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Gómez, WebPerform Shareholders Invest $5.0 Million In Combined Entity

 

Waltham, MA, March 7, 2003 -- Gómez, Inc., the leading provider of Internet application performance measurement solutions, has acquired WebPerform Ltd, a privately held UK-based company. WebPerform provides technology and services that trace, measure and correlate online customers' behavior with Internet sites' operational and technical performance metrics.

From this acquisition, Gómez, which operates a proprietary global Internet performance measurement network, emerges as the only vendor that can monitor and benchmark all variables that influence online customer behavior, such as application response time, online transaction workflow complexity, Web site design, and network latency. The acquisition also adds substantial presence in the UK market, where WebPerform has established channel partners and blue chip clients in the financial services and retail sectors.

"The two companies could not be more complementary and synergistic. The integration of WebPerform into Gómez addresses a gap existing in the performance management space," noted Alex Stein, Gómez's Chief Executive Officer. "By combining our technologies and consulting capabilities, we can now show clients the most comprehensive picture of the relationship between Web site performance and the experience and behavior of their online customers worldwide."

As a result of the transaction, WebPerform's main shareholders, Doughty Hanson Technology Ventures, the venture capital fund of Doughty Hanson & Co, one of Europe's largest independent private equity companies, and DB Capital Venture Partners, the venture capital arm of Deutsche Bank, join Dolphin Equity Partners of New York as major investors in Gómez. This investment group, which includes Harbinger/Aurora Funds of Research Triangle Park, NC, provided Gómez with $5.0 million additional funding to support international expansion and the company's next generation product development plan.

"Our continuing investment in Gómez reflects our belief that it is the only company that can serve organizations' wide ranging and growing needs for continuous Internet channel improvement products and services," said Todd Marcy, a senior associate at Dolphin Equity Partners. "This investment ensures that Gómez can take advantage of available opportunities in its next phase of growth."

"Gómez's network infrastructure and management experience provide a solid platform for the present and future leadership of the company," said Ivan Farneti, a principal with Doughty Hanson in London. "The additional proprietary technology and geographical presence of WebPerform make the larger Gómez a very attractive investment."

Pierre Suhrcke, Managing Director of DB Capital Venture Partners in London added: "This merger represents a perfect marriage, based on a broad product offering, leading technology, cross-Atlantic coverage and an excellent management team, and creates a leading player in the Internet application performance measurement market."

Both Messrs Farneti and Suhrcke have joined Gómez's Board of Directors.

 

About Gómez

Gómez serves companies that strategically depend on the effectiveness of their Internet channel to increase revenues and decrease expenses and provides the industry's only comprehensive set of integrated solutions that help firms maximize the performance, functionality, and usability of their Internet channel.

The Gómez measurement infrastructure monitors page and transactional responsiveness, availability and success rates from a network of over 10,000 nodes located in every state in the U.S. as well as in 65 countries worldwide. Uniquely, Gómez provides real-time performance alerting and reporting covering the data center to the desktop, and profiles end-user connection rates, locations and ISP networks.

Gómez, Gómez.com, GómezPro, Gómez Scorecards, Gómez Performance Network and Internet Quality Measurement are trademarks and/or service marks of Gómez, Inc. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

 

About DB Capital Venture Partners

DB Capital Venture Partners is the venture capital arm of Deutsche Bank AG. Drawing upon the substantial resources of Deutsche Bank, DB Capital Venture Partners invests in emerging growth companies that are focused on providing information technology solutions and services to address the needs of large potential markets.

 

About Dolphin Equity Partners

Dolphin Equity Partners specializes in investments in private communications companies operating in the U.S. and abroad. Located in New York, Dolphin currently manages over $340 million in capital. Dolphin seeks to obtain significant equity positions in early and expansion stage companies with the potential for substantial growth in new or emerging communications technologies, software and services. Since 1998, Dolphin has been shaping the future of communications through highly selective investing, and through the strategic direction they provide to the management of their portfolio companies.

 

About Doughty Hanson & Co

Doughty Hanson & Co is one of Europe's largest independent private equity fund managers, with funds focused on private equity, European real estate and technology ventures. Headquartered in London, the firm has offices throughout Europe as well as in the United States. Doughty Hanson Technology Ventures provides early-stage venture capital financing to technology companies throughout Europe, focusing on software, communications technologies, and semiconductors.

 

About Harbinger/Aurora Ventures, LLC

Harbinger/Aurora Ventures is a venture capital fund that invests in early-stage life science and information technology companies based primarily in the Southeastern and Mid-Atlantic United States. Harbinger/Aurora is co-managed by The Aurora Funds, Inc., based in the Research Triangle Park, NC, and Harbert Management Corp., based in Birmingham, AL. The Aurora Funds is a management company that oversees a family of four early stage venture capital funds with over $120 million under management. Harbert Management Corp. is an investment management firm with a diversified portfolio of assets under management, including venture capital.

 

For more information contact Alan Alper, Marketing Communications Director, at (781) 768-2147 or aalper@gomez.com.

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