The skills base is very strong and the infrastructure to support our business is robust. “It was more cost-effective than trying to start up in Silicon Valley, where the cost of living is ridiculously expensive. That makes it difficult to encourage senior executives to move there and it would be almost impossible to attract new college graduates, so we decided to choose northern Virginia instead.” Mr Griffin’s company is the leading provider of digital media management solutions. The only way businesses can take advantage of their analogue assets is to turn them into digital, which is where eMotion comes in, he says. Among the firm’s clients is McDonald’s. “We manage their photo archive, which includes every historical picture of McDonald’s in the world – every store front, and every picture of hamburgers and French fries. “McDonald’s uses our technology to review and approve all of their commercials. On this side of their business alone, they are saving a million dollars annually by using our technology to move those assets around the world.”

Other companies using eMotion’s technology are Nike, the World Bank, Coors brewery and advertising agency Leo Burnett. The Virginia firm also has a direct-selling organisation with offices in Chicago, New York, Los Angeles and London, as well as a small development team based in Israel. “We have a global reach and we are going to market directly to channel partners,” says Mr Griffin. In April, eMotion linked up with Ampex Data Systems to integrate their technologies in the acquisition, storage and processing of visual information. “The combined benefits of these two industry leaders will set a new standard in the management of digital media,” he adds. The Xybernaut Corporation based in Fairfax, which has just delivered its first shipment of hands-free computers to the US Navy and the National Guard, has also grown as a result of its strategic partnerships with IBM, Sony, Toshiba, Hitachi, Hewlett-Packard and others. Xybernaut markets Mobile Assistant, a wearable voice-controlled computer designed for industrial users who need to keep their hands free. Weighing less than four pounds and costing as much as $9,000, it comes with a head-mounted video or flat-panel display.

The gadget features global-positioning tracking plus internet, cellular, and two-way video and audio communications. The software enables data transmission between the Mobile Assistant and a PC. Chairman Edward Newman says that Xybernaut’s business plan required considerable research and development. “Since the early years, we have had to become involved in the design, engineering, manufacturing and management of systems until others developed the skills we have learned over the years,” he says. “We are at the stage where the market is obvious to everyone, including all of the computer manufacturers, suppliers and mobile phone companies.” Another new Xybernaut client is Federal Express, which is using the firm’s equipment for its FedEx Express Aircraft Operations division. The technology provides maintenance technicians with wireless access to and information about FedEx’s fleet of 350 aircraft in a business that is time-critical. Tod Rehm, Xybernaut president and chief operating officer, says: “An ongoing element in our strategic plan is to identify leading commercial, government, military and educational organisations that would benefit from the increased productivity and return on investment from using mobile wearable computers.”

The enterprise has selected several firms for new pilot projects, including Bell Canada. Xybernaut employs about 140 people and last year produced revenues of $9.5 million. Also based in Fairfax is WebMethods, a software solutions business founded five years ago, which has offices in Europe, the US and Asia. President Phillip Merrick says: “We are the infrastructure that makes a great deal of business-to-business e-commerce possible.” The company, which had an IPO (initial public offering) over a year ago, has increased its revenues tenfold. “No other business is selling more integration software, except IBM.” Much of the firm’s growth potential lies overseas. “Our Asia-Pacific business did not exist until last summer. By the end of the year we had about 40 people in the region. “Most of our competitors have been around for years and have had time to develop their international operations. We started with nothing, but we forecast that about 40 per cent of our sales will come from overseas by the end of next year.”

Communications in the hi-tech world have come a long way, but one major hurdle is the variety of languages in the world. This problem is being tackled by Multicity.com, an open global network offering nine multilingual communications products and services for consumers and businesses. Earlier this year, the Virginia-based company launched MultiAuctions, the first auction product available in multiple languages. It is estimated that two-thirds of internet users will log on from outside the US by 2003. Alain Hanash, the chief executive, says: “We were the first to introduce these services. We grew very fast in Europe and eventually we started growing in the US. “We want people to use this medium to learn and to be exposed to different cultures. There is so much to learn about, whether it’s religion, music and so on. It’s not just about technology.”