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January 17, 2002 — (WEB HOST INDUSTRY REVIEW) — Sphera Corporation (sphera.com), a developer of Web hosting
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automation and management software, announced today that it has raised an
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additional $5 million in the subsequent closing of its second round
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financing.
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This investment from Vision Capital and Bank of America Equity Partners
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brings the total raised in Sphera’s second round to $20 million, with the
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initial $15 million led by TLcom Capital Partners and Jerusalem Venture
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Partners with participation from Gemini Israel Funds.
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Hostingdirector, Sphera’s flagship product, automates Web hosting management
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for ISPs, IDCs and Web hosting providers. By automating Web hosting
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functions, Hostingdirector streamlines operations and reduces costs and
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enables end-customers to self-provision a range of Web, database and
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e-commerce applications.
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“Sphera’s technology addresses the growing need of the Web hosting industry
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for an automation platform that provides for both operational efficiency and
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increased revenue opportunities,” said Sven Lingjaerde, general partner,
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Vision Capital. “We believe in this market and in the way Sphera’s
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technology is positioned as the segment leader.” Lingjaerde will join
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Sphera’s board of directors.
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“Closing this additional $5 million given present capital market conditions
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from such leading American financial institutions as Vision Capital and Bank
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of America Equity Partners is a vote of confidence for Sphera’s Web hosting
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automation and management solution,” said Tamar Naor, Sphera’s CEO. “This
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funding, coupled with key account wins and strategic partnerships mark a
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strong start for Sphera in 2002.”
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Sphera recently announced strategic partnerships with IBM, to market
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Hostingdirector as part of IBM’s Blue Velocity program and with Microsoft in
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the co-development of Hostingdirector’s Windows 2000 version with the
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Microsoft Technology Center. Numerous hosting providers have joined Sphera’s
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client list including ISE and Interdominios in Europe, Jumpline and Via
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Networks in the US and IIJ in Japan.
About theWHIR.com
Since 2000, The Web Host Industry Review has made a name for itself as the foremost authority of the Web hosting industry providing reliable, insightful and comprehensive news, interviews and resources to the hosting community. TheWHIR is an iNET Interactive property. For more information on iNET Interactive, visit http://www.inetinteractive.com
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