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Aligo Secures $10.5 Million in Funding to Solidify Leadership Position in Mobile Software

Posted on: Tuesday, 20 January 2004, 06:00 CST

SAN FRANCISCO, Jan. 20 /PRNewswire/ -- Aligo, a global leader in mobile software solutions, today announced it has completed a $10.5 million round of Series C expansion financing. The over-subscribed round of funding was led by existing investors Thomas Weisel Venture Partners and RBC Capital Partners. Also participating in this round of funding was Dolphin Equity Partners, a New York-based venture capital firm focused on communications technology investments and Motorola, Inc.'s strategic investment arm, Motorola Ventures. Aligo's compelling and unique vision, strong product and technology, expanded management team and demonstrated ability to execute secured the investment.

Aligo will use the funds to continue its aggressive growth of successful customer and partner acquisitions and OEM agreements, enhance and strengthen its products as well as launch new products to meet growing demand for innovative mobility solutions. Aligo also plans to accelerate its strategy for additional growth in the Asia-Pacific and European markets.

"After reviewing the mobile software category and looking at the various solutions in the marketplace, we are truly excited about the partnership we now have with Aligo in this rapidly growing market," said Dennis O'Connell, managing partner of Dolphin Equity Partners. "The company has a demonstrated next-generation solution that is scalable and differentiated with a solid ROI, and with the recent addition of senior executives focused on revenue, we are extremely optimistic about Aligo's continued leadership in the mobile software space."

This most recent round of funding follows on the heels of the company's impressive growth and execution of key milestones in providing mobile software solutions to global enterprises. During 2003, Aligo aggressively sought and acquired more than 20 new customers, including industry-leading giants such as Safeway, ChoicePoint, Remedy Intelligent Staffing and Inter-Tel. New Fortune 1000 customers in Japan include Fuji Xerox and NTT Data. Aligo also added three new distributors in Japan: NTI, Kanematsu Communications and IBM subsidiary GBS. In Europe, Aligo established a partnership with systems integrator Global Extend to complement its relationship with Morse PLC.

Aligo also introduced the Omni Mobile Platform, its latest mobile application platform featuring market-leading technology that allows developers to rapidly create and deploy mobile applications, providing support for the .NET and Java development platforms. "Extending enterprise applications to mobile devices will increase corporate productivity and efficiency in 2004 and beyond," said Warren Holtsberg, corporate vice president and director of equity investing for Motorola. "Aligo's ability to rapidly deploy mobile applications from both Java and .NET sources provides enhanced flexibility for Motorola's businesses."

Aligo's goal in 2004 is to solidify an already commanding lead in the mobile software category. "Based on its ability to execute on its business model, we think Aligo remains a strong force in the mobile applications market," commented Eugene Signorini, senior wireless analyst with The Yankee Group.

"The past few years validated our product and execution capabilities, and we are now very focused on actively pursuing the huge market opportunity ahead," said Robert Smith, president and chief executive officer of Aligo. "We have a very real opportunity to be the standard framework for mobile applications for any large enterprise that aims to maximize and extend its existing application infrastructure or deliver leading edge mobile software solutions."

About Aligo Inc.

Aligo Inc., a global leader in mobile software solutions, brings the power of mobility to any enterprise application, maximizing and extending the existing business infrastructure while cutting costs, optimizing efficiencies and increasing overall profitability. Aligo's solution suite based on the award-winning Omni Mobile Platform empowers executives, sales teams and field force workers for Global 2000 companies with timely, reliable, secure data and integrated transaction capabilities needed to take productivity to new heights. Worldwide customers for Omni Mobile Platform for legacy applications, Mobile Access for groupware, Mobile Sales for SFA and WorkTrack for the field force include Sun Microsystems, Safeway, City of Nagahama, Indiana University, ChoicePoint, Remedy Intelligent Staffing, Thomas Weisel Merchant Banking, and Inter-Tel. The company is privately held, with corporate headquarters in San Francisco, and regional offices in Tokyo, Denver, Chicago, and Phoenix. For more information, please visit http://www.aligo.com/.

About Thomas Weisel Venture Partners L.P.

Thomas Weisel Venture Partners L.P. (TWVP) is a $255-million early-stage venture capital fund that is focused on investing in emerging information technology companies. The fund, which closed in March 2001, is managed by general partners David Crowder, Mike Levinthal and Andy Sessions and is supported by a team of investment professionals and entrepreneurs-in-residence (EIRs). TWVP was formed by and is affiliated with Thomas Weisel Partners ("TWP"), a merchant bank focused on providing investment banking, institutional brokerage, private equity and investment management services to its clients. For more information, please visit http://www.twvp.com/.

About RBC Capital Partners

RBC Capital Partners is the private equity investment arm of RBC Financial Group. RBC Capital Partners is the brand name for private equity and debt management services provided by RBC Capital Markets to institutional and high net worth clients globally. Focus areas range from venture capital to investment grade and non-investment grade debt to fund-of-funds. RBC Capital partners works closely with RBC Capital Markets, the investment banking arm of RBC Financial Group. The firm manages over US$800 million of capital across North America. RBC Capital Partners have five primary portfolio focus areas: Technology, Life Sciences, Energy, Telecommunications, and Mezzanine Debt. For more information, please visit http://www.rbcap.com/.

About Dolphin Equity Partners

Dolphin was formed in 1998 to capitalize on the rapid evolution of the communications industry and currently manages over $340 million in capital. Its founding principals, investing in communications industries since 1988, have assembled an exceptional investment team with a unique combination of financial, operational and technological expertise. For more information, please visit http://www.dolphinequity.com/.

About Motorola

Motorola is a global leader in wireless, automotive and broadband communications. Sales in 2002 were $27.3 billion. Motorola is a global corporate citizen dedicated to ethical business practices and pioneering important technologies that make things smarter and life better, honored traditions that began when the company was founded 75 years ago. For more information, please visit http://www.motorola.com/.

Motorola Ventures (MV) is the global, strategic venture capital investment arm of Motorola, Inc. MV invests at all stages in developing companies of strategic value to Motorola in order to accelerate access to new technologies, new markets and new talent. For more information, visit http://www.motorola.com/ventures.

Aligo Inc.

CONTACT: Denise Nelson of Trainer Communications, +1-925-837-6277, oral@trainercomm.com, for Aligo Inc.

Web site: http://www.motorola.com/

Web site: http://www.dolphinequity.com/

Web site: http://www.rbc/ Capital Partners

Web site: http://www.twvp.com/

Web site: http://www.aligo.com/

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