Webraska Announces Completion Of 52 Million Euros Round of Financing

    MONTREAL--Jan. 29, 2001--Webraska, the worldwide provider of wireless navigation services and technologies, today announced that it has secured 52 Million Euros of private equity investments following the successful completion of its second round of financing.
    Prominent North American and European institutions participated in the round led by Apax Partners' Funds (including Altamir & Cie) and its sister company Patricof & Co. Ventures Inc. Other investors are Argo Global Capital, SAIC Venture Capital Corporation, Navigation Technologies Corporation, Philips Venture Capita Fund, Infineon Ventures and SignalSoft Corporation.
    The fundraising, which was finalized in December 2000, concluded a very successful year for Webraska, during which the company continued its expansion throughout Europe and initiated customer relationships in North America and Asia-Pacific.
    "We are delighted at the very high level of interest and commitment we have received from our existing and new investors in this round at a time of volatile markets. We believe that every investor will make a unique and significant contribution to the success of Webraska," said Jean-Michel Durocher, Chief Executive Officer and Founder, Webraska.
    He added, "Webraska was the first to market with Internet-based wireless navigation solutions that will revolutionize in-car telecommunications and location-based services. A growing list of blue-chip telecom operators, telecom equipment vendors, car manufacturers and car equipment manufacturers are integrating our powerful wireless navigation-enabling open platform in their wireless and location-based applications. Webraska is helping them earn real revenues, grow their brands and leverage their UMTS, Wireless Internet and Location-technology investments with innovative services."
    A year ago, Webraska completed the first round of 10 Million Euros in venture capital funding from Apax Partners and Argo Global Capital. This second round of financing was aimed at securing strategic investors to contribute to the growth of the company. Broadview, the global financial advisory firm, advised Webraska in the private placement process.
    This funding will enable Webraska to boost the development of its wireless navigation enabling technologies, including its patented Internet-based Distributed Navigation(TM) and to support its worldwide expansion, notably into the Americas and the Asia-Pacific region.
    "We believe that location based services will be the common denominator of next generation mobile Internet services. Webraska is ideally positioned to execute this vision on a worldwide basis, by enabling its customers to leverage on their unmatched set of technology, aggregated content and experience", said Frederic Rombaut, Directeur de Participations, Apax Partners France.
    "With wireless carriers around the globe, looking for incremental sources of revenues and market differentiation, no doubt that the wireless solutions developed by Webraska will benefit not only the carriers, but wireless customers around the globe," added Alan MacIntosh, Vice-President at Argo Capital. "We are delighted with Webraska's achievements and how it can help leverage the true potential of wireless Internet".
    "We're extremely pleased to partner with a company of the caliber of Webraska and to help consumers benefit from their value-added services that will help turn mobile communication devices into worldwide personal navigation systems," Judson C. Green, President and Chief Executive Officer, Navigation Technologies Corporation.
    "We believe that Webraska is one of the most advanced and aggressively growing mobile services companies worldwide. Infineon Ventures as subsidiary of Infineon Technologies AG, a world market leader in wireless communications integrated circuit solutions, sees location based technologies and services as one of the key drivers of the emerging wireless internet revolution," said Toni Mesquida Kusters, Investment Partner at Infineon Ventures.
    "Webraska and SignalSoft have had great success working together over the past year, deploying valuable personal navigation applications for network operators. This success encouraged SignalSoft to further strengthen our relationship by contributing to Webraska's recent financing round," said David Hose, CEO of SignalSoft. "We share a vision and commitment to provide our solutions to network operators throughout the world and are focused on continuing to grow our partnership as we support each other in new business and product developments."

    About Webraska

    Webraska is the worldwide provider of wireless navigation, spatial searching, mapping and traffic information services and technologies for telecom operators and car manufacturers.
    Turning mobile devices into worldwide personal navigation systems, Webraska's revolutionary IbDN(TM) (Internet-based Distributed Navigation) patented technology and its Personal Navigation Suite(TM) of valued-added services are solving mobile users needs everyday, increasing revenues, customer loyalty and brand recognition for leading service providers around world, including SFR, Vizzavi, KPN, Belgacom, Airtel, Orange, ADAC and VoiceStream.
    Helping carriers leverage their UMTS, Wireless Internet and Location-Technology assets, Webraska also offers the Personal Navigation API(TM) that allows application developers to launch, in a matter of hours, anywhere in most of Europe, North America and increasingly in the Asia-Pacific region, location and navigation-enabled wireless applications (location-based services, m-commerce, games, city guides, fleet management, mobile Extranet, etc.). It is available directly to all developers via Webraska's ASP Centres, and via licensees of the Global Navigation Server(TM) platform and Global Navigation Database(TM).
    Webraska's technology has already been chosen by industry leaders, including Phone.Com (Openwave), Alcatel, Sagem, Schlumberger, SignalSoft, Wireless Car, PSA, Cellpoint, CT Motion, CPS, Blue Impact, Wapamente and In Fusio.
    The company is headquartered in Poissy, France, and has offices in London, Brussels, Madrid, Rotterdam, Milan, Stockholm, Tokyo, Singapore, Melbourne and Montreal. For more information visit: www.webraska.com

