Applied Digital Solutions Receives 'Technology Pioneers' Award From the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.

Business Editors/High Tech Writers

PALM BEACH, Fla.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Feb. 1, 2000

Applied Digital Solutions, Inc. (NASDAQ: ADSX) Chairman and CEO, Richard J. Sullivan, has accepted a special &uot;Technology Pioneers&uot; award from the World Economic Forum (WEF) for the company's contributions to worldwide economic development and social progress through technology advancements.

The awards were presented at a special ceremony on January 31 at the WEF's Annual Meeting in Davos, Switzerland.

Identifying Applied Digital Solutions as one of the world's leading pioneering technology companies, the WEF recognized the company for its work in leveraging and advancing technology, thereby &uot;positively contributing to economic development and social progress.&uot;

Winners of the &uot;Technology Pioneers&uot; awards were selected according to two main criteria: rate of growth and &uot;innovative power.&uot; Rate of growth was based on a company's three-year revenue growth percentage. Determining a company's &uot;innovative power&uot; was based on considerable research and analysis by the WEF, Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu (one of the world's leading professional services firms) and industry experts. Technology Pioneers must develop technology or manufacture technology-related products and/or services, and have devoted considerable resources to technology-related research and development.

&uot;I am extremely honored to accept this award on behalf of the entire Applied Digital family,&uot; Sullivan said. &uot;This 'Technology Pioneers' award means a great deal to all of us, especially since it comes from such prestigious and well-respected organizations as the World Economic Forum and Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu. Technology can be a great force for social change and for improving the quality of life throughout the world. To be considered a leader in this field is a tremendous privilege,&uot; he continued.

The &uot;Technology Pioneers&uot; awards are a new addition to the WEF's Annual Meeting and were developed jointly by the WEF and Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu to recognize the fastest growing and most technologically innovative companies in the world.

This year's two-day Annual Meeting, held January 31 and February 1, was attended by more than 50 CEOs from the world's leading technology companies who met in a series of collaborative, informal meetings to discuss key success factors for becoming a technology pioneer, the common challenges they face, and the future direction of the industry and its likely impact on the global economy. Companies represented at the Meeting included Yahoo!; Sun Microsystems; Dell Computer Corporation; Novel; Priceline.com; Wipro Infotech; Red Hat Software; Africa Online; and Vivendi.

The &uot;Technology Pioneers&uot; awards are intended to help advance entrepreneurship in the global public interest and, according to the WEF, their objective is &uot;to ensure that the pressures and uncertainties associated with the new technology-driven global economy are properly addressed.&uot;

&uot;At a time of enormous technological change, it is important to bring together companies that are shaping our future,&uot; commented Professor Klaus Schwab, President and founder of the World Economic Forum. Schwab hosted the &uot;Technology Pioneers&uot; awards dinner in Davos.

&uot;These companies really will be the leaders of the future,&uot; added Thomas Doorley, III, Senior Partner at Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu, &uot;and understanding their success is critical. All present have some interesting stories to tell and valuable insights to share, and it is essential that the World Economic Forum is behind this important initiative.&uot;

About the World Economic Forum

The World Economic Forum ( http://www.weforum.com ) is an independent organization committed to improving the state of the world. It serves its members and society by creating the foremost global partnerships of business, political, intellectual and other leaders of society to define and discuss key issues on the global agenda. Incorporated since 1971 as a foundation, the WEF is independent, impartial and not-for-profit, tied to no political partisan or national interests.

About Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu

Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu ( http://www.deloitte.com ) is one of the world's leading professional services firms, delivering world-class assurance and advisory, tax, and consulting services. Its integrated teams of internationally experienced professionals are well versed in addressing today's challenges linked to globalization and e-commerce. Its mission is to help its clients and its people excel. Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu is a &uot;Knowledge Partner&uot; of the World Economic Forum.

About Applied Digital Solutions, Inc.

Applied Digital Solutions, Inc. is an e-business to business solutions provider offering Internet, telecom, LAN and software services to a wide variety of businesses throughout North America. For more information, visit the Company's web site at http://www.adsx.com .

Statements about the Company's future expectations, including future revenues and earnings, and all other statements in this press release other than historical facts are 'forward-looking statements' within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, and as that term is defined in the Private Litigation Reform Act of 1995. The Company intends that such forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties and are subject to change at any time, and the Company's actual results could differ materially from expected results. The Company undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking statements to reflect subsequently occurring events or circumstances.