Emerging Technologies, Nordic region's largest VC company
International issue oversubscribed
New Board of Directors and management
(6/21/00) - Emerging Technologies (ET), the Nordic region's largest, pure venture-capital company, has effected an international issue of shares totaling 750 MSEK. The issue was oversubscribed. The company has also recruited new members for its Board of Directors and a management team with comprehensive skills and experience from Nordic and international venture markets. An international partner network is now under development. With 55 actual investments and about 10 more in the pipeline, ET owns the largest venture-capital portfolio in the "New Economy" sector of the Nordic countries and plans to list its shares publicly in the autumn of 2000.
"The issue exceeded our expectations and shows that we have the best brand in the industry in Northern Europe. ET is valued at about SEK 6 billion, a value we will increase rapidly through extremely high business activity during the summer and fall," said Kjell Sp†ngberg, Chairman of ET's Board of Directors, at a press conference on Wednesday. Most of the portfolio was developed by Kjell Sp†ngberg during recent years in Emerging Technology, the forerunner of Emerging Technologies, which was established two months ago.
70 percent of the new share issue, supported by advisory services from Alfred Berg, was subscribed by leading Swedish and international institutions.
New board and management
Emerging Technologies also announced a new Board of Directors, which includes a number of well-known names with strong links to the New Economy and venture-capital markets. The Board will naturally oversee shareholder interests, but it also provides highly attractive business support for management. "For this reason, we have focused strongly on experience and network," says Kjell Sp†ngberg.
ET's management and organization is also in place. "We have recruited some of Sweden's best talents in corporate finance, analytical skills and financing from young growth companies in the New Economy", says Peter Sandberg, CEO. "We have a team, the skills, structure, processes and the right mind set to manage Northern Europe's best deal flow within the New Economy."
Focus on wireless and Internet
Emerging Technologies concentrates its holdings on startup companies and early growth phases in wireless communications and the Internet, with strong emphasis on e-business, infrastructure/software and service. ET will also assume a very active role in the development of so-called dot.corps, which are defined as traditional companies for the network economy, and take part in future restructuring of the dot.com sector. After 3-5 years, all or part of ET's holdings will be divested through public stock listings or structural transactions.
Highly diversified portfolio
Today's portfolio is highly diversified in ET's focal areas, wireless telecommunications, e-business, infrastructure/software and service. "Most of our investment is in companies characterized by early stages of development, which provides ET with strong value appreciation potential, a factor I believe attracted our new owners," says Peter Sandberg.
"ET will be a Swedish company with its head office in Stockholm and regional offices in several cities throughout the world. We're now starting in San Francisco and plan to gradually expand our presence in the rest of Europe and Southeast Asia. These areas offer excellent investment opportunities that lie a few after years the US in terms of New Economy development." continues Peter Sandberg. "We have already established a finely woven network of research institutions, incubators and industrial partners, and we will continue to develop these assets. We are entering alliances with companies that offer the best networks and flows of proposals in their respective markets."
With its new owners, expanded capital base and fully developed organization, the Board of Directors has announced its intention to apply for public listing of Emerging Technologies in Stockholm during the second half of 2000.
Emerging Technologies AB is Northern Europe's leading venture-capital company in the network economy, with strong focus on the Internet, mobile applications and infrastructure.
Photos of Kjell Sp†ngberg and Peter Sandberg are available at www.bit.se.
For additional information:
Peter Sandberg, CEO Tel:+46 708/741001
Kjell Sp†ngberg, Chairman Tel: +46 709/383722
Attachment to press release, June 21, 2000
Board of Directors of Emerging Technologies
Kjell Sp†ngberg, Chairman
Juha Christensen
Kjell Duveblad
Anders Harrysson
Urban Jansson
Anders Lidbeck
Erik sbrink
Peter Sandberg
Management/Partners
Peter Sandberg, CEO
Bernt Andersson, CFO
James Blom, Partner
Alf Blomqvist, Partner
Lennart Johansson, Partner
Fredrik Karlsson, Partner
Per Wass‚n, Partner
Venture Partners
Lars Ahlman
Eric Dahl
Anders Barsk
Stefan Wigren
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JPG
Kjell Sp†ngberg JPG
Peter Sandberg
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