Empresas y finanzas

PICSEL Technologies Raises $46.5 Million in Private Placement



    3GSM World Congress 2007

    Picsel Group Limited ("Picsel"), the UK based mobile content platform provider, today announced that a group led by Capital International Private Equity Fund IV ("CIPEF") has acquired $46.5 million of equity share capital in Picsel. Doll Capital, NIF, SMBC Ventures Co., Ltd. and SBI
    Investment Co., Ltd. also participated in the funding round. In addition, Picsel received an investment from DoCoMo.com, Inc., a subsidiary wholly owned by NTT DoCoMo, Inc. This funding will help Picsel launch their next phase of growth in order to further its goal to become the global standard for the delivery of mobile content.

    Morgan Stanley & Co. International Limited and Daiwa Securities SMBC Europe Limited advised Picsel on this transaction and continue to work with Picsel as its financial advisors.

    The majority of the new funding will be used to help finance Picsel's global expansion, invest in new strategic initiatives and reduce the balance of financial obligations. This will enable Picsel
    to deliver on and extend its commercial agreements globally with leading OEMs, Network Operators and Content Providers.

    With the additional funds Picsel aims to accelerate its presence in adjacent areas of the mobile content ecosystem.

    Imran Khand, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Picsel, said:
    "We are extremely proud to have expanded our existing high-caliber investor base by attracting this additional investment from key industry leaders. Picsel has a broad bench of world leading
    institutions that appreciate the revenue value we represent to the mobile ecosystem. As we continue to scale our operations, the new funding will allow us to continue to grow at an accelerated pace while leaving scope to address long-term R&D initiatives which will further increase our technology lead."

    William Bannister-Parker, Partner, CIPEF, said:

    "With Picsel's technology shipping on more than 70 million devices worldwide, Picsel represents a unique opportunity for CIPEF to tap the mobile market. We believe Picsel represents enormous revenue potential for handset providers, carriers and content developers as they continue to roll out new mobile applications and services."

    Yuka Harada, Representative Director and President, DoCoMo.com, Inc. said:

    "We are confident that Picsel's technology will become a key element in the future mobile application market. We shall continue cooperating with Picsel and look forward to supporting the dynamic growth of its technology while participating in the expansion of its business."

    About Picsel Technolgies

    Picsel Technologies brings mobile content to life. Key stakeholders across the mobile ecosystem - including service providers, handset manufacturers and content developers - rely on Picsel's dynamic software platform to deliver vibrant, visual mobile content experiences that actively enrich how people express themselves and share information. Picsel's technology is shipping on more than 70 million devices worldwide and has more than 200 employees based in its European, Asian and U.S. offices. Customers include Palm, Motorola, Samsung, Sharp, NTT DoCoMo, Panasonic and Nokia.

    For more information visit www.picsel.com.

    About Morgan Stanley & Daiwa Securities SMBC Europe

    Morgan Stanley & Co. International Limited and Daiwa Securities SMBC Europe Limited are advising Picsel and no-one else and will not be responsible to anyone other than Picsel or for providing advice in relation to any transaction or arrangement referred to in this announcement. Neither Morgan Stanley & Co. International Limited nor Daiwa Securities SMBC Europe Limited will be offering advice nor will either of them be responsible for providing the protections afforded
    to clients of Morgan Stanley & Co. International Limited or Daiwa Securities SMBC Europe Limited to any person on the content of this announcement or on any transaction or arrangement referred to in this announcement.

    About CIPEF

    Capital International Private Equity Fund IV (CIPEF) has total capital commitments of $618M. Since 1992, Capital International, Inc. has managed four emerging markets private equity funds with aggregate capital commitments over $1.4 billion. Capital International Inc. is the manager to CIPEF and is one of the institutional investment management companies of The Capital Group Companies.

    This announcement does not constitute or form part of any offer to sell or the solicitation to purchase or subscribe for securities in Picsel Technologies.

    The distribution of this announcement in certain jurisdictions may be restricted by law and, accordingly, recipients of this announcement represent that they are able to receive this without contravention of any unfulfilled registration requirements or other legal restrictions
    in the jurisdiction in which they reside or conduct business.

    The securities mentioned herein have not been and will not be, registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933 (the "Securities Act") or the applicable securities laws of Canada or
    Australia.

    The securities of Picsel Technologies may not be offered or sold in the United States and in Japan or to or for the benefit of any resident in Japan, unless they are registered or exempt from the
    registration requirements of the Securities Act in the United States and the Securities and Exchange Law of Japan and the regulations thereunder, respectively. There will be no public offering of the securities of Picsel Technologies in the United States and Japan.