Symyx Technologies Licenses Sensor Technology to Hella KG for Automotive Applications

SANTA CLARA, Calif.--Aug. 1, 20033, 2003--Symyx Technologies, Inc. today announced the license of sensor technologies to Hella KG Hueck and Co. for use in automotive motor oil testing. These sensor technologies are based on the use of solid state micro-mechanical resonators to rapidly measure important properties of lubricants, including viscosity, density and dielectric constant, in hostile environments. The principal advantages of this miniature sensor compared to competitive technologies are the sensor's ability to provide in-situ discretely measured multiple fluid properties with a single sensor, and to perform these measurements in real-time.

Hella KG plans to commercialize the Symyx sensor technology by incorporating it into selected products to create a compact, robust, platform to test multiple oil properties in automobile engines. The adoption of the Symyx sensor technology enables Hella KG, a leading supplier of oil level sensors, to expand its product portfolio and offer advanced oil status sensing capabilities. Hella is funding additional development work at Symyx and will pay royalties to Symyx on the sale of Hella KG oil condition sensor products.

Symyx(R) develops and applies high-speed combinatorial technologies to the discovery of materials for life science, chemical and electronics applications. Symyx provides research services through its Industry Collaborations, licenses discovered materials and patents, and sells select Discovery Tools(R) instruments and software. Symyx currently has over 115 issued patents and more than 415 patent applications pending worldwide. Information about Symyx, including reports and other information filed by the Company with the Securities and Exchange Commission, is available at www.symyx.com. "Symyx," the logo, "Discovery Tools," "Library Studio," "Endeavor," and "PPR" are registered trademarks and servicemarks of Symyx Technologies, Inc.

Automotive lighting, electronics, complete vehicle modules and the automotive components aftermarket are the core competence areas of the automotive supplier Hella HG Hueck & Co. with its group headquarters in Lippstadt, Germany. The current turnover of the Hella Group is 3 billion Euro. In terms of turnover, Hella is among the top 100 German industrial companies. 22,500 people are employed in 58 manufacturing facilities, production subsidiaries and joint-venture companies around the world in 18 countries. All the world's leading automobile and system manufacturers are Hella customers.

Certain statements in this press release are forward-looking and involve risks and uncertainties. These may be identified by the use of forward-looking words or phrases such as "believe," "expect," "intend," "anticipate," "should," "planned," "forecast," "estimated," and "potential," among others. These forward-looking statements are based on Symyx Technologies' current expectations. The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 provides a "safe harbor" for such forward-looking statements. In order to comply with the terms of the safe harbor, Symyx Technologies notes that a variety of factors could cause actual results and experience to differ materially from the anticipated results or other expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements. The risks and uncertainties that may affect the operations, performance, development, and results of Symyx Technologies businesses include but are not limited to (1) market acceptance of Symyx' products and services; (2) uncertainties relating to the pace, quality or number of discoveries of new materials; (3) the dependence on collaborators to successfully commercialize products; (4) uncertainties of patent protection and litigation; (5) future growth strategy; (6) general economic conditions in the United States and in major European and Asian markets; (7) exposure to risks associated with export sales and operations; (8) natural disasters, power failures and other disasters; (9) and other factors that might be described from time to time in Symyx Technologies' filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including our Form 10-K annual report for fiscal year 2002 and Form 10-Q quarterly reports for the first two quarters of fiscal 2003.