Cynergy System Design Announces $4.5 Million Investment Round.

Business Editors/High-Tech

SANTA CLARA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sept. 25, 2000

Cynergy System Design, Inc. announced today that it has completed a $4.5 million financing from Broadband Venture Partners, LLC of Dallas, Texas, Motorola Semiconductor Products Sector, and a major Japanese semiconductor company. The funds will be used primarily to expand Cynergy's operations, particularly sales and marketing.

Cynergy System Design (formerly CAE Plus) provides embedded system simulation solutions to semiconductor and embedded system companies developing System-On-a-Chip (SoC) products. Cynergy's solutions are unique in that they allow both early and accurate simulation of embedded software, reducing design iterations and thereby accelerating time-to-market for SoC products. Using Cynergy's products, embedded developers can create Application Specific Virtual Prototypes (ASVP) for simulation early in the SoC design process.

"This is an impressive group of investors," said Dr. Prem Jain, founder and CEO of Cynergy. "The investment by two of the world's leading semiconductor companies, who also are two of our customers, is further validation that we are providing solutions that accelerate time-to-market for SoC designs. The investment by Broadband Venture Partners validates our business strategy for the rapidly growing SoC market."

Broadband Venture Partners, a Dallas-based venture capital company, led the investment round in Cynergy. Broadband's focus is on high-growth software companies delivering solutions to business customers and looking to the Internet as a channel for distribution of their applications.

"Cynergy provides a compelling solution for an urgent need in a high-growth market," said Gray Hall, principal at Broadband Venture Partners. "SoC product development requires early proof of the hardware running with the embedded software in order to minimize time-to-market. Cynergy meets this need without forcing design engineers to change existing practices or compromise quality and effectiveness."

About Broadband Venture Partners

Based in Dallas, Texas, Broadband Venture Partners, LLC (BVP) provides equity capital and value-added services to privately held growth companies, focusing on the Application Service Provider (ASP) industry. BVP portfolio companies include ComSpace Corporation, Cynergy System Design, Inc., eTopware, Inc., PaeTec Communications, Inc., Picasso Software, Inc., Tavve Software, Inc., Telecom Technologies, Inc., and VeriCenter, Inc. For additional information, please visit the BVP web site at www.bvpartners.com.

About Cynergy

Cynergy System Design, Inc. is the premier provider of solutions for early and accurate simulation of embedded systems to companies developing System-On-a-Chip (SoC) and other embedded system products. Cynergy's solutions reduce design iterations and accelerate time-to-market for embedded system applications. Using Cynergy's products, embedded developers can create Application Specific Virtual Prototypes (ASVP) for simulation early in the SoC design process.

Cynergy's customers include Hughes Network Systems, LSI Logic, MIPS Technologies, Motorola, Toshiba, Visteon and VxTel. Cynergy (formerly CAE Plus) is a privately held company founded by Dr. Prem Jain. The Company's investors include Broadband Venture Partners, LLC, Motorola Semiconductor Products Sector, and a major Japanese semiconductor company. Cynergy is offering its solutions through a subscription-based pricing model.

Cynergy is based in Austin, Texas, and has sales and support offices in Santa Clara, California. Cynergy's offices located in Noida, India provide consulting and support services to customers worldwide. For more information please call 512/338-0165, or visit our website at www.cynergysd.com.

Note to Editors: RTL-C(R) and ArchGen(R) are registered trademarks, and Afterburner and ASVP-Builder are trademarks of Cynergy System Design, Inc. (formerly CAE Plus, Inc.)

All other marks are property of their respective owners.