The News

Infraworlds receives €3.55 million

26/07/2005

Paris, July 26th 2005 – After a €3.5 million financing round in March, InfraWorlds continues to forge ahead and announces a new round of €3,55 million led by SOFINNOVA PARTNERS.

Thanks to this new capital, the company specialized in mobile phone entertainment pursues its development by taking up a strategy of external growth. In fact, after acquiring French videogames publisher Pastagames last April, InfraWorlds has begun a new development stage with the acquisition of American companies specialized in gaming and lifestyle applications.

From this perspective the American capital risk company Cross Atlantic Ventures (CAV), represented by Dan Newman, joins the investors’ pool banking on InfraWorlds’ technological know-how and publishing experience as well as its ability to distinguish itself in the strongly expanding market of mobile phone entertainment.

Sofinnova Partners remains InfraWorlds’ prime investor.

“InfraWorlds follows a differentiation strategy in a booming market. The new funds and acquisitions allow us to position ourselves in the market in a unique way” emphasizes Alain Staron, President of the InfraWorlds Board of Directors. “We are also very happy to include CAV among our investors at a time in which our ambition was to enter the American market”. “We have decided to push InfraWorlds’ growth by providing the company with the necessary means to carry out a true acquisition strategy. The fact American investors have invested in the company allows us to develop in the US market while at the same time minimizing risks”, indicates Jean Schmitt, Associated Partner of Sofinnova Partners.

“Cross Atlantic Ventures has invested in InfraWorlds because we believe their management team has well positioned the company to become a global player. The combination of studio development capabilities, distribution channels, partners and global coverage positions the company in a leadership role in the mobile gaming sector.” says Dan Newman.

About Sofinnova Partners :
Founded in Paris in 1972, Sofinnova Partners is one of Europe's leading independent venture capital firms. With €900 million under management, Sofinnova Partners invests in start-ups and early-stage companies in information technology and life sciences. Its investment strategy consists of investing early in teams and projects with high potential, most often acting as lead or co-lead investor. Sofinnova Partners also benefits from a long-established relationship with its sister company in San Francisco, Sofinnova Ventures. Sofinnova Partners’ teams consist of 12 professionals who bring market insight and technical expertise to portfolio companies.

About InfraWorlds :
Established in 2000, InfraWorlds is an international game developer and publisher specialized in embedded Java technologies, wireless games and entertainment applications for the mass market. InfraWorlds’s solid expertise in new gaming technologies, coupled with unrivaled graphic creativity, has earned the company a solid reputation among the main players in this booming sector such as Nokia, TCL & Alcatel mobile phone, Sony Ericsson, Sagem, Motorola. Mixing creativity, innovation and simplicity, InfraWorlds truly extends the wireless entertainment market with a diversified portfolio of applications for handset manufacturers and mobile operators. InfraWorlds proposes new “way of having fun” for both men and women and contributes to the mass adoption of Mobile Games and fun applications.

Contacts media :

InfraWorlds :
Valérie GILLES-ALEXIA
tél. : + 33 1 70 08 69 50
+33 6 79 3 45 88
vgilles@infraworlds.com

Sofinnova Partners :
Madeleine RESENER
tél. : +33 6 20 41 39 82
mresener@sofinnova.fr