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Bank Vontobel AG Vontobel Banking Group is a traditional Swiss private banking group offering superior financial services to clients around the world. It is focused on four business areas: private banking, investment banking, asset management and investment funds. Vontobel Banking Group is one of the leading Swiss portfolio managers for private and institutional clients with EUR 50 billion under management as of the end of June 2001. It has representative offices in Zurich, Geneva, Cologne, Salzburg, Vienna and New York as well as in other locations. Vontobel Private Equity provides tailored private equity services and specialized products to institutional investors and high net worth individuals. Since 1997, Vontobel has raised a series of private equity funds and invested more than EUR 1.5 billion in roughly 100 funds and 50 companies. Vontobel Holding AG shares have been listed on the SWX Swiss Exchange
since 1986. A key element of the Group’s identity is its independence.
The Vontobel family, the Vontobel-Foundation and management own
a majority of the share capital and voting rights. This ownership
structure makes Vontobel one of the few truly independent banking
groups in Switzerland. |
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BNP Paribas BNP Paribas is one of the world’s largest banking groups, with assets of almost €700 billion and a net income of €4.12 billion in 2000. The bank has an extensive international network, reaching across 87 countries, with hubs in leading financial centres across the globe. Ranked number one in France in terms of earnings, BNP Paribas is also the largest bank in the Euro zone measured by market capitalisation. Thanks to the excellent strategic partnership between its commercial and financial businesses, BNP Paribas is a major player in the investment banking, retail banking, and international private banking and asset management fields. Eighty of the world’s top 100 companies have chosen BNP Paribas as their bank. BNP Paribas’ Technology Corporate Finance team offers advisory
and equity underwriting services focused on IT services, software,
networking technologies, biotechnology and medical technology. The
bank is one of the most active lead managers of equity offerings
on Europe’s growth markets (Euronext, Neuer Markt, Easdaq)
and a leading M&A adviser to European technology companies. |
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2M Invest A/S 2M Invest A/S is a public venture capital and management company with offices in Denmark, Sweden, Finland, The United Kingdom, the United States (Boston and San Francisco) and Taiwan, specializing in hands-on investments within the area of information technology. 2M Invest invests in companies whose technology has been proven, at least to prototype stage, but where the companies still face considerable challenges in management, production, financing and marketing. 2M Invest’s portfolio currently consists of approximately 50 small and medium-sized growth companies within the information technology field. 2M Invest has singled out five specific focus areas for investments: e-business, wireless communications, semiconductors, software and digital media. The portfolio includes among others: SimCorp A/S (DK), BlueKite.com, Inc. (US), Cycore AB (S) and VIGILANTe (US). 2M Invest went public in Feburary 2000 and the shares are traded
at the Copenhagen Stock Exchange. |
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Ad_Astra Venture Consult GmbH Ad_Astra Venture Consult GmbH, established in July 2000, is a Private
Equity / Venture Capital Fund targeting high-growth, technology-oriented
companies in the Telecommunication, IT, Media, Life Science and
general High-Tech industries. With a committed capital of €100
million it is a mid-sized fund focussing primarily on the German
speaking markets. Lead Investor is HypoVereinsbank, Germany’s
second largest bank. Investments include Asknet, Trados, web2CAD,
IHB Internationale Holzboerse and QBEO. |
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b-business partners b-business partners is a leading pan-European venture capital company.
It has a commitment to building successful businesses to achieve
superior financial returns by investing in innovative business-to-business
technologies. Founded in March 2000 as a new model for venture capital,
b-business partners enables companies in which it invests to directly
benefit from the knowledge and skills of the 700,000 employees worldwide
of its unique hardwired network of partner companies: Investor AB,
ABB, SEB, AstraZeneca, Atlas Copco, Electrolux, Ericsson, Hewlett-Packard,
Saab Aerospace, Sandvik, SKF, Stora Enso and WM-data. b-business
partners has a committed capital base approaching € 1 billion,
with offices in Amsterdam, London, Munich and Stockholm. |
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DVC Deutsche Venture Capital DVC Deutsche Venture Capital has continuously expanded its position in the European VC market since its formation in 1998. DVC has invested in 55 companies with a volume of more than 125 million Euro. DVC focuses on the fast growing markets of life science, information- and communication technology as well as micro- and system technology. In August 2000, DVC began investing its third fund (VCG Venture Capital Gesellschaft mbH & Co Fonds III KG) with a volume of 200 million Euro. DVC’s professional teams of investment managers and industry experts support its portfolio companies from offices in Frankfurt, Munich and Berlin. DVC’s Silicon Valley office offers a stepping stone into the US markets. With Deutsche Bank as the DVC’s lead investor and with further
reputable investors such as Deutsche Ausgleichsbank, Hannover Finanz
Gruppe and Gerling-Konzern, DVC has an international network with
excellent business relations. Especially valuable is the access
to the investment banking resources of the Deutsche Bank Securities
and DB Alex Brown with more than 300 analysts. |
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Gilde IT Fund Gilde IT Fund is part of Gilde Investment Management, a leading global venture capital firm with € 1.5 billion under management. The IT Fund is one of the largest and most successful venture capital funds in Europe. Distinguishing characteristics are its entrepreneurial approach, focus on specific areas and a longstanding track-record in building leading international IT enterprises. Gilde has more than 80 investments in the IT industry in Europe, the US and Israel, and achieved more than 25 successful IPO’s and trade sales. Our investments range in size from as little as € 0.5 million to as much as € 10 million. Typically, we invest € 3 to € 5 million initially and expect to invest € 5 to € 10 million over the life of a company. Gilde invests more than money in a company and provides a wide
range of programs to her rapidly expanding technology companies,
to help them become world-class. Gilde has an excellent international
network and is supported by an actively involved Advisory Board,
chaired by John Sculley. |
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IBM IBM Net Generation is focused on delivering customised,
flexible and scalable Internet solutions for companies of all sizes.
