ComVentures Adds Baris Karadogan as Partner; New Partner Will Focus on Investments in Next Generation Communications Companies.

PALO ALTO, Calif. -- ComVentures (www.comventures.com), a venture capital firm focused on early-stage companies--from Internet and mobile applications down through the underlying infrastructure--announced today that Baris Karadogan has joined the firm as Partner. Karadogan will focus on identifying investment opportunities in the Internet, new media and mobile markets as well as support existing portfolio companies.

"Baris is establishing himself in the industry as a passionate yet disciplined investor," said Roland Van der Meer, partner of ComVentures. "He brings fresh thinking about the communications industry and his perspective will be valuable as we continue investing in the new era of communications companies."

Karadogan joins ComVentures from U.S. Venture Partners where he worked closely with companies such as PodTech (podcasting); Redline Communications (broadband and wireless access); Aspendos Communications (3G wireless); Minerva Networks (advanced IPTV services); and Ciphertrust (messaging security).

Prior to his work with U.S. Venture Partners, Karadogan worked in both engineering and marketing at 3Com/U.S. Robotics, where he helped to develop the company's network and cable industry products and contributed to a number of U.S. patents. Karadogan earned a B.S. in Electrical Engineering from Lafayette College, where he graduated summa cum laude. Karadogan also earned an M.S. in Electrical Engineering from Stanford University and an M.B.A. from the Stanford University Graduate School of Business, where he was an Arjay Miller Scholar.

"ComVentures has deep history and expertise in communications and the partners' understanding of the underlying infrastructure puts them in a unique position to interpret the impact that emerging communications applications will have on businesses and consumers," said Karadogan. "I'm excited to be joining the ComVentures team at this pivotal time in the communications market."

Fluent in English & Turkish, Baris sits on the board of directors of Friends of Anatolia, a nonprofit supporting education in Turkey, and is active in the Turkish-American community. He also writes a blog titled From Istanbul to Sand Hill Road (http://baris.typepad.com) which focuses on high technology, venture capital, innovation and creativity.

ComVentures (www.comventures.com) is a venture capital firm strategically investing in the companies that are defining the new era of communications--from Internet and mobile applications down through the underlying infrastructure. With $1.5 billion under management, ComVentures' partners have invested in more than 100 companies. Current investments include: Firefly Mobile, Fabrik, MarketTools, Zantaz, Azul, Caymas Systems, FyreStorm, OpSource, Vyatta, and FilmLoop. Prior investments include: SiteSmith (acquired by MFN), Broadcom (NASDAQ: BRCM), Arbinet (NASDAQ: ARBX), Chromatis (acquired by Lucent Technologies), P-Cube (acquired by Cisco Systems), Intruvert Networks (acquired by McAfee), Kagoor Networks (acquired by Juniper Networks) and Monterey (acquired by Cisco Systems).