CEA Secures Venture Funding for HighTouch Technologies, Inc.

TAMPA, Fla.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Feb. 26, 1999--Communications Equity Associates, Inc. ("CEA") announced today that it secured $1.5 million in equity funding for HighTouch Technologies. HighTouch Technologies is an electronic commerce company with a seasoned management team that provides enterprise-level business to consumer software and services including: real-time order entry, call management, sales, transaction processing, inventory management, order fulfillment and customer relationship management. The HighTouch Commerce Suite is ideally suited for companies performing multi-channel direct-to-consumer sales and marketing.

CEA's Entertainment and New Media Group acted as investment banker to HighTouch Technologies, securing investments from New River Capital and Constellation Partners, as well as from CEA's affiliates. HighTouch Technologies presently anticipates a much larger second round of funding in early 1999.

CEA's Entertainment and New Media Group provides strategic debt and equity financing along with merger and acquisition services to companies in the entertainment, Internet/online services, electronic commerce and emerging media industries. CEA's ability to make early stage investments through internal capital, coupled with its investment banking services, uniquely allows it to develop relationships with select companies at a much earlier stage than can other investment banks. While CEA is well known in the communications, entertainment and new media industry for providing boutique investment banking services, it also works with a select number of early stage companies whose experienced management teams and revolutionary product approach provide clear differentiation.

HighTouch Technologies, Inc., founded by Jared Hechtkopf and Bill Lovell, is such a company. Hechtkopf, who serves as Chief Executive Officer, has held senior management positions, most notably as President at Home Shopping Network and as Vice President at Citicorp. Lovell has substantial senior level management experience, including President of PCC Direct, a division of Paxson Communications, as well as Chief Operating Officer positions at Home Shopping Network and Silver King Communications. HighTouch Technologies' Commerce Suite is designed to provide full life-cycle customer relationship management that spans multiple direct marketing channels, including the Internet, TV home shopping, mail order, in-bound and out-bound telemarketing, and multi-level marketing. HighTouch Technologies' products are currently being used by and being deployed at several Fortune 1000 enterprises, including a successful multi-level marketing company, a well-known Internet brand, a wireless digital telecommunications provider and a leader in consumer financial services.

Communications Equity Associates is an investment and merchant banking firm specializing in the entertainment, new media, cable, television, broadcasting, and telecommunications industries. The company has been a leader in providing these services since 1973. CEA and its affiliated offices are located in Tampa, New York, Philadelphia, Boston, Denver, Santa Monica, London, Munich, Prague, Warsaw, Hong Kong, Mumbai and Kuala Lumpur. CEA is a member of the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. and its professional associates are registered with the NASD. Member SIPC.