DEWB with new major shareholder

Jena, 16 October 2008 – Erster Privater Investmentclub Börsebius Zentral GbR (Börsebius Zentral) is the new major shareholder in Deutsche Effecten- und Wechsel- Beteiligungsgesellschaft AG (DEWB) of Jena. The Cologne firm announced at the end of September that it had bought an equity stake of 21.2 percent. The passing of a number of statutory voting rights disclosure thresholds resulted from the consolidation of various legally independent regional investment clubs which already had shareholdings in DEWB.

“The DEWB and its portfolio companies made a thoroughly convincing case to us. For two portfolio companies in particular − KSW Microtec AG and NOXXON Pharma AG − we see considerable growth potential, which is not reflected in DEWBs current stock-market valuation,” says Reinhold Rombach, Managing Director of Börsebius Zentral, commenting on this commitment to DEWB. “As long-term investors, we have an investment horizon of eight years and more. We expect DEWB to perform better over this period than the market. The management board enjoys our complete confidence that it will continue successfully in carrying out the growth strategy which it has already launched,” Rombach continues.

“Following the withdrawal of our former major shareholder Jenoptik AG over the last few years, we are pleased to have found a new long-term anchor investor. Given the current mood on the stock exchange, this is a very positive signal to the capital markets,” explains Bertram Köhler, a member of the DEWB management board. “The considerable drop in the price of our shares over the last few days does not reflect the good trend in operating performance seen at DEWB. Thus the current share price is seen by investors as an attractive opportunity to come on board.”

It was only a few days ago that the Swiss investor Bluehill ID AG of St. Gallen announced that, following intensive negotiations and visits to portfolio companies, it had increased its share in DEWB to over 5 percent.

About DEWB
Deutsche Effecten- und Wechsel- Beteiligungsgesellschaft AG (DEWB AG, Prime Standard, Securities No.: 804100 / ISIN: DE0008041005) is an investment company that specialises in young and established medium-sized companies. The focus of our investments is on strong growth companies from the areas of photonics and sensor systems for which we provide support through shareholders' equity, expertise in corporate development and our sector network. Our regional focus lies in the German speaking countries (D, A, CH). Since 1997 we have invested more than 350 million Euros in 55 companies and realized more than 420 million Euros through 35 exits, eight of which were in the form of IPOs. The company is located in Jena, one of the most successful technology and science regions in Germany, with a long tradition in the field of optical technologies and one of the most important European centres for photonics.

About Erster Privater Investmentclub Börsebius Zentral GbR
Börsebius Zentral, founded in January 2008, is an investment club devoted to long-term securities savings on the part of its shareholders. Börsebius Zentral pursues a conservative investment strategy. The club currently manages assets of more than 100 million Euros and numbers several hundred members. The managing director is Reinhold Rombach. Hailing from Cologne, the asset manager, securities analyst and business journalist has long experience of the stock market and is licensed by the German Financial Services Authority (BaFin) as a financial-portfolio manager. www.wissen-von-morgen.de

Marco Scheidler
DEWB AG
Leutragraben 1
Germany, 07743 Jena
Tel: +49 (0) 3641 573 3600
Fax: +49 (0) 3641 573 3610
E-Mail: ir@dewb-vc.com
www.dewb-vc.com

This release was published on openPR.