Drawing on resources from across IBM and 90,000 IBM Business Partners,
IBM’s Net Generation business helps Internet Service Providers,
Web hosting companies, portals and born-on-the-Web companies establish
their businesses and become profitable in Internet time. IBM Net
Generation has already helped hundreds of Internet-based companies
onto the path of success. These companies chose IBM because they
sought two things. First, an established e-business partner that
could give instant credibility to their own innovations. Secondly,
a partner that could provide the business and technology infrastructure
that would take them to market and then to profit quickly and sustainably.
IBM’s recipe is straightforward - it provides the four fundamental
services that Net Generation companies need to succeed: technology,
strategic consulting, business innovation and e-hosting services
and financing. |
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Infineon Ventures Infineon Ventures is the venture capital subsidiary of Munich, Germany, based top-tier semiconductor company Infineon Technologies AG. Since its inception in 1998 Infineon Ventures has become a prime venture partner for early-stage companies in microelectronics and communications. Leveraging the vast resources of Infineon Technologies the company is uniquely positioned to deliver high financial returns on it‘s investments as well as to add significant strategic value both, to portfolio companies as well as to Infineon. Our investment strategy is oriented towards companies
that create new markets, exploit pace-setting technologies or establish
new applications in areas where microelectronics is or will be a
key enabling technology. We invest into pre-IPO companies of all
development stages with a special focus on seed and start-up phases.
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Kirchhoff Consult AG Kirchhoff Consult consists of a team of financial analysts,
IR experts, issuing consultants, business journalists and communication
designers. Our aim is to create a lively, convincing and sustained
dialog between businesses and investors at each stage of a company's
development. We advise start-ups during the entire capital procurement
process. We organize and design corporate communication both in
terms of content and visual aspects. All our staff members consider
themselves to be dedicated consultants and partners of their clients
at any particular time. We have both long-term mandates with significant
corporations listed on the DAX and innovative, successful start-up
companies. |
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KPMG Somekh Chaikin KPMG Somekh Chaikin is one of the largest accounting firms in Israel, providing auditing, taxation, consulting and financial guidance services. KPMG Somekh Chaikin has 38 partners, headed by Gad Somekh –
Managing Partner, Rakefet Russak-Aminah, CEO, and an 8-member executive
committee. The Firm, which was founded in 1922 as an accounting
firm, presently services thousands of clients in Israel, with some
800 employees and branches in Tel-Aviv, Jerusalem, Haifa and Kiryat
Shmona. Among the Firm’s clients are dozens of companies that represent the cornerstone of the Israeli economy, in various fields: banking, insurance and financial services, technology companies, trade and real estate, maintenance, international companies and global banks. The Firm’s clients benefit from reliable professional service at the highest international standards, accompanied by long standing direct ties with the Firm’s partners and its employees. The best of accountants, economists, lawyers, analysts, technology and medical professionals who work in our Firm, are the top graduates of the leading universities in Israel and overseas, and some are members of the faculties of these institutions. The Firm’s services include: auditing, taxation, auditing
of IRM systems, due diligence, valuations, consulting and business
development, guiding the raising of capital, market research, employee
compensation packages, cost/benefit analyses, etc. |
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Morgan Lewis & Bockius Founded in 1873, Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP (“Morgan Lewis”) is one of the largest law firms in the US and has developed to a leading international firm with a total of over 1,100 fee-earners, based at 13 offices in the US, Europe and the Far East. The firm’s German practice group consists of lawyers located in Frankfurt, New York, Washington, Philadelphia and London, all of whom speak fluent German. Morgan Lewis’ Frankfurt Office: The Frankfurt office
is staffed by German and American lawyers, primarily assisting corporate
clients in cross-border transactions involving Germany, the United
States and the EU. Its practice areas comprise Corporate Law (including
M&A and, in particular, Takeover Law), Financial Services, Technology
as well as European and German Antitrust Law. The firm also acts
as outside general counsel on US law to European companies and their
US subsidiaries. The clients of the Frankfurt office range from
some of the largest multinationals to start-up companies. |
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PolyTechnos Venture-Partners PolyTechnos Venture-Partners GmbH (“PolyTechnos”) nurtures
