private-label, wholesale, and retail Internet services. IKANO leverages its ISP platform to provide outstanding services at highly competitive prices. The company's rapid growth and excellence in the field have resulted in IKANO's ranking in the Inc. 500, Technology Fast 500, Inner City 100, Utah 100, and Call Center of the Year.

Companies interested in learning more about IKANO should contact info@ikano.com, or call 877.492.0121.

About Inc. Magazine

Inc., the only business magazine dedicated exclusively to owners and managers of fast-growing private companies, delivers real solutions for today's innovative company builders. It provides hands-on tools and market-tested strategies for managing people, finances, sales, marketing and technology. Inc. is the premier publication that focuses on small-to-medium size businesses, which are responsible for more than half the nation's gross domestic product and 75% of its new jobs. Inc. looks beyond work to address the entrepreneurial lifestyle. Inc., a Gruner + Jahr USA publication, inspires and informs, with cutting edge coverage that reflects our readers' energy, brashness and imagination.