Technopolis will acquire a majority in the Tampere-based consultancy and development company, Professia Oy. The share transaction is planned for the early summer. Technopolis intends to integrate Professia with Technopolis Ventures, the group's nationwide business incubator. Pertti Huuskonen, President and CEO of Technopolis, points out that the acquisition of Professia will significantly enhance Technopolis's nationwide network. From now on, Technopolis will be able to provide high-quality business incubation and development services in all those areas in Finland where the parent company also operates. The transaction will also make Technopolis's total business development expertise and operating concepts available to Tampere customers. The acquisition is also important in that, through Professia, Technopolis Ventures will gain plenty of expertise in service businesses and their development. "Technopolis Ventures can utilize this expertise and make it available to its customers throughout Finland," notes Huuskonen. Evidence of the excellent service concept of Technopolis Ventures was provided by the just completed national Venture Cup business plan competition, in which all three first prizes were awarded to business ideas coached in Technopolis's pre-incubation program. All-in-all, 93 proposals were entered in the competition from all over Finland. The main sponsors of the Venture Cup are the Ministry of Trade and Industry, Tekes (the Finnish Funding Agency for Technology and Innovation) and McKinsey & Company. "Technopolis will strengthen the business development operations of Professia and open up possibilities to spread service business concepts more widely in Finland and abroad," says Arja Ropo, Chairman of the Board of Professia, and Vice Rector of the University of Tampere. According to Pertti Huuskonen, negotiations on the new ownership structure for Professia have advanced in a very positive spirit. The development company is currently owned by the City of Tampere, the Tampere University Foundation, Nokia, Fujitsu, Alma Media, Elisa, Finnvera and the Tasku I private equity fund administered by Sentica Partners. As a result of the transaction, Technopolis will become the company's biggest shareholder with a 50.5 percent holding. The other shareholders will continue to be Nokia, Fujitsu, the Tampere University Foundation and the City of Tampere. The city has planned to sell some of its shares to Technopolis as part of the whole transaction. Technopolis Ventures Oy, the largest business incubator in Finland, serves hi-tech and knowledge-based enterprises and currently operates in Espoo, Jyväskylä, Lappeenranta, Oulu and Vantaa. More than 200 enterprises participated in its development programs in 2006. The company operates on a non-profit basis. For further information, please contact: Technopolis Plc, Pertti Huuskonen, President and CEO, +358 400 680 816 In terms of the number of customer companies, Technopolis Plc is one of Europe's largest technology centers. It is also Finland's largest company that specializes in providing operating environments for high tech companies and offers a comprehensive service package combining modern premises and business and development services. Technopolis operates in Espoo, Jyväskylä, Lappeenranta, Oulu, Tampere and Vantaa in Finland, and in St. Petersburg in Russia. Some 12,000 people from 930 companies are currently working in its technology centers. The company's shares are quoted on the mid cap list of the Nordic Exchange.