OSLO, NORWAY – 23 October 2023 – During the third quarter, Zwipe continued to demonstrate progress and saw strong interest from partners in bringing biometric payment and access control cards to markets globally.
Significant events during the period
Significant events after the period
Operational review
The overall adoption of biometric payment cards remains slower than expected, but Zwipe continues to position itself well for the moment biometric payment cards become more mainstream. Globally, Zwipe and its partners now have ongoing dialogues with more than 50 potential issuers of BPCs.
In the first three quarters of 2023, Zwipe expanded its partnerships in APAC such that we have a presence in 10 countries in the region. During the third quarter, Zwipe received its first small order from our Japanese SCM for a demo kit for testing and demonstration to Issuer end customers, with at least one such intended Issuer being a major global bank. In Europe, neobanks and fintechs – particularly in the UK and France – continue to show interest in BPCs, and Zwipe believes that the first launches in Europe will come from these newer players rather than more traditional banks. Zwipe and our main European SCM partner are actively working on more than ten potential BPC projects with UK fintechs, and also plan a joint development campaign aimed at the French fintech ecosystem in the fourth quarter. In the Middle East and Africa (“MEA”), Kuwait International Bank (“KIB”) and Middle East Payment Services (“MEPS”) were responsible for the first commercial launches of Zwipe BPCs during the second quarter. KIB reports high satisfaction internally and with their high net worth Visa Infinite clients to whom the initial launch was targeted, and discussions are ongoing about introducing BPCs to wider segments of their customer base in fairly short order.
In Zwipe Access, we are making substantial inroads in establishing the market for biometric access control cards in high-security verticals, with a high volume of PoCs – some with well-known global companies – now progressing, many important go-to-market partnerships signed or in progress, and product starter kits delivered to more than ten well-known, global enterprise partners whose end customers include data centers, healthcare facilities, airports, government agencies and critical infrastructure operators. Substantial third quarter activity points to real demand in the market for biometric access control solutions, and a real desire from our partners to bring Zwipe Access to their customers.
In North America, Schneider Electric Co. has completed tests and validation and confirmed good results. We are now negotiating an OEM agreement to include Zwipe Access cards in Schneider’s product offering, which they intend to market globally through their extensive network of companies and partners. Our partner MC Dean is currently conducting in-depth testing and validation of Zwipe Access cards on behalf of a Top 3 global cloud services and data centers provider, as well as other Fortune 100 global customers and government agencies. Berkshire Hathaway Energy Group (BHE) is currently testing Zwipe’s biometric access control cards for compatibility, with the goal of replacing the legacy install base and extending the use of Zwipe biometric cards to new sites. Elsewhere in the USA, the announced proof-of-concept at Richmond International Airport has been extended to allow more testing and validation under the most extreme security and environmental conditions. We anticipate that the final report and recommendations to the aviation industry by the National Safe Skies Alliance will be published in the fourth quarter.
In Sweden, AWT, a Zwipe partner and major player in the Nordics, has received an initial small order from a global Top 100 tech company for an initial soft launch at their headquarter location. This is expected to be the foundation for further scaling up, with gradual expansion to most of their global workforce by the end of 2025. Certego, a major system integrator of access security and monitoring solutions has begun discussions to provide Zwipe’s biometric access control cards to over 100 government agencies.
Commercial priorities for 2023 remain unchanged, with the company focusing on accelerating commercialization while carefully deploying funds and maximizing cash runway.
Financial review
Zwipe reported total revenue of 0.3 mNOK during Q3 2023 versus revenue of 0.8 mNOK in Q3 2022. Cash flow from operations was -27.1 mNOK in Q3 2023 versus -24.2 mNOK in Q3 2022, equating to an average monthly operating cash flow in Q3 2023 of -9.0 mNOK versus 8.1 mNOK in the same period last year. As a result of the restructuring announced in June, changes in the organization's operational cost base are starting to show, and the full impact of these changes is expected to show from Q4 2023. Cash and cash equivalents stood at 48.3 mNOK at the end of Q3 2023 compared to 85.8 mNOK at the end of Q3 2022, and 50.5 mNOK at the end of 2022.
Operational update presentation
CEO Robert Puskaric and CFO Danielle Glenn will do a short presentation on the operational update today, Monday October 23rd, at 10:00 CET.
Audiocast details
Date: 23 October 2023
Time: 10:00 CET
Format: Audiocast and Q&A
Language: English
Link: https://app.webinar.net/GnOpyeAy2Yr
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This information is subject to the disclosure requirements in the Market Abuse Regulation (EU 596/2014) and the Norwegian Securities Trading Act section 5-12, and is information that Zwipe AS is obligated to make public pursuant to the continuing obligations of companies admitted to trading on Euronext Growth Oslo (Euronext Growth Oslo Rule Book – Part II) and on Nasdaq First North Growth Market. Certified Adviser on Nasdaq First North is FNCA Sweden AB, info@fnca.se. The information was submitted for publication, through the agency of the contact person set out below, at 07:30 on 23 October 2023.
