Ariba Kicks Off Premier Spend Management Event at ``LIVE 2004 Phoenix''; More Than 1,000 Attendees Gather for Premier Industry Event on Enterprise Spend Management.

Business Editors/High-Tech Writers

LIVE 2004 Phoenix

PHOENIX--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 3, 2004

Ariba(R), Inc. (Nasdaq:ARBA), the leading Enterprise Spend Management (ESM) solutions provider, today opened the doors to its sixth-annual conference featuring industry luminaries and thought leaders in procurement from around the world.

Attendance at this year's event has exceeded expectations, attracting an audience of more than one thousand industry professionals. Attendees will connect with industry leaders, hear companies showcase their world-class ESM strategies, and participate in educational panels and workshops.

Ariba President and CEO Bob Calderoni kicks off LIVE 2004 Phoenix, being held May 2-5 at the Arizona Biltmore Resort & Spa. Craig Federighi, chief technology officer; and Michael Schmitt, executive vice president and chief marketing officer, will also address the audience of international procurement and sourcing executives.

During LIVE 2004 attendees interact with leading companies to learn how Enterprise Spend Management is moving to the front lines of business and becoming a hallmark of today's most productive, cost-efficient organizations. The conference allows attendees to gain best-practice tips and strategies, as well as real-world ESM techniques.

Keynote presenters at LIVE 2004 Phoenix include:

-- Gary Crittenden, executive vice president and CFO, American

Express Company;

-- Jean A. Baderschneider, vice president, Procurement,

ExxonMobil Global Services Company;

-- Silla Maizey, procurement director, British Airways; and

-- Andy Kyte, vice president and Gartner Fellow, Gartner

Research.

LIVE 2004 Phoenix offers more than 50 breakout sessions led by industry analysts, business leaders, Spend Management companies, members of academia, neutral practitioners, and Ariba product marketing managers. In addition, its Partner Showcase and Supplier Pavilion features more than 40 vendors demonstrating innovative products and services that enhance and extend Ariba's core solutions.

The conference includes tracks sharing innovative Spend Management best practices from more than 40 Ariba customers such as the The Home Depot, Merrill Lynch, Saks, Inc., and Visa International.

More information about the conference is available at www.aribalive.com.

About Ariba, Inc.

Ariba, Inc. is the leading Enterprise Spend Management (ESM) solutions provider. Ariba helps companies develop and leverage spend management as a core competency to drive significant bottom line results. Ariba Spend Management software and services allow companies to align their organizations with a spend-centric focus and deploy closed-loop processes for increased efficiencies and sustainable savings. Ariba can be contacted in the U.S. at 650-390-1000 or at www.ariba.com.

Ariba and the Ariba logo are registered trademarks of Ariba, Inc. Ariba Spend Management, Ariba Analysis, Ariba Buyer, Ariba Category Management, Ariba Contracts, Ariba Travel & Expense, Ariba Workforce, Ariba Invoice, Ariba eForms, Ariba Enterprise Sourcing, Ariba Supplier Network, BPM Services, Power Sourcing, Total Spend Capture and PO-Flip are trademarks or service marks of Ariba, Inc. All other trademarks are property of their respective owners.

Ariba Safe Harbor 

Safe Harbor Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act 1995: Information and announcements in this release involve Ariba's expectations, beliefs, hopes, plans, intentions or strategies regarding the future and are forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. All forward-looking statements included in this release are based upon information available to Ariba as of the date of the release, and we assume no obligation to update any such forward-looking statements. These statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results could differ materially from our current expectations. Factors that could cause or contribute to Ariba's operating and financial results to differ materially from its current expectations include, but are not limited to: delays in development or shipment of new versions of Ariba's products and services; lack of market acceptance of Ariba's existing or future products or services; inability to continue to develop competitive new products and services on a timely basis; introduction of new products or services by major competitors; the ability to attract and retain qualified employees; difficulties in assimilating acquired companies; the impact of recent workforce reductions on Ariba's operations; lengthening sales cycles and the deferrals of anticipated orders; declining economic conditions, including a recession; inability to control costs; changes in the company's pricing or compensation policies; inability to successfully manage a reduction in the company's workforce; significant fluctuations in our stock price; the outcome of legal proceedings relating to the restatement of our financial statements; the possibility that stockholders or regulatory authorities may initiate additional proceedings against Ariba and/or our officers and directors as a result of the restatements; the impact of acquiring Alliente and entering into an agreement to acquire FreeMarkets, including the disruption or loss of customer, business partner, supplier or employee relationships; the level of costs and expenses incurred by Ariba as a result of such transactions; and the level of professional fees and expenses incurred by Ariba in connection with its previously disclosed accounting review and associated regulatory and litigation proceedings. Factors and risks associated with its business, including a number of the factors and risks described above, are discussed in Ariba's Form 10-K/A filed January 28, 2004 and in its Form S-4/A filed April 2, 2004.