Coreo AG — M&A Activity 2008

Feb 25, 2008

News Details

Corporate | 25 February 2008 07:30

Nanostart Invests in Bionanotechnology Company Namos

Nanostart AG / Miscellaneous/Capital Increase

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• New process expected to save 50% of precious metal costs for exhaust gas
  catalytic converters
• Savings Potential of approx. USD 4 billion

Frankfurt/Dresden – February 25, 2008 – Nanostart AG is initially acquiring
15.2 percent of Dresden-based Namos GmbH, a leading bionanotechnology
research company, with plans to increase its shareholding to 19.7 percent.
Namos has developed an innovative process which reduces the amount of
precious metal required for producing automotive catalytic converters – and
thus the cost – by about one half compared to current production methods.

The new process from Namos involves the bionanotechnology-based coating of
the ceramic substrate materials used in catalytic converters. These are
subsequently mixed with a solution of precious metal salts in order to
produce the catalytically active metallic coating. In conventional
production processes, without this coating, a portion of the precious metal
penetrates into the ceramic substrate and is thus useless for the purpose
of catalyzing exhaust gases. The bionanotechnological coating developed by
Namos enables a network of protein just a few nanometers thick to form on
the surface of the ceramic, ensuring that none of the precious metal
penetrates inside. This can lead to major cost savings in the production of
catalytic converters.

Precious metals such as platinum, palladium and rhodium are used in
catalytic converters to transform harmful exhaust gases into water and
carbon dioxide. 230 metric tons of precious metals are currently 'consumed'
each year for catalytic converters, as this metal cannot be practically
recycled. This corresponds to a value of approx. USD 8.3 billion. About one
half of this, or USD 4 billion, could be saved by using the new technology
from Namos.

The company’s NamoCat additive can be biotechnologically produced at a
minimal cost. Since it is no longer present in the finished catalytic
converters, it cannot have any long-term adverse effects. It contains no
hazardous substances and has a shelf life of several years.

Namos GmbH, with its strategic focus on 'Nanotechnology and Biomimetrics on
Surfaces,' has built its product offering through eight years of research
and development efforts in bionanotechnology, of which five years have
included applications for catalytic converters.

'The investment by Nanostart confirms the innovative power of our
technology and opens the gate for us to successful commercialization,'
remarked Dr. Jürgen Hofinger, Managing Director of Namos GmbH.

Marco Beckmann, CEO of Nanostart AG, added, 'We are delighted to have
brought yet another highly innovative nanotech company from Germany into
our investment portfolio. Namos is a terrific example of the revolutionary
changes with significant business potential which are now being made
possible by nanotechnology.'

About Nanostart:
Nanostart AG is the world’s leading nanotechnology investment company. The
Frankfurt-based company provides venture capital financing for
nanotechnology companies in various growth phases. It also provides the
benefits of its experience and expertise to developers of financial
instruments and to investors in the nanotechnology sector. For further
information about the company, please visit www.nanostart.de.

About Namos:
Namos GmbH develops highly innovative coatings based on aqueous solutions,
with a focus on nanostructured surfaces which offer uniquely advantageous
characteristics. Rather than producing these with a large number of complex
process steps, these are produced using biomolecules which use their
inherent 'intelligence' to organize themselves in certain ways into the
desired structures. The company has long maintained intensive contacts with
leading-edge research centers, particularly within the area of Dresden. The
customers and cooperation partners of Namos include renowned major
corporations as well as smaller and specialized companies. For further
information, please visit www.namos.de.

Disclaimer:
This notice constitutes neither an offer to sell nor a solicitation of
offers to purchase or subscribe to securities. There will be no public
offering of securities of Nanostart AG in conjunction with the existing
listing of its shares in the 'Entry Standard' segment of the regulated
unofficial market (Freiverkehr) on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange. This
notice does not constitute a securities prospectus. Neither this notice nor
the information contained within is intended for direct or indirect
distribution within the United States of America, Canada, Australia or
Japan.

Media contact:
Nanostart AG
Public Relations
Dr. Hans Joachim Dürr
Goethestrasse 26-28
D-60313 Frankfurt
Germany
phone: +49 (0)69-21 93 96 111
fax: +49 (0)69-21 93 96 122
e-mail: presse@nanostart.de

25.02.2008 Financial News transmitted by DGAP