revolutionary technologies and guides exceptional entrepreneurs
in growing their businesses. Founded in 1998, PolyTechnos focuses
on start-up and early stage, high-growth companies in the areas
of Life Sciences, IT, Communications, Materials & Components,
and particularly their interfaces. Geographical focus: Germany and
other European countries. PolyTechnos’ Investment Team consists
of highly experienced industry leaders. Its team composition combines
deep technological understanding, senior executive experience and
a wide international network. PolyTechnos provides value-added services
to the portfolio companies of its advised funds. This includes strategy
formulation, top-level industry networks, intellectual property
positioning, corporate governance, and human resource development.
With Headquarters in Munich/Germany, PolyTechnos has additional
offices in Frankfurt/Germany and Brussels/Belgium. |
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Schroder Salomon Smith Barney Citigroup Corporate & Investment Bank successfully combines a bulge-bracket investment bank – Schroder Salomon Smith Barney (SSSB) – with a world class commercial bank – Citibank. Citigroup is the world’s largest global financial services company with a market capitalisation of approximately $250bn. Its businesses provide a broad range of financial products and services to almost 150 million consumers and corporate customers spanning five continents and more than 100 countries. Increasingly, corporate and other institutional clients want a total solution for their financial requirements (one-stop shopping). Citigroup, with the global network of its commercial bank, is able to combine its balance sheet strength with the investment banking expertise of SSSB and delivers just this. Our record core income of $14.14bn for the year
2000 made us one of the most profitable companies in the world.
International Financing Review named Citigroup “Bank of the
Year” for the second year in a row claiming “in the recent
history of investment banking and capital markets, no firm has come
close to demonstrating quite as much year-on-year progress in such
a visibly compelling way. |
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SWX Swiss Exchange Financing Growth on the SWX New Market The SWX Swiss Exchange is one of the world’s leading and most technologically advanced securities exchanges. In 1996, floor-based trading in Switzerland was supplanted by electronic trading. This fully automated trading, clearing and settlement system remains unique in the world. At the click of a mouse, an order is executed, cleared, paid for and confirmed. The SWX Swiss Exchange offers its customers first-rate securities exchange services and a broad range of investment products. The SWX
New Market provides innovative, international growth companies
– primarily from the life science, IT as well as the micro-
and nanotechnology industries – with access to the Swiss capital
market. A public offering in this segment affords issuing companies
a high degree of global visibility among investors, especially those
with a heightened interest in these sectors. An IPO in Switzerland
represents an attractive means of obtaining equity financing. |
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TVM Techno Venture Management GmbH TVM, founded in 1983, is one of the first venture capital
funds formed in Germany, and a leader in transatlantic operations.
The German-U.S. venture capital company has offices in Munich, Boston
and San Francisco. For many years, TVM has focused on information
technology and life sciences, high growth sectors where innovation,
effective management and sound financial backing have enormous impact
on company growth. TVM funds have made investments in 200 technology
companies in Europe and the United States. A pivotal objective is
to create transnational businesses that enjoy access to science,
management talent and capital on both sides of the Atlantic. |
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Westminster Securities Corporation Westminster Securities Corporation provides comprehensive professional investment services for individual and institutional clients. Founded in 1971, Westminster is a member of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE), National Association of Securities Dealers (NASD), and the Securities Investor Protection Corporation (SIPC). Westminster is a full service brokerage firm operating in three principal areas: Retail & Institutional Account Management, Execution Services, and Investment Banking. The Firm provides professional executions for investors and investment professionals interested in trading in virtually every financial market, including offering access to the floor of the New York Stock Exchange through its Direct Access system. Westminster additionally assists companies by creatively
structuring solutions to meet their complex financing needs, via
public and private equity offerings, debt offerings, mergers and
acquisitions, financial restructuring, and general financial advice.
The Firm offers access to global capital markets through its offices
in New York and affiliates in cities around the world. |
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