NetApp (NASDAQ: NTAP) today announced that it was ranked number 34 out of 100 on Forbes magazine's "World's Most Innovative Companies" list for 2011.

NetApp was recognised for building a culture of innovation that has transformed the foundation of its customers' business, and been a catalyst to their success.

Most importantly, NetApp innovation provides its customers with the technology, products, people, and service that allow them to outpace, out-innovate, and outperform their competition to achieve remarkable results for their business.

“NetApp is honoured to be identified as a global innovator — this is great recognition of the innovative spirit that is at the core of NetApp's DNA,” said Tom Georgens, president and CEO of NetApp. “NetApp was built on a culture of innovation that has pushed the boundaries of what is possible. We are focused on innovating in all aspects of our business to create a clear competitive advantage. Forbes' recognition is the result of our employees' commitment to creating an environment where innovation thrives and hard work leads to better business outcomes for NetApp, our customers, and our partners.”

Innovation fuelling NetApp's growth, success

NetApp's commitment to making its customers successful with breakthrough innovation has resulted in growth that only a select group of companies have achieved.

NetApp has historically been recognised throughout the industry for continually pushing the limits of today's technology and being at the forefront of major market shifts by delivering product and technology innovation that has fuelled its customers' success.

This innovation has continued today as NetApp has delivered unprecedented efficiency and flexibility for customers to respond quickly to their rapidly changing business needs. This stream of new innovations, many of them around new technologies and around new markets, continues to fuel NetApp's growth.

NetApp is also currently ranked as a “Top 10” best place to work around the globe for 2011 by the Great Place to Work Institute, based on a unique corporate culture that values creativity, teamwork, open communication, leadership, adaptability, and trust. This culture drives NetApp's innovative technologies, products, and business strategies. By living these values, NetApp employees are empowered to develop new ideas every day and continue to make breakthroughs happen for its customers.

The Forbes Most Innovative Companies List

The “World's Most Innovative Companies” list aims to identify which leading-edge corporations are most likely to succeed now and in the future, based on an eight-year study by Harvard Business School professor and master of disruptive innovation, Clayton M Christensen, along with colleagues Jeff Dyer, a professor at Brigham Young University, and Hal B Gregersen, a professor of leadership at INSEAD, and also found in their newly released book: 'The Innovator's DNA'. The methodology relies on investors to identify the companies they expect to be innovative today and in the future.

Embedded in each of these companies is a code for innovation, discernible in their people, processes, and philosophies — what Forbes refers to as a “3P” framework for understanding the DNA of innovative organisations.

What does the average company need to achieve in these areas to spark an innovation premium? It needs a fundamental change within senior managers (some mastery of the five discovery skills), changes in how their innovation project teams work (processes that support innovation), and changes in philosophies that foster the belief that innovation really is everyone's job.

The full list of winners and related stories will appear in the 8 August issue of Forbes and is available now online at www.forbes.com/special-features/innovative-companies.html.

Additional resources:

Check out the new NetApp Africa page on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/upgradeaccount.php#!/pages/NetApp-Africa/123652894389209?v=wall

* Watch Dave Hitz speak with Forbes Publisher Rich Karlgaard about what innovation means to NetApp: http://video.forbes.com/fvn/innovation-11/netapp-taking-clayton-christensen-book-to-heart

* Read Dave Hitz's blog to learn more about NetApp's inclusion on the list: http://blogs.netapp.com/dave/

* Read Val Bercovici's blog to learn more about what making the list means to NetApp: http://blogs.netapp.com/exposed/

* Follow NetApp on Twitter: www.twitter.com/NetApp

* View NetApp videos on YouTube: www.youtube.com/NetAppTV

* Connect with NetApp on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/groups?about=&gid=111681

* How is your company innovative? Share your story of innovation on the NetApp communities: http://communities.netapp.com/thread/16004

Editorial contacts

NetApp
Shiri Castellan
Marketing Manager
+27 11 575-6821
shiri@netapp.com

stautner & stautner
Judith Erskine
+49.(0)89.23 08 77-0
netapp@stautner.com

About

NetApp creates innovative storage and data management solutions that deliver outstanding cost-efficiency and accelerate business breakthroughs. Discover NetApp's passion for helping companies around the world go further, faster at www.netapp.com.