Most Innovative Israeli Nanotechnology Award Winners Announced; Three companies chosen due to high caliber of candidates and technologies

CHICAGO & SHORASHIM, Israel--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 18, 2005--In an unexpected announcement, the sponsors of the first annual competition to find the Most Innovative Israeli Nanotechnology (MI2NT) companies awarded three MI2NT awards instead of the two originally intended.

This year's MI2NT award-winning companies are Cima NanoTech Israel Ltd., Nutralease Ltd., and Sol-Gel Technologies Ltd. The award winners will receive business services to develop the US market, a VIP presentation to the NanoBusiness Conference (www.nanoevent.com) in New York, and private meetings with potential strategic partners, customers and investors. The award ceremony recognizing the companies and their technologies will be held in Chicago, Illinois, just after the NanoBusiness Conference.

“All of the companies that applied for this prestigious award were of high caliber and inventive, which reflects very well on the emerging nano- and microtechnologies being developed in Israel”

About the Award-Winning Companies:

-- Cima NanoTech Israel Ltd. (www.cimananotech.com/pages/page1.html)

Develops conductive ink jet printing systems and transparent conductive coatings (TCC). The company's nano-metal dispersions represent enabling technology for next-generation digital inkjet printing of microcircuits and transparent conductive coatings for electronics. Dr. Fernando de la Vega is the company's CEO.

-- Nutralease Ltd. (www.nutralease.com)

Focuses on microemulsion technology for liquid nano-encapsulation of nutraceuticals, cosmeceuticals,and essential oils and drugs for incorporation into food, pharmaceuticals, and cosmetics. Dr. Eli Pinthus is the company's CEO.

-- Sol-Gel Technologies Ltd. (www.sol-gel.com)

Develops UV Pearls(TM), the world's first nano-encapsulated sunscreenThis product utilizes the company's unique nano-engineering technology that allows a range of active ingredients to be encapsulated in highly transparent silica glass matrices or nanospheres. Dr. Alon Seri-Levy is the company's CEO.

"All of the companies that applied for this prestigious award were of high caliber and inventive, which reflects very well on the emerging nano- and microtechnologies being developed in Israel," remarked Neil Wyant, CEO of O'lala Foods and CMNC Program Director.

About the MI2NT Award:

This award is underwritten by the U.S.-Israel Science and Technology Foundation (www.usistf.org), which promotes collaborative opportunities in high technology for American and Israeli entities.

The program is managed by the Chicago Microtechnology & Nanotechnology Community (www.chicagonano.org), a Chicago-based organization dedicated to promoting the practitioners of micro and nanotechnologies through seminars, special events and collaborations.

Competition Sponsors Include:

-- ARCH Development (www.archdp.com)

-- ARCH Venture Partners (www.archventures.com)

-- Ardesta LLC (www.ardesta.com)

-- BIRD Foundation (www.birdf.com)

-- O'lala Foods (www.olalafoods.com)

-- The Trendlines Group (www.trendlines.com)