Unique Swedish technology raises 30 MSEK from Investor and Innovationskapital

Biotech and telecom: Unique Swedish technology raises 30 MSEK from Investor and Innovationskapital Åmic AB has raised 30 MSEK in a new share emission backed by Investor Growth Capital, a wholly owned subsidiary of Investor AB, and Innovationskapital. The Uppsala based company has developed unique technology and know-how for manufacturing microsystems & components in the biotechnology and telecom markets. The new funds will be used to build up Åmic´s production capacity and to strengthen International marketing activities. - We believe Åmic´s patented technology and know-how has great potential in several applications and is an excellent fit to many of our Biotech investments. We see Åmic as a key partner for a range of players in the global Biotechnology and Telecom markets, says Michael Horal, Managing Director, Investor Growth Capital. Unique Technology Using Åmic´s patented technology and know-how, three-dimensional microstuctures can be mass produced in plastic materials with critical dimensions less than a thousandth of a millimetre. An original of the microstructure is first manufactured using methods derived from the silicon-IC industry. The original is then copied to a mould, which is used to mass produce plastic microstructures using methods similar to the production of CD or DVD optical discs. -What makes Åmic particularly interesting from an investors´ viewpoint is the breadth of their technology and the expertise in the company, says Staffan Ingeborn, InnovationsKapital´s CEO. Adding Industrial Expertise Åmic has put together a combination of tried and tested manufacturing methods in a unique production platform for plastic microstructures. - Investor Growth Capital´s and Innovationskapital´s engagement in Åmic will give us an important injection of industrial expertise and strengthen our development process. We plan to intensify our efforts on the export market; demand for our products and services is particularly good in the USA, says Björn Berg, Åmic´s CEO. Biotechnology and Telecom Åmic´s technology platform has applications in both the Biotech & telecom markets. Since 1998, when the company was founded by Ove Öhman and Gunnar Axe, Åmic has had a number of successful collaborations with customers and research institutes in both market segments. Amongst Åmic´s customers are Scandinavian companies such as Biacore, Pyrosequencing, Gyros, Cellectricon, Nokia, Gnothis, Senseair och Uppsala Universitet, plus a growing number of customers in the USA and Germany. Revenue since start - Our growth and technology development has so far been funded primarily by revenue we have generated. In order to be really interesting we must be able to gear up our technology for mass production of microstructures. Now is the right time to bring in new capital as we take the step from being an R & D provider to a market oriented manufacturer of microstructures, concludes Björn Berg. Investor AB Investor AB is Sweden's largest listed industrial holding company. The company's business concept is to create shareholder value through long- term active ownership and investment activities. Investor is a leading shareholder in a number of public multinational companies, including AstraZeneca, Ericsson, and SEB. Investor also conducts venture capital activities in North America, Europe and Asia. The average annual total return to shareholders has been 20 percent during the past 20 years. Visit Investor AB at: www.investorab.com Innovationskapital InnovationsKapital was founded in 1994 and is today one of Sweden's leading early stage venture capital firms for innovative growth companies. The business, carried out from offices in Gothenburg and Stockholm, is focused on Nordic investments within ICT and Healthcare & Life Sciences - dynamic sectors that are rapidly expanding and where Nordic research plays a leading role. The capital (EUR193 million) is managed in three funds and is provided by highly reputable Swedish and international institutional investors. Further information about InnovationsKapital can be found at www.innkap.se For further information, please contact: Björn Berg, CEO Åmic AB +46 (0)18-52 16 40, +46 (0)70-22 99 288, bjorn.berg@amic.se Fredrik Lindgren, Senior Vice President Corporate Communication, Investor AB +46 (0)8-614 20 31, +46(0)70-624 20 31, fredrik.lindgren@investorab.com Staffan Ingeborn, CEO InnovationsKapital +46 (0)31-60 91 90, +46 (0)705-83 14 34, staffan.ingeborn@innkap.se ------------------------------------------------------------ This information was brought to you by Waymaker http://www.waymaker.net The following files are available for download: http://www.waymaker.net/bitonline/2002/10/08/20021008BIT00690/wkr0001.doc http://www.waymaker.net/bitonline/2002/10/08/20021008BIT00690/wkr0002.pdf