ALIS Corporation Acquired by Carl Zeiss SMT; Venture Funded Nanotechnology Start-Up Exits.

PEABODY, Mass. -- ALIS Corporation, a nanotechnology start-up developing scanning ion microscopes and imaging systems, today announced it has been acquired by Carl Zeiss' Nano Technology Systems Division (NTS).

The 36 scientists and engineers currently employed by ALIS Corporation will stay with the company, now a wholly owned subsidiary of Carl Zeiss SMT. ALIS' core technology and research efforts will remain in Peabody, Massachusetts. Future plans include an increase in staff to bring ALIS' helium ion microscopes to market. Bill Ward will remain Chief Technology Officer, and ALIS co-founder, Nick Economou, will continue serving as the company's Chief Executive Officer.

"I spent two years looking for the right venture capital team to fund and help guide the company and it was worth every day," said Bill Ward co-founder and inventor of the ALIS technology. "Our investors were key to the early and successful acquisition."

Founded in 2005 and financed by Kodiak Venture Partners, Arch Ventures and Intel Capital, ALIS Corporation created a helium ion technology that enables scientists to see at the atomic level with resolution and material contrast never before observed in the scientific world. This acquisition will accelerate the market availability of ALIS' helium ion technology, thereby propelling major advancements in scientific discovery and innovation. For example, ALIS' technology will enable the production of faster and more powerful semiconductors, and reduce the time-to-market of complex pharmaceuticals.

"ALIS Corporation had the perfect combination of entrepreneurial experience, technical expertise and market opportunity so we knew right away it would a winning investment," said Dave Furneaux, Managing General Partner, Kodiak Venture Partners. "The investors and management teamed up to steer the company and bring this acquisition to fruition."

About ALIS Corporation

ALIS Corporation is a provider of next-generation, atomic-level microscopes for the global semiconductor, life sciences and materials sciences industries. ALIS Corporation's disruptive breakthrough in helium ion technology has enabled the company to develop a revolutionary scanning ion microscope and imaging system that allows scientists to see at the atomic level with resolution and material contrast never before seen. The company is headquartered in Peabody, Massachusetts. Additional information about ALIS Corporation and its unique helium ion technology is available on the company's website at www.aliscorporation.com.