Hamburg, Munich (October 18, 2007). Earlybird was announced winner of the Deutsche Unquote Private Equity Awards in the category “Venture Capital Exit of the Year” recognising venture capital firms that completed an exit in 2006 with clear leadership in this particular segment of the market. Earlybird was recognised for Interhyp AG.

The judging panel drawn from the industry comprised Maximilian Brönner (Partner, LGT Capital Partners), Nick Money-Kyrle (Managing Partner, Steadfast Capital), Paul de Ridder (Partner, Halder), Dirk Schekerka (Director, Barclays Private Equity), Peter Schwanitz (Managing Director, VCM Capital Management) and Emanuel Eftimiu (Editor, Deutsche unquote”).
Interhyp, founded together with Earlybird as seed-investor in 1999, launched in January 2000, is the leading internet- and telephone-based mortgage broker in Germany. Earlybird invested in the first institutional financing round in September 1999. In a second financing round in July 2000 Earlybird added 3i as an additional institutional investor. Earlybird further supported the company’s stock market flotation by selling 33% of its holding into the IPO in September 2005. Following the new issue, which was oversubscribed 30x, Earlybird held a 15% interest in Interhyp after the sale of a portion of its holdings which Earlybird gradually sold until the end of 2006.

Interhyp was the most successful IPO out of 22 IPO´s in 2005 in Germany with an 81% increase in share price since the IPO until year end 2005 according to Deutsche Börse and Ernst & Young. Interhyp returned more than 50x the original Earlybird investment.

Earlybird’s Partner and former chairman of the Supervisory Board of Interhyp, Dr. Christian Nagel commented on the outcome of the Annual Award: “We are happy about the international recognition of one of our exits. The Award demonstrates that it is possible to achieve a very good early stage venture capital performance in Europe with a systematic approach of identifying and developing companies, and the necessary staying power as a venture capitalist.”

About Earlybird:
Earlybird Venture Capital, established in 1997, is one of Europe´s leading technology investors. With approximately €370 million under management, Earlybird seeks to invest in European technology enabled high growth companies which are driven by outstanding management teams backed by international syndications to broaden the access to customer and capital markets. Earlybird invests primarily in early stage technology companies which have their origins in Europe with the current investment focus on software, semiconductor, communication, cleantech, medtech and biotech platform technologies.

The Earlybird team creates value by understanding their target investment sectors well and working closely with each management team. Earlybird strongly supports the development of each company by professionalizing and shaping management teams, providing strategic and product advice, creating international investor syndicates, effecting corporate introductions and being closely involved in achieving appropriate exits.

Six of Earlybird’s high-tech investee companies have floated on various European stock exchanges over the last two years: Interhyp, Tipp24 and Wilex (all Prime Standard, Frankfurt), Esmertec (Swiss Exchange, Zurich), Entelos (London Stock Exchange) and NoemaLife (Borsa Italiana, Milan). In addition, Earlybird supported element 5 in its acquisition by Digital River, Identify in its acquisition by BMC Software and Alantos in its sale to Amgen for $300m.

For further information, please contact:

Daniela von Wedel
vonwedel@earlybird.com
Van-der-Smissen-Str. 3
22767 Hamburg
Tel.: +49-40-4329 41-0
Fax: +49-40-4329 41-29

www.earlybird.com

    Earlybird Award Venture Exit 2007.pdf