ADVISORY/NightFire Supports EastBayTech.net as Founding Member of Mentor Program for Early-Stage Start-Ups.

News/Assignment Editors and High-Tech Writers

ADVISORY...for Tuesday (April 11)

--(BUSINESS WIRE)

Members of the media are invited to attend the next meeting of EastBayTech.net on Tuesday, April 11, which will be inaugurated by the Oakland Chamber of Commerce and Oakland City officials. The new mentor program was founded by three Oakland-based companies -- NightFire(TM) Software, Inc., Versata(TM), Inc., and Xpede(TM), Inc. -- to provide direction and guidance to early-stage start-ups. Specifically, it creates a mechanism for larger, established companies to counsel their early-stage start-up partners to secure funding and employees, structure their benefits and options programs, and offer counsel and advice on various operational aspects of growing a business in the East Bay. NightFire and other founding mentor program members will select an early-stage start-up from companies that submit applications to the EastBayTech.net web site. The mentor program announcement will be made at the EastBayTech.net event as follows:

When:  Tues., April 11, 2000 from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.

Where: 1999 Harrison Street, 27th floor in the Crosby, Heafey, Roach,
       and May offices in Oakland, Calif.

What:  "Capital: Putting Your Best Foot Forward," featuring Silicon
       Valley venture capitalists who will share their insights on how
       to secure funding for emerging high-tech businesses.

The event features well-known venture capitalists: Kimball Atwood of Artemis Ventures; Adam Cohen of Angels Forum & Halo Ventures; Chris Noble of Bay Partners; Stewart Schuster formerly of Brentwood Ventures and an angel venture capitalist; and Roger Strauch of The Roda Group. The EastBaytech.net organization provides the area's first complete resource for community and business information, acts as ambassadors for prospective businesses, advocates on behalf of the technology community, and promotes advantages of the East Bay's location to the general public. The event is expected to draw 70 early-stage start-up companies.

It is a project of the Oakland Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce. Further details on the mentor program, becoming a mentor company, and applying for a mentor are provided at www.eastbaytech.net. For more information, contact Oakland Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce, Stacia Hill Levenfeld at 510/874-4815 or [e-mail].

About NightFire

NightFire is igniting the bandwidth explosion by providing unique e-infrastructure solutions that streamline the ordering and deployment of broadband services. NightFire's ZeroTouch approach automates the entire service management process -- from selection to fulfillment. Using NightFire solutions, communications service providers can for the first time bring broadband services such as DSL to customers in new territories in less than 60 days, and expand to deliver nationwide coverage in a matter of weeks.

NightFire Software, Inc. is a privately-funded company headquartered at 918 Parker Street, Suite A14, Berkeley, CA 94710. Primary investors include U.S. Venture Partners, Sequoia Capital, The Roda Group, and New Enterprise Associates. For more information, contact NightFire at telephone [phone], fax [phone], [e-mail], or www.nightfire.com.