INDUSTRY

SiCortex, Inc., a new computer company developing a line of Linux clusters for demanding technical applications, announced today that it has closed a four-way Series A venture capital financing. Polaris Venture Partners led the $21M round along with founding investor Flagship Ventures, and leading venture investors JK&B Capital and Prism Venture Partners. The four firms will invest equally in the Series A. The founding team at SiCortex includes Dr. John F. Mucci, Judson Leonard, Dr. Matthew Reilly, and founding chairman, Dr. William D. Strecker. John Mucci, startup CEO and high-performance computing industry veteran, teamed with founding technologists Leonard and Reilly in launching the company in 2003. In addition to founding several companies, Mucci has held executive positions in leading computer companies. Leonard has approximately 35 years of experience in groundbreaking digital VLSI design projects in the video, communications, and computer industries. Reilly has over 20 years of leading-edge microprocessor architecture, design, and implementation experience. Currently a Managing Director at Flagship Ventures, Strecker previously served as Chief Technology Officer at Compaq Computer and Digital Equipment Corporation. SiCortex will develop and market cluster systems tuned to the demanding needs of technical computing users for solving large, complex industrial, commercial, and scientific problems. Commenting on the company's activities, Mucci said, "The SiCortex architecture enables cluster systems to be much more compact, cost-effective, and scalable. Its family of systems will range from suitcase size, appropriate for small teams, to large configurations which will perform at the highest ranges of the supercomputing industry." Communications industry veterans Albert DaValle of JK&B Capital, William Seifert of Prism Venture Partners, and Dr. Robert Metcalfe of Polaris Venture Partners join Flagship Venture's William Strecker and John Mucci on the board. Metcalfe invented Ethernet in 1973, founded 3Com Corporation in 1979, and serves as a Life Trustee of MIT as well as a member of the National Academy of Engineering. He will serve as chairman of SiCortex's board of directors. "Solutions to many of the world's most pressing problems await higher performing computers, and in particular Linux clusters. SiCortex is aimed at improving cluster performance, not by a few percentage points, but by factors of 10 in several important dimensions," said Bob Metcalfe of Polaris Venture Partners. Bill Strecker of Flagship Ventures observed, "I have been intimately involved in computing for 30 years, and I see SiCortex as taking a radically different approach to building a low cost, very high performance computer. SiCortex has a great idea, a great team, and a great vision of how to execute - that's why we have backed them from the beginning." "The SiCortex team is first rate, with a clear vision of what customers need. We really see the company as a pure play in cluster computing. This is a market we want to be in," explained Al DaValle of JK&B Capital. Bill Seifert of Prism Venture Partners added, "Clustering is already well established as one of the hot growth areas in the technical computing marketplace. Given SiCortex's technology, combined with its highly experienced management team, we believe the company is well positioned to leverage the tremendous potential inherent in this marketplace." SiCortex is a new computer company based in the Boston area, with a mission to design, build, and market next generation Linux clusters for demanding technical applications. The company was founded in 2003 by a respected team of computer industry veterans. Flagship Ventures is an early-stage venture capital firm focused on creating, financing, and building companies in the Life Science and High Technology sectors. Flagship's team of twenty professionals is among the most experienced in the industry and represents a balance of venture capital, corporate executive, and entrepreneurship expertise. Its principals were involved as founders and investors in nearly 100 firms including: AltaVista, Anesta, Antigenics, Aspect Medical Systems, Astral Point Communications, Celera Genomics, Color Kinetics, Cytyc, DataSage, Exact Sciences, PerSeptive Biosystems, Telecorp PCS and TripAdvisor. Headquartered in Cambridge, MA, Flagship Ventures was founded in 1999 and manages $700 million in capital. For more information, visit www.flagshipventures.com. JK&B Capital is a venture capital firm based in Chicago with $900 million under management. The firm was founded in 1996 with the belief that in addition to capital and financial savvy, successful venture investing requires unique relationships and in-depth industry and technical expertise in order to identify the most attractive investment opportunities and consistently add value to portfolio companies. The JK&B team combines experienced venture capital investors with telecommunications and information technology industry experts who possess in-depth technical expertise. Additional information on JK&B Capital can be found at www.jkbcapital.com. With over $2 billion under management, Polaris Venture Partners is a partnership of experienced venture capital investors and technology executives who help entrepreneurs build market-leading companies in information technology and life sciences. Polaris-backed companies include: Advanced Inhalation Research (AIR(TM)); Akamai Technologies, Inc. (NASDAQ: AKAM); Allaire Corporation; Aspect Medical Systems (NASDAQ: ASPM); Centra Software (NASDAQ: CTRA); deCODE genetics (NASDAQ: DCGN). The company has offices in Boston and Seattle. More information about Polaris Venture Partners is available at www.polarisventures.com. Prism Venture Partners, Westwood, MA, is a leading venture capital firm with early-stage investments in communications, business infrastructure software and systems and life sciences. With over $1 billion in capital under management, Prism has earned industry recognition through the firm's depth of entrepreneurial experience and active role with portfolio companies. Prism's access to an established pool of seasoned entrepreneurs and skilled executives, collaborative approach to working with portfolio companies and integrated network of investors contribute to the firm's investment success. Additional information on Prism Venture Partners can be found at http://www.prismventure.com.