Bigcommerce Co-founders Selected as Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year® 2013 Finalists

AUSTIN, Texas, May 16, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- The co-founders and co-CEOs of Bigcommerce, the fastest-growing e-commerce platform for small and medium-sized businesses, have been named finalists for the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year 2013 award in Central Texas. The awards program recognizes high-growth entrepreneurs who demonstrate excellence and extraordinary success in such areas as innovation, financial performance and personal commitment to their businesses and communities. Eddie Machaalani and Mitchell Harper were selected by an independent panel of judges for outstanding entrepreneurship as they've grown Bigcommerce from an early-stage startup to a thriving global business in just three years.

Machaalani and Harper met in a developers' chatroom in 2003 and started building software together. After launching a number of successful e-commerce products, they realized they wanted to create an all-in-one solution to help small businesses sell online. More than that, they wanted to create software that changed lives. In 2009 they launched Bigcommerce, a totally new kind of e-commerce platform that doesn't just let people sell — it gives them all the tools they need to be wildly successful doing so. Over the last three years, Bigcommerce has helped thousands of companies create online stores, market their businesses and build brands.

The company has seen tremendous growth, including:

• 35,000 customers in 65 countries
• $35M in VC funding from investors General Catalyst and Mike Maples of FLOODGATE
• 220 employees globally (150 employees added in 2012)
• Over 500 design and app partners
• Processed nearly $2B in online transactions worldwide
• Over 1,400% growth in SaaS run-rate revenue since launching in 2009
• Offices in Sydney, Australia and Austin, Texas

"We couldn't be more pleased to be honored with this prestigious nomination," said Mitchell Harper, co-founder and co-CEO of Bigcommerce. "We've been growing fast, and it is remarkable to think of just how much we've accomplished in this high-growth industry in such a short amount of time. I'm truly humbled by the recognition from our fellow business leaders in Austin."

"Eddie and Mitch are already an entrepreneurial success story," said Larry Bohn, managing director of General Catalyst. "These guys have the spirit, drive and vision that turned an idea into a massively successful, thriving global business. What they've built at Bigcommerce is nothing short of amazing and this nomination is incredibly well deserved."

"At Bigcommerce, we have something really special," added Eddie Machaalani, co-founder and co-CEO of Bigcommerce. "Our remarkable team, the thousands of small businesses we help everyday — it's their passion for success that gets me out of bed every morning. We love what we do and it's an absolute honor to be acknowledged by this community of innovators."

The Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year 2013 Central Texas award winners will be announced at a special gala event on June 5, 2013 at the Hilton Austin.

About Bigcommerce

Bigcommerce is the leading e-commerce platform for fast-growth businesses, enabling them to easily launch professional online stores in hours, not weeks or months. Existing clients Gibson Guitar, Zaggora.com, YETI Coolers and over 35,000 others are using Bigcommerce's built-in e-commerce and marketing capabilities to sell more with less effort. Bigcommerce was founded in 2009 by two Aussies turned part-time Texans with a vision to build a scalable, powerful e-commerce platform for every business in the world.

For more information, visit: 
http://www.bigcommerce.com 
http://twitter.com/Bigcommerce 
http://www.facebook.com/Bigcommerce 
http://plus.google.com/+bigcommerce/ 

Media Contact: 
Jacey Zuniga 
Bigcommerce 
(512) 865-4640 
[email protected]

SOURCE Bigcommerce