Escient Acquires Assets and Employees of Canal Technologies and StellarWind Development

Business Wire, August 19, 1998

CARMEL, Ind.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Aug. 19, 1998--Escient(R), a leading force in developing products that seamlessly merge computing power with home entertainment electronics products, announced today that the company has acquired all assets and employees of Canal Technologies and StellarWind Development, LLC, two Indianapolis-based technology companies.

The announcement was made by Scott Jones, chief executive officer and chairman of Escient, LLC. The news comes on the heels of the company's recent announcement that it has acquired CDDB LLC, a unique Internet database company, whose assets include the largest and most comprehensive music CD database on the World Wide Web.

Canal Technologies, headed by Jim Kinney, provided high-performance data storage, management, and access solutions that support mission critical applications for corporate and Federal Government customers. Among its clients were Duke Realty Investments, Thomson Consumer Electronics, and J.D. Byrider Systems. StellarWind Development focused on research and development, designing and implementing software solutions for various statewide organizations.

Canal Technologies' and StellarWind's engineers, most of whom have spent more than ten years developing complex systems for the U.S. Navy, will join Escient's rapidly growing R&D team. Chief among the many accomplishments of this group is the development of a globally deployed SQS-53D digital sonar system. This system received great acclaim from the Federal Government and was honored with the prestigious Heroes of Reinvention-Hammer Award presented by Vice President Gore and our military's top brass.

Using new Internet-based technologies, Escient's mandate is to simplify notoriously complex home electronics while providing new and innovative sources of entertainment to consumers. In a few short years, the company has emerged as a pivotal player in the convergence marketplace, developing products that seamlessly merge computing power with entertainment electronics in the home. Through a vision keenly attuned to the end-user, Escient makes technology behave.

Visit Escient on the World Wide Web at http://www.escient.com

    CONTACT:  Escient LLC, Carmel, Ind.
               Cat Fowler, 800/ESCIENT (372-4368)
               cfowler@escient.com
               or
               The Steven Style Group, New York City
               Steven Style, 212/465-1290
               Fax:  212/465-1299
               STYLEGROUP@aol.com