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5
September 2001
SMARTNER INFORMATION SYSTEMS COMPLETES ITS SECOND ROUND OF FINANCING - First Joint Investment by EQVITEC and IT Provider into Scandinavian Mobile Market
HELSINKI, Finland and STOCKHOLM, Sweden - Three leading Nordic technology venture capital investors, EQVITEC Partners and Sitra from Finland and IT Provider from Sweden today announced a second round of finance into the Finnish mobile business software company Smartner Information Systems Ltd. The company was founded two years ago, and since that it has grown into a strong and committed team of 40 people. The four entrepreneurs who established Smartner continue as shareholders of the company.
Smartner Information Systems Ltd is specialized in wireless enterprise solutions, and its customers are operators and service providers. With the help of Smartner products, operators can quickly and efficiently offer their enterprise customers mobile services that enable the mobile use of enterprises’ existing email and calendar systems, different databases as well as other information systems.
“Smartner has several major mobile operators in the customer base and is now even more strongly backed by major VC’s. Most of our employees also have a stake in the company. This combination of prominent customers, strong financing, and a committed team makes us one of the strongest players in the mobile market today”, says Mr. Robert Rasmus, CEO of Smartner. “With the further support of our leading industrial partners like IBM and Nokia, we can offer very competitive products to the market.”
"Smartner is extremely well positioned into the market, and the management team has shown particular dedication in understanding the specific needs of mobile operators and their enterprise customers. There is an urgent need for new business applications to which Smartner is able to respond with its secure and easy-to-use products. The strong skill set in the company combined with the right time to market ensures an interesting value proposition to both investors and to future clients,” continues Mr. Jari Mieskonen, Chairman of the Board of Smartner and partner of EQVITEC.
For the Swedish venture capital company IT Provider Smartner is the first direct investment into Finland. “We have a strong belief in business applications of this type. Successful deliveries to operators with local service providers are a good foundation for the rapid internationalization of the company”, adds Ms. Åsa Sundberg from IT Provider. She speaks with over 15 years of experience in operator market from various management positions with Telia.
Further information:
- Smartner Information Systems: CEO Robert Rasmus
Email robert.rasmus@smartner.com
- EQVITEC Partners: partner Jari Mieskonen, Smartner Chairman of Board
Email jari.mieskonen@eqvitec.com
- IT Provider: partner Åsa Sundberg
Email asa.sundberg@itprovider.com
- Sitra: director Jukka Aaltonen
Email jukka.aaltonen@sitra.fi
EQVITEC Partners Oy is a leading Finnish venture capital firm focusing on technology investments. It has currently three funds under management with total volume of some 150 M€. EQVITEC invests primarily in the Nordic area, and supports companies as they enter the global marketplace. EQVITEC has made some 40 investments in the past three years, and has made several major exits through IPO and trade sale. www.eqvitec.com
IT Provider Adviser 1 AB is a leading Swedish venture capital advisory firm advising three different investment funds focusing on technology investments. IT Provider-related funds have made investments in over 70 technology companies over the past ten years, and has made more than 25 exits through IPOs and trade sale. www.itprovider.com
Sitra, Finnish National Fund for Research and Development, is a leading governmental fund dedicated to promising early stage technology investments. Sitra is a shareholder in about one hundred different technology enterprises. Sitra invests primarily in the Finnish start ups but also to international venture-capital funds concentrating on the high-tech field. www.sitra.fi
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