MKTG 98/03

June 4, 1998

Vancouver, B.C. – Building on the most successful capital raising year in history, Canada’s premier venture capital market is now expanding its efforts in financing high technology and will be holding Roadshows the month of June 8^th, 1998 in: Columbia, South Carolina; Raleigh/Durham, North Carolina; and Atlanta, Georgia.

In 1997 alone, the Vancouver Stock Exchange raised $1.4 billion (Cdn.) in venture capital for a wide range of industries, from high technology firms to resource companies.

"We have a proven track record in raising venture capital for the mining and oil and gas industries and we are now successfully ‘leveraging’ that expertise in emerging industries, such as high technology," said John Boddie, Vice-President of Marketing for the VSE.

The Roadshows will include presentations from the Exchange and senior brokers of three VSE Member firms, as well as two securities lawyers experienced in U.S. deals. The Columbia Roadshow, held in conjunction with MidSouth Capital Inc. and Scott, Holloway & McElveen, CPA, will be held on June 8 at the Adam’s Mark Hotel. The Raleigh Roadshow, held in conjunction with The Council for Entrepreneurial Development, will be held at the North Raleigh Hilton on June 9. The Atlanta Roadshow, held in conjunction with the Canadian Consulate General, will be held at the Swissotel on June 10. In addition to the Roadshow presentations, private meetings for seminar attendees and technology company management can also be arranged with VSE representatives.

"Through the capital raised on the VSE, with initial public offerings and private placements, we have helped high technology companies finance the important steps to commercializing their technologies," said Boddie. "With our venture capital expertise, we can help access the important funding required for research and development prior to product launch."

An example is Integrated Business Systems and Services, Inc., based in Columbia, South Carolina, and it has raised more than $2.5 million in its initial public distribution in November of 1997. Integrated Business Systems is engaged in the business of providing computer technology products and services to industrial manufacturers and on-line transaction processing primarily in the US.

Another U.S.-based high tech firm is Symplex Communications Corporation, based in Ann Arbor, Michigan, which has raised more than US$3.1 million in its initial public distribution in February 1998. Symplex is a high tech company engaged in the design, development, manufacturing and marketing of data compression devices and remote access communications switching systems that enhance the performance of existing LANs and WANs.

Since the VSE specializes in venture capital, said Boddie, its member brokerage firms have the experience to provide a competitive valuation of company assets, which with high technology companies can be difficult to assess.

The VSE is focused on helping companies in their very early stages of development and can play a critical role at the beginning of a company’s life by providing access to the capital necessary to support the development of new technologies and new ideas.

The Vancouver Stock Exchange is positioned as the platform to more senior markets, such as Nasdaq and the Toronto Stock Exchange. "While the senior exchanges such as Nasdaq and Toronto are interested in larger high technology companies, we are experts in assisting smaller companies that are just starting out," said Boddie. When VSE companies are ready to "graduate" to a senior exchange, they leave with a larger capital base and a proven track record as a publicly listed company.

"We are now aggressively marketing our expertise to the high technology industry," said John Boddie. "We fill a financing ‘gap’, raising from $1 million to $7 million, that other stock exchanges do not address to the same degree. Our listing requirements are tailored to the needs of smaller venture capital companies seeking access to the public market."

In effect, says Boddie, the VSE is the perfect starting point for high technology companies in need of capital, but not quite ready for listing on a more senior exchange.

The Vancouver Stock Exchange, with more than 1,400 listed companies, has a well-established record of funding venture capital and "graduating" companies to senior exchanges. In 1997, a total of 28 companies graduated from the VSE to other exchanges.

The VSE has a long history of providing venture capital for companies. It is celebrating its 91^st anniversary in 1998.

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