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About Zwipe
Zwipe believes the inherent uniqueness of every person is the key to a safer future. We work with great passion across networks of international organizations, industries and cultures to make convenience safe and secure. We are pioneering next-generation biometric card and wearables technology for payment and physical & logical access control and identification solutions. We promise our customers and partners deep insight and frictionless solutions, ensuring a seamless user experience with our innovative biometric products and services. Zwipe is headquartered in Oslo, Norway, with a global presence.
To learn more, visit http://www.zwipe.com.
For more information, please contact:
Danielle Glenn, CFO and Head of IR
OSLO, NORWAY – 16 October 2023 – Zwipe AS will publish its Q3 2023 operational update on 23 October 2023 at 08:00 CET. On the same day at 10:00 CET, the Company will host an audiocast to present the update. After the presentation, the webcast will be opened up for questions from the audience.
Participants are strongly encouraged to submit their questions prior to the webcast on the registration page below or by sending questions to ir@zwipe.com. Participants will be required to register to listen to the audiocast and participate in the Q&A.
Webcast details
Date: 23 October 2023
Time: 10:00 CET
Format: Audiocast and Q&A
Language: English
Link: https://app.webinar.net/GnOpyeAy2Yr
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About Zwipe
Zwipe believes the inherent uniqueness of every person is the key to a safer future. We work with great passion across networks of international organizations, industries and cultures to make convenience safe and secure. We are pioneering next-generation biometric card and wearables technology for payment and physical & logical access control and identification solutions. We promise our customers and partners deep insight and frictionless solutions, ensuring a seamless user experience with our innovative biometric products and services. Zwipe is headquartered in Oslo, Norway, with a global presence. To learn more, visit http://www.zwipe.com.
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For more information, please contact:
Danielle Glenn, CFO and Head of IR
ir@zwipe.com
OSLO, NORWAY and AND DOVER, MA - 9 October, 2023 – Zwipe, the global leader in biometric payment and access cards, has partnered with Schneider Electric's Security Solutions Group, specializing in the integration of access control, video surveillance, intrusion detection, and other security technology sub-systems, to offer the revolutionary "biometric system-on-card" solution to Schneider Electric's global customer base. Schneider Electric's clientele spans diverse sectors, including airports, transportation, healthcare, data centers, critical infrastructure, manufacturing, government, and education.
Zwipe Access leverages cutting-edge biometric capture and matching technology to securely store the cardholder's encrypted fingerprint template directly within the card's smart chip during issuance. This integration seamlessly aligns with Schneider Electric's customers' needs, enabling them to swiftly, securely, and cost-effectively incorporate biometric verification into their existing security infrastructure. Zwipe's compatibility with virtually all access control manufacturers ensures effortless integration with Schneider Electric's Continum, Security Expert, and a wide array of other access control system providers.
With Zwipe Access, cardholders can easily verify their identity by presenting their personalized card to the reader. The battery-less card draws power from the reader's RF field, and the biometric verification triggers the access control system to grant or deny access. This secure process ensures that no biometric data is shared with anyone, thus simplifying compliance with data and privacy regulations. Zwipe Access cards offer rapid, convenient multi-factor authentication, eliminating the need to replace existing physical or logical access control readers.
Lee Guill, Director of Schneider Electric Security Solutions Group, emphasized, "Reducing risk for our customers by deploying solutions that only allow authorized individuals to enter their premises is at the core of Schneider Electric. Zwipe Access is the ideal fit to provide strong multifactor authentication through biometrics at a fraction of the cost of alternative technologies. We are confident in offering our customers this amazing card solution, which also addresses today's hygiene concerns, as only the card owner ever touches it, unlike biometric readers where multiple users touch the same devices daily."
Robert Puskaric, President and CEO of Zwipe, added, "The future of secure, convenient access control is here today with Zwipe Access. Our unique solution enables fast and clean biometric identity verification while eliminating the risks associated with lost or stolen access cards. We welcome this partnership with Schneider Electric and look forward to helping them put true multifactor biometric authentication in the hands of their customers."
About Schneider Electric
Schneider Electric is a French multinational company specializing in digital automation and energy management. It addresses homes, buildings, data centers, infrastructure, and industries by combining energy technologies, real-time automation, software, and services.
For more information, please visit http://www.se.com.
About Zwipe
Zwipe believes the inherent uniqueness of every person is the key to a safer future. We work passionately across networks of international organizations, industries, and cultures to make convenience safe and secure. We pioneer next-generation biometric card technology for payment, physical and logical access control, as well as identification solutions. We promise our customers and partners deep insight and frictionless solutions, ensuring a seamless user experience with our innovative biometric products and services. Zwipe is headquartered in Oslo, Norway, with a global presence.
To learn more, please visit http://www.zwipe.com/.
OSLO, NORWAY and HOUSTON, TX, USA – 5 October 2023 – Zwipe, the global leader in cutting-edge biometric payment and access card technology, has teamed up with NCS, a prominent integrator of low-voltage technology solutions specializing in physical security, access control and video surveillance. This strategic partnership marks a significant step toward making biometric system-on-card (BSoC) solutions accessible to customers across Texas. NCS serves various industries, including manufacturing, transportation, healthcare, government and education.
