Autonomy secures Olympic win

CAMBRIDGE-based software firm Autonomy is helping the Greek government in its intelligence gathering operation to safeguard this summer's Olympic Games from terrorist attack.

Without detailing the exact nature of the Greek government's surveillance methods, Autonomy said its document-sorting software will be used 'to monitor potentially suspicious activity to help increase the efficacy of intelligence operations... and is designed to alert users to potentially dangerous activities or individuals'.

The new contract is worth 'several hundred thousands of dollars' to Autonomy, according to chief executive Dr Mike Lynch, and comes amid requests by the British and US governments to send their own armed security teams to Greece to protect athletes.

Autonomy's Greek deal is via American reseller Science Applications International Corporation, one of a batch of new contracts announced today with its first-quarter figures showing forecast-busting revenues of $16.4m, a 37% rise on last year and its best-ever first-quarter trading.

Other new deals averaging $350,000 (£196,000) include an NHS contract thought to be worth up to $1m, the Chinese National Information Agency, a department concerned with China's cultural and national archives, and the Singapore Civil Defence Forces.

First-quarter pre-tax profits rose 111% to $2.2m despite an $800,000 hit on profits from the weak dollar.