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Top Level Domain Holdings Completes Merger With Minds + Machines Registry Provider

Posted on: Monday, 24 August 2009, 14:45 CDT

LONDON, Aug. 24 /PRNewswire/ -- Top Level Domain Holdings, Ltd. (AIM: TLDH.L) today announced that it has completed a merger with Minds + Machines, a leading registry services provider for web-based top-level domains. The merger follows TLDH's announcement that it raised 2.5M pounds (approximately US $4.1 million) in a private placement.

TLDH is the only public company focused exclusively on acquiring and operating the new top-level domains authorized by the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN), which has announced its intention to allow any qualified organization or business to create its own web address.

The merger with Minds + Machines moves forward the company's strategy of investing in new top-level domains and the infrastructure technology for operating them. TLDH now has roughly US$7 million on hand to invest in new top-level domains, and as a reserve fund for eventual auctions at ICANN in the event of contending applications. TLDH previously owned a significant minority share in Minds + Machines.

"Bringing Minds + Machines and TLDH under the same ownership makes total sense for our companies and for our shareholders," said Fred Krueger, Chairman of TLDH. "We were extremely pleased with our previous investment in Minds + Machines and we are delighted now to take the next step. With Minds + Machines backing our portfolio investments in new top-level domains with world-class registry services, we are extremely cost-efficient and scalable."

Antony Van Couvering, CEO of Minds + Machines, said: "This merger is a natural evolution. Minds + Machines and TLDH have grown up together, and joining up fully was the logical next step. With TLDH as our investment arm, and Minds + Machines providing the operational capabilities, we are extremely well positioned to participate in the new top-level domains."

TLDH is already a major investor in several high-profile new applications for web addresses, all of which will be contracting with Minds + Machines for registry services. They include:

• .ECO backed by former Vice President Al Gore and the Alliance for Climate Protection, which if approved will devote a majority of profits to fighting climate change. www.supportdoteco.com.
  

• .NYC backed by former Mayor Ed Koch, which if approved will return a substantial portion of profits to New York City. www.dotnyc.net.
  

The registry platform of Minds + Machines, Espresso, is in use by more than a dozen country-based top-level domains. In addition to new web addresses backed by TLDH, Minds + Machines is providing registry services to other applicants, including .ROMA and .RADIO.

The Minds + Machines management team previously launched or helped launch more than 20 top-level domains, with business models ranging from small communities to large commercial enterprises. In addition, they have owned and operated ICANN-accredited registrars, managed reseller channels, developed systems software for domain names and overseen global top-level domain roll-outs. In addition to its for-profit work, Minds + Machines provides funding for emerging countries to use the Internet more effectively through its Capacity Building + Grants program.

Full details of the merger and the private placement can be found on TLDH's web site at http://www.tldh.org.

ABOUT TLDH www.tldh.org

TLDH is a publicly-traded company listed under the ticker symbol TLDH.L on the London Stock Exchange's AIM Market. The London Stock Exchange's AIM market is available to U.S. investors through major brokerage houses such as E*Trade and Schwab.

ABOUT MINDS + MACHINES www.mindsandmachines.com

Minds + Machines works internationally with companies, cities, not-for-profits and entrepreneurs to secure and operate new web addresses, known as top-level domains (TLDs). Minds + Machines provides the comprehensive application preparation services necessary to acquire a new TLD, as well as a robust, scalable registry hardware and software platform used by over a dozen TLDs worldwide today. Minds + Machines is known for its customer-friendly approach that is specifically designed to make the process of acquiring and operating new TLDs more accessible, more reliable and less expensive.

SOURCE Minds + Machines

Source: PR Newswire

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