Zwipe Access leverages state-of-the-art biometric capture and matching technology to securely store a cardholder's encrypted fingerprint template directly within the card's smart chip during issuance. This innovation perfectly aligns with the needs of NCS’ clients seeking rapid, secure, and cost-effective integration of biometric verification into their existing access systems.
With Zwipe Access, cardholders authenticate their identity by simply holding the personalized card up to the reader. The card draws power from the reader's radiofrequency (RF) field, verifying the biometric data and triggering the access control system to grant or deny access. This robust, secure process ensures that no biometric data is shared with any external entities, satisfying stringent data privacy and compliance requirements.
Zwipe Access cards offer lightning-fast and convenient multi-factor authentication for organizations without replacing existing physical or logical access control readers.
Mike Keadle, Director of Estimating at NCS, emphasizes the commitment to security technology solutions, stating, "Our goal is to provide security technology solutions that unequivocally verify the identities of individuals entering and moving within our customers' facilities. Zwipe Access is an excellent solution to enhance our security technology offerings for physical access control, incorporating multifactor authentication through biometrics at a fraction of the cost of alternative technologies. We are confident in offering this exceptional card solution, which also addresses today's hygiene concerns, as only the card owner ever comes into contact with it, unlike biometric readers shared among multiple users."
Robert Puskaric, President and CEO of Zwipe, enthusiastically describes the partnership's potential, asserting, “The future of secure and convenient access control is available today through Zwipe Access. Our innovative solution facilitates swift and hygienic biometric identity verification while mitigating the risks associated with lost or stolen access cards. We warmly welcome this collaboration with NCS and eagerly anticipate enabling them to provide genuine multifactor biometric authentication to their valued customers.”
About NCS
NCS was founded in 1981 in Houston, TX, as a technology-driven, single-source solution provider for all our client’s audio-visual, cabling infrastructure, design-consulting, networking, and security needs. Since then, we have grown to more than 300 employees across six Texas locations. We have expanded our services to inbuilding wireless systems to deliver public safety and cellular communications and network-powered lighting systems.
For more information, visit www.ncs-tx.com.
About Zwipe
Zwipe believes the inherent uniqueness of every person is the key to a safer future. We work with great passion across networks of international organizations, industries, and cultures to make convenience safe and secure. We are pioneering next-generation biometric card technology for payment, physical and logical access control, and identification solutions. We promise our customers and partners deep insight and frictionless solutions, ensuring a seamless user experience with our innovative biometric products and services. Zwipe is headquartered in Oslo, Norway, with a global presence.
To learn more, visit www.zwipe.com.
OSLO, NORWAY and CALIFORNIA, USA – 04 October 2023 – Zwipe has become a Subscriber to EMVCo, a global technical body that facilitates the worldwide interoperability and acceptance of secure payment transactions by managing and evolving EMV®* Specifications and related testing processes.
Through this participation, Zwipe will be engaging with EMVCo and industry stakeholders to contribute to EMVCo’s ‘Biometric on Card’ work, which is exploring the development of performance and security requirements as well as approval and evaluation frameworks for biometric payment cards. Zwipe will provide its deep technical expertise, field return experience and learnings on biometric payment cards, as a widely recognized pioneer in this domain for many years.
Speaking on this development, Oliver Manahan, Director of Engagement and Operations at EMVCo, said, “We’re delighted that Zwipe has decided to become an EMVCo Subscriber. We look forward to their participation in EMVCo’s work and the opportunity to benefit from their industry expertise.”
EMVCo is exploring the development of dedicated performance and security requirements for biometric payment cards, together with supporting approval and evaluation processes, to help balance convenience and security while considering the unique challenges.
“We welcome this EMVCo initiative, which will greatly simplify market introduction of biometric payment cards by the issuers, banks and fintechs, and further accelerate market adoption of this convenient and secure payment product”, said Patrice Meilland, Chief Strategy, Product and Marketing Officer at Zwipe.
About EMVCo
EMVCo creates and manages EMV Specifications and programmes that enable seamless and secure card-based payments for businesses and consumers worldwide.
EMV Specifications support technologies including EMV Chip Contact, EMV Chip Contactless, Mobile, QR Code, Secure Remote Commerce (SRC), 3-D Secure (3DS) and Payment Tokenisation and are widely used by the payments industry to develop products and services that deliver trusted and convenient in-store, online and remote card-based payments.
As a global technical body, EMVCo is collectively owned by American Express, Discover, JCB, Mastercard, UnionPay and Visa. Hundreds of payments stakeholders, including merchants, banks and technology providers, participate as EMVCo Associates and Subscribers to develop, evolve and enhance flexible EMV Specifications that support innovation and address marketplace needs. All EMV Specifications are available royalty free on the EMVCo website.
*EMV® is a registered trademark in the U.S. and other countries and an unregistered trademark elsewhere. The EMV trademark is owned by EMVCo, LLC.
To learn more, please visit www.emvco.com
About Zwipe
Zwipe believes the inherent