Message #81 From:
NewsBot Date: December 7, 2006 05:30:00 AM
NEOM News NeoMedia Sells Mobot and Retains Minority Stake
FORT MYERS, Fla.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Moving tofulfill its planned consolidation of its mobile
marketing strategy,NeoMedia Technologies, Inc. (OTC BB: NEOM),
today announced the sale of its Lexington, Massachusetts-based Mobot
subsidiary to its founders, while retaining a minority ownership in the
company.
NeoMedia President and CEO Charles T. Jensen said, “This
step moves NeoMedia closer to fulfilling its goal of being able to
target all corporate resources on the continued enhancement and ongoing
marketing and launch of our patented qode suite of productsin
Europe, North America and China. As with the planned sale of our micro
paint repair business unit, and the sale of a U.K. subsidiary last
month, we have, as promised to our shareholders, continued to focus on qode
while cutting back our burn rate and reversing substantial dilution.”
Under the terms of the agreement, NeoMedia returned 82% of its ownership
interest in Mobot, which was acquired in February of this year, while
retaining 18% ownership in the company. In addition, all obligations
under the original merger agreement, including the purchase price
guarantee obligation, were terminated. Based on NeoMedia’s
current share price, this obligation would have been in excess of $5
million. At closing, NeoMedia contributed $67,000 in cash to Mobot, and
also entered into a promissory note for an additional $200,000 payable
to Mobot by December 31, 2006 or earlier on the completion of the sale
of NeoMedia’s Micro Paint Repair business.
NeoMedia received 16,931 “preference shares”
in Mobot, which can be redeemed to reclaim the 16,931,493 original
consideration shares issued by NeoMedia in its acquisition of Mobot.
Each preference share can be redeemed for 1,000 shares of the NeoMedia
common stock within 15 months of the closing of this transaction. After
15 months, the preference shares can be redeemed upon a liquidation
event of Mobot for either 1,000 shares of NeoMedia common stock each, or
for the then-current cash equivalent of the shares.
NeoMedia also received a limited exclusive license to access Mobot
services for integration with barcode-related applications.
“As a nearly one-fifth owner -- and as a
licensee of Mobot services as they relate to barcode applications --
NeoMedia believes in Mobot’s technology and
management team,” Mr. Jensen said.
“Moving forward, NeoMedia will continue to
concentrate on developing and marketing its expertise on next-generation
mobile applications and opportunities, especially for our qode direct-to-mobile-web
cell phone technology,” Mr. Jensen said.
NeoMedia’s patented qode (www.qode.com)
suite is an easy-to-use set of applications -- qode®reader
and qode®window -- which provide One
Click to Content™ connectivity for products,
print, packaging and other physical objects to link directly to specific
desired content on the Mobile Internet. qode®reader
works with camera phones, letting users “click”
on two-dimensional “smart codes”
to access the Mobile Web site to which the code is linked, while qode®window
lets users reach the same destination by entering a key word, slogan, or
product barcode number.
NeoMedia Technologies, Inc. (www.neom.com),
is a diversified global company offering leading edge, technologically
advanced products and solutions for companies and consumers, built upon
its solid family of patented products and processes, and management
experience and expertise. Its NeoMedia Mobile group of companies offers
end-to-end mobile enterprise and mobile marketing solutions through its
flagship qode direct-to-mobile-web technology and ground-breaking
products and services from four of the leading mobile marketing
providers in the U.S. and Europe. By linking consumers and companies to
the interactive electronic world, NeoMedia delivers one-to-one,
permission-based, personalized and profiled dialogue -- anytime and
anywhere.
This press release contains forward-looking statements within the
meaning of section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of
the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. With the exception of historical
information contained herein, the matters discussed in this press
release involve risk and uncertainties. Actual results could differ
materially from those expressed in any forward-looking statement.
qode is a registered trademark, and qode®reader,
qode®window and One Click to Content are
trademarks of NeoMedia Technologies, Inc.Other trademarks are
properties of their respective owners.