Newline Information AB mergers with Melody Interactive Solutions AB
Newline Information AB mergers with Melody Interactive Solutions AB The Uppsala based company Newline Information AB today announces the merger with Melody Interactive Solutions AB. The merger creates a broad businessplatform within the wireless communication sector. 15 June, 2000 - Newline Information AB specializes in the development and implementation of mobile solutions for wireless communication. The company´s competence lies in wireless terminals, embedded systems, Bluetooth-, WAP- and server technology and real time applications for the automotive industry, industrial applications and consumer electronics. "This fusion strengthens Melody´s product- and service portfolio, which will enable us to take a leading position in the market. As of today we can offer our customers and partners a new perspective on mobile Internet solutions including among other things man-machine communication. This is a type of communication that will increase as intelligent applications and mobile electronic payments becomes more common" says Ulf Änggård, CEO at Melody Interactive Solutions AB. Melody strengthens it´s presence in Uppsala (north of Stockholm) and establishes a new department, Melody Research, that will be headed by Linus Dalin (former CEO at Newline). A department for product development in the mobile infrastructure sector will also be established in Uppsala. This department will be headed by Kay Hyckeberg (former technical director at Newline). Linus Dalin and Kay Hyckeberg will both form a part of Melody´s management team. "The only thing that we bury is the Newline name. The competence whitin the company is kept and now we get the opportunity to evolve in a larger context. Melody Research will actively take part in the development of future standards, keeping track of the technical development and function as an experimental laboratory for the development of new products," says Linus Dalin. In connection with the merger, Newline´s former major owner (a part from the founders), the venture capitalist company Startupfactory, will become a part owner of Melody. "Newline Information is a heavy technical company with highly interesting products and the merger with Melody is an important step in the company´s development," says Ulf Brandels, CEO at Startupfactory AB. "Melody and Newline complement each other very well. We share the same vision of how our joint future will be, which makes this merger natural. Furthermore we are looking forward to work together with Startupfactory," says Ulf Änggård. For more information, please contact: Ulf Änggård, vd, Melody Interactive Solutions AB Phone: +46 8 454 96 28 Mobilephone: +46 708 54 72 28 E-mail: ulf.anggard@melody.se Linus Dalin, ansvarig för Melody Research, Melody Interactive Solutions AB Phone: +46 18 71 47 00 Mobilephone: +46 706 47 47 11 E-mail: linus.dalin@melody.se Anna Söderblom, marknadsansvarig på Startupfactory Phone: +46 8 545 532 30 Mobilephone: +46 708 44 59 41 E-mail: anna.soderblom@startupfactory.se About Melody Interactive Solutions Melody Interactive Solutions is a mobile Internet software company headquartered in Stockholm, Sweden. Melody is committed to create mobile Internet applications facilitating communication between people. The core business is software product development at the very forefront of technology. Melody is offering a portfolio of applications, e.g Melody WAP Mail, Melody WAP Gateway and Melody Embedded WAP Server, targeted towards service providers and enterprises. The objective is to become a global player and preferred vendor of end-user applications. The company was founded in August 1998. Among the investors are Telenor Ventures A/S, Capital Group and IT-Provider. Melody is a member of WAP forum and Mobile Applications Initiative, MAI (former GPRS Applications Alliance). For further information and press releases on Melody Interactive Solutions, please visit http://www.melody.se About Startupfactory Startupfactory is a long term venture capital company, working with start- ups focusing on wireless communication and mobile lifestyle. The entrepreneurs are supported with technical and business competence, business network, and risk capital during the first development phases. Startupfactory has currently offices in Sweden, Finland and USA. Startupfactory was founded in August 1999 by a group of experienced technology executives including Sven-Christer Nilsson former CEO of Ericsson, Rolf Skoglund formerVP Microsoft Europe, Hjalmar Winbladh founder of SendIt and currently GM Microsoft Mobile Internet and Staffan Helgesson former McKinsey. For further information on Startupfactory, please visit http://www.startupfactory.com ------------------------------------------------------------ Please visit http://www.bit.se for further information The following files are available for download: http://www.bit.se/bitonline/2000/06/15/20000615BIT00330/bit0001.doc http://www.bit.se/bitonline/2000/06/15/20000615BIT00330/bit0002.pdf