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United Internet AG

United Internet acquires stake in virtual minds and adserving specialists ADITION

Montabaur (euro adhoc) -

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investments
Montabaur, February 14, 2008. United
Internet AG has acquired a 48.65% stake in virtual minds AG (Freiburg
im Breisgau), a media holding company specializing in technology, 
media and content/entertainment, as well as its subsidiary the 
adserving specialist ADITION technologies AG.
Apart from ADITION, the profitably operating virtual minds holding 
company owns a number of majority shareholdings, such as the data 
center operator myloc, the advertising platform BannerCommunity, the 
fiber optic network operator fibre one networks and the games portal 
gamed.de. The management team, consisting of Andreas Kleiser, Torsten
Wenniges and Christoph Herrnkind, will continue to be responsible for
the operating business of the holding company and its subsidiaries.
ADITION technologies AG is the third-largest adserving supplier on 
the German online market, after Doubleclick and Ad Tech. ADITION's 
customers include Deutsche Bahn (DB), Tagesspiegel Online and 
Tipp24.de. United Internet's strategic investment is aimed at 
securing the continued independence and competitive neutrality of 
ADITION via a minority holding. ADITION's role as a neutral service 
provider is to be strengthened following the takeover of Doubleclick 
by Google (subject in Europe to a decision by the EU Commission's 
anti-trust authority) and Ad Tech by AOL and their integration into 
the companies' respective marketing systems.
"Adserving is one of the core technologies and one of the most 
data-sensitive areas in the growing digital advertising market. The 
ongoing concentration process in the field of technology and data is 
creating a restrictive competitive situation due to the market power 
of the major global providers - not least due to the planned takeover
of the former neutral provider Doubleclick by Google, a move which is
highly questionable with regard to anti-trust and data protection 
legislation. It is essential for an open, functioning and independent
digital media market in Germany and Europe that we preserve and 
strengthen the position of neutral service providers," explains 
Matthias Ehrlich, Board Member of United Internet Media AG, the 
marketing specialist for all portals belonging to United Internet 
Group companies.
Andreas Kleiser, Board Member of virtual minds AG, adds: "United 
Internet's investment secures the independence and scalability of 
ADITION so that we can offer attractive technology and product 
alternatives to Doubleclick and AdTech to an even wider customer base
in future. In this way, ADITION can continue as a neutral adserving 
provider and establish itself as a relevant player also in new, and 
above all international market segments. This will also benefit the 
entire adserving market and the digital advertising market as a 
whole."
The adserver technology ADITION adserving has been in use since 2001 
among companies of the internet holding group virtual minds AG and 
was optimized for their own needs. In 2004 the technology was 
entrusted to the specially founded subsidiary ADITION technologies AG
and has since been developed for the premium segment of online 
marketing. Within just a short period of time, ADITION technologies 
AG developed into a permanent fixture among adserver providers on the
German-speaking market: it already boasted some major-name references
before its official launch at the OMD 2006. This was made possible by
a carefully conceived back-end, amongst other things, which 
guarantees outstanding real-time performance even with steadily 
growing serving volumes, thanks to its modular structure. The active 
integration of so-called adviser clients into the respective project 
planning processes also ensures market-oriented alignment of all 
areas and ultimately the customer's success. The aim of ADITION 
technologies is to further establish itself on the German-speaking 
market in 2008, in order to lay the foundation for successful 
international expansion.
About United Internet With over 7.07 million customer contracts, 
United Internet AG is a leading Internet Service Provider (ISP). In 
its "Product" segment, the Group's value- added internet services and
fast internet connections are directed at private users, small/home 
offices (SoHos) and small to mid-size enterprises (SMEs). These 
groups are served by the brands GMX, WEB.DE, 1&1, InterNetX and 
Fasthosts. In addition to its "Product" business, the Group is also 
engaged in "Online Marketing" (via the brands AdLINK Media, affilinet
and Sedo).
end of announcement                               euro adhoc

Further inquiry note:

Marcus Schaps
Head of Press and Public Relations
United Internet AG
Elgendorfer Straße 57
56410 Montabaur
Tel: +49 2602/96-1076
Fax: +49 2602/96-1013
E-mail: mschaps@united-internet.de
Internet: www.united-internet.de

Branche: Telecommunications Services
ISIN: DE0005089031
WKN: 508903
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Technologie All Share
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