    Our Partners

    Apax Partners & Patricof and Co. Ventures Inc. are one of the leading international private equity investment groups, which pursues a balanced equity portfolio strategy investing in companies at all stages of development from start-up to buy-out. The Group focuses primarily on seven industry sectors: Telecommunications, Information Technologies, Media, Healthcare & Bio-technologies, Retail & Consumer Products and Financial Services. Their investment team comprises more than 160 private equity investment professionals in 13 offices across Europe, the USA, Japan (operating as Apax Globis Partners) and Israel. Founded in 1969 in the USA and in 1972 in Europe, The Group now manages and advises over Euro 8 billion on behalf of leading institutional investors around the world. For more information please visit www.apax.com -- www.patricof.com

    Argo Global Capital, founded in 1997 and with more than US$400 million under management, is a leading international venture capital firm dedicated to the wireless industry and the convergence of wireless and the Internet. Argo's two funds, GSM Capital LP and ARGO II -- The Wireless Internet Fund LP, have made more than 30 investments in the wireless sector in Europe, North America and Asia from its offices in Montreal, Boston, London and Hong Kong. Telesystem, one of Argo's founding partners, as well as major wireless players around the World -- including France Telecom, Deutsche Telekom, ESAT, Singapore Telecom, SmarTone, VoiceStream, Microcell Telecommunications and TIW -- all contribute capital and ongoing support to Argo's funds and its portfolio companies. For more information, visit www.argoglobal.com

    SAIC Venture Capital Corporation, is a wholly owned subsidiary of Science Applications International Corporation, the United States largest employee-owned research and engineering company, providing information technology, systems integration and eBusiness products and services to commercial and government customers. SAIC engineers and scientists work to solve complex technical problems in telecommunications, national security, health care, transportation, energy, the environment and financial services. With annual revenues exceeding $5.5 billion, SAIC and its subsidiaries, including Telcordia Technologies, have more than 41,000 employees at offices in more than 150 cities worldwide. More information about SAIC can be found on the Internet at www.saic.com

    Navigation Technologies Corporation, is the world's leading provider of digital map information and enabling technology used in a wide range of smart navigation products, including automotive navigation systems, GIS and fleet applications, wireless and hand held products, Internet mapping, PC-based applications, and call center-based navigation services. The Company's NAVTECH(R) brand of digital maps, covering North America and Western Europe, are the route guidance solution chosen by leading automotive, electronic, and software manufacturers for their unrivaled accuracy, depth and reliability.

    Royal Philips Electronics is one of the world's biggest electronics companies and Europe's largest, with sales of EUR 31.5 billion in 1999. It is a global leader in color television sets, lighting, electric shavers, color picture tubes for televisions and monitors and one-chip TV products. Its 239,370 employees (end September 2000) in more than 60 countries are active in the areas of lighting, consumer electronics, domestic appliances, components, semiconductors and medical systems. Philips is quoted on the NYSE (symbol: PHG), London, Frankfurt, Amsterdam and other stock exchanges.

    Infineon Technologies AG, Munich, Germany, offers semiconductor and system solutions for applications in the wired and wireless communications markets, for security systems and smartcards, for the automotive and industrial sectors, as well as memory products. With a global presence, Infineon operates in the US from San Jose, CA, in the Asia-Pacific region from Singapore and in Japan from Tokyo. In the fiscal year 2000 (ending September), the company achieved sales of EUR 7.28 billion with about 29,000 employees worldwide. Infineon is listed on the DAX index of the Frankfurt Stock Exchange and on the New York Stock Exchange (ticker symbol: IFX). Further information is available at www.infineon.com

    SignalSoft Corporation, founded in 1995, is the software developer of Wireless Location Services(R), a product suite that enables location-based wireless services for information, billing, safety and tracking. SignalSoft's technology also helps drive m-Commerce (mobile commerce) in the wireless marketplace. Some of the world's largest cellular operators use SignalSoft's operating platform and related applications to transform raw location data into revenue sources that help them differentiate themselves from their competitors, generate new revenue streams and build customer loyalty. SignalSoft has also established industry partnerships worldwide with a broad range of location technology, content, Internet and network equipment companies. SignalSoft is based in Boulder, CO, and has offices in the United Kingdom, Canada and Singapore. For more information about SignalSoft and its products, please visit the company's Web site at www.signalsoftcorp.com

    Broadview is a leading M&A advisor and private equity investor focused exclusively on the IT, communications and media industries. The firm's network of nearly 400 employees and its affiliates operate across North America, Europe, Asia and Australia. Broadview International provides clients with advice on merger and acquisition transactions, restructuring and private financing. The firm is also a venture capital and late-stage investor in these industries in the US and Europe. More information is available at www.broadview.com.