AuthenTec Named World's Most Respected Private Company by Fabless Semiconductor Association; Company honored for superior product, vision, strategy and future opportunities.

SAN JOSE, Calif. & MELBOURNE, Fla. -- AuthenTec, the leader in fingerprint sensor security, innovation and sales for more than five years, has been named the world's Most Respected Private Company by the Fabless Semiconductor Association (FSA).

AuthenTec co-founder, president and CEO Scott Moody received the prestigious honor at the 2005 FSA Awards Dinner Celebration, which was held in Santa Clara, California. AuthenTec was selected from among more than 1,000 other companies in 21 countries around the world for the award. The company was chosen by members of the fabless community, semiconductor financial and industry analysts and suppliers, who were asked to select one private company that they most respect in terms of product, vision, strategy and future opportunities.

"AuthenTec is an innovator in sensor technology, and we congratulate the company on being selected by the industry for the Most Respected Private Fabless Company Award," said Jodi Shelton, co-founder and executive director of FSA. "We commend AuthenTec, an FSA member since 2000, on its success and technology advancements."

"Everyone at AuthenTec is extremely honored to be recognized by our semiconductor peers from around the world," Mr. Moody said. "The FSA award is a tribute to our dedicated team of players (employees), investors and manufacturing partners, including TSMC, Chipbond, and Signetics."

The FSA award is AuthenTec's second major industry honor in the past few months. The company recently was named the biometric fingerprint sensor market leader for the third time in a row by industry analyst firm Frost & Sullivan.

With more than 6 million sensors in use worldwide, AuthenTec is the recognized number one supplier worldwide - shipping nearly two thirds of all sensors sold in the PC, wireless and access control markets during the past five years. The company's sensors are used in more than 100 different notebook and tablet computers, portable hard drives, mice, keyboards, memory keys, cell phones and other devices. Mainstream manufacturers with AuthenTec sensors in their products include HP, Fujitsu Computer, Toshiba, Samsung, NEC Packard Bell, APC, LG and many others.

About FSA

FSA is the voice of the global fabless business model. Incorporated in 1994, FSA positively impacts the growth and return on invested capital of this business model to enhance the environment for innovation. It provides a platform for meaningful global collaboration between fabless companies and their partners; identifies and articulates opportunities and challenges to enable solutions; and provides research, resources, publications and survey information. Members include fabless companies and their supply chain and service partners, representing more than 21 countries across the globe. www.fsa.org.

About AuthenTec

With more than six million sensors in use worldwide, AuthenTec is the world leader in fingerprint sensor security, innovation and sales to the PC, wireless, and access control markets. AuthenTec's award-winning FingerLoc(R) and EntrePad(R) sensors take full advantage of The Power of Touch(TM) by utilizing the company's patented TruePrint(R) technology to deliver the most convenient, reliable and cost-effective means available for enabling touch-powered features that extend beyond user authentication. The company's network of partners, solution providers and customers include: Analog Devices, APC, Compal, Cherry, Fujitsu Computer, Computer Associates, HP, IBM, LGE, Microsoft, Motion Computing, NEC Packard Bell, Pantech, Quanta, Samsung, Tatung, Texas Instruments, Toshiba, and Wistron, among others. Visit www.authentec.com.