Coreo AG — M&A Activity 2008

Jan 15, 2008

News Details

Corporate | 15 January 2008 07:30

Nanostart Invests in Silicon Valley Company NanoGram

Nanostart AG / Miscellaneous

Release of a Corporate News, transmitted by DGAP - a company of EquityStory
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The issuer / publisher is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

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• Entirely new technology for producing solar cells
• Nanostart is the sole European VC-investor
• IPO intended for late 2009 / 2010

Milpitas, CA / Frankfurt – January 15, 2008 – Nanostart AG, the world’s
leading nanotechnology investment company, has taken an investment position
in NanoGram Corporation, based in Milpitas in the heart of Silicon Valley,
California.

NanoGram is one of the most significant nanotechnology companies globally.
Two successful spin-offs using its basic technology have already been sold
with dollar proceeds in the high eight digits. An important area of
application for the technology is in the solar energy industry. 58 of the
company’s 69 employees are presently engaged in research, development, and
engineering in the field of cleantech, including solar energy. The company
has developed an entirely new technology for the production of solar cells,
offering superb characteristics to meet market demands in terms of high
energy efficiency combined with extremely low production costs. Other
applications of the technology are found in electronics industry, e.g. in
components for flat screens, solid state lighting, and batteries. NanoGram
is already in active cooperation with numerous major industrial partners in
the U.S. and Asia. The company is planning for substantial growth in
revenues, with an IPO under consideration for late 2009 / 2010.

Marco Beckmann, CEO of Nanostart AG, sees tremendous potential in
NanoGram’s technology. 'With this investment in NanoGram, we are expanding
our portfolio to include a company with superb expertise in key growth
markets, particularly in the areas of cleantech and solar energy. Nanostart
is a European venture capital company to be investing on an equal footing
with leading Silicon Valley investors.' In addition to Nanostart and
Silicon Valley venture capital investors, specialized cleantech funds and
Japanese corporations are participating in this round of financing.

Dr. Kieran F. Drain, President and CEO of NanoGram Corporation, adds: 'We
are delighted that we have been able to gain Nanostart AG as an active
investor. Its network of contacts will be of great value to us,
particularly in Germany and throughout Europe. It should prove extremely
helpful for us, for example in commercializing our technology for the solar
energy industry.'

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 Nanogram:
NanoGram Corporation develops and licenses core process technology that
enables the manufacture of unique nanoscale compositions for optical,
electronic and energy products. NanoGram has developed an extensive
intellectual property portfolio that is expanding the boundaries of
nanomaterials technologies and enabling the development and manufacture of
new generations of materials, devices, components and applications across a
broad range of industries. For further information about the company,
please visit www.nanogram.com.

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

15.01.2008 Financial News transmitted by DGAP