Parallels, Inc., a leading provider of virtualization, datacenter automation and SaaS software, was named to the Red Herring 100 North America, which honors the top 100 privately-held technology companies.

According to recent IDC market data, Parallels is the world’s second-largest virtualization solutions provider. It produces: the #1 desktop virtualization solution, Parallels Desktop for Mac, which was the first to enable Apple computer users to run Windows and Mac OS X simultaneously; the #1 container-based server virtualization solution, Parallels Virtuozzo Containers; and the world’s #1 control panel, Parallels Plesk. Parallels software powers more than 250,000 servers and 1,100,000 desktops, and services more than 10,000,000 end-users every day.

"Being named by Red Herring as one of the 100 top companies in North America is a great honor and further demonstrates our commitment to providing our customers with great technology that delivers real value every day," said Serguei Beloussov, CEO of Parallels. "It is a tribute to our more than 900 employees around the world who continue to develop and market innovative software with the highest level of professionalism and customer service."

"Having received more than 800 submissions, it is clear that we are witnessing a new outburst of creativity," says Joel Dreyfuss, Editor-in-Chief of Red Herring. "With venture capital flowing again, it’s exciting to see technology innovators and business investors collaborate to create disruptive technologies. The Red Herring 100 North America companies are impressive up-and-comers, and definitely the ones to watch."

Red Herring’s annual lists of top private companies are an important part of the company’s tradition of identifying new and innovative technology companies and entrepreneurs. Companies like Google, eBay and Skype were spotted in their early days by Red Herring editors, and touted as leaders that would change the way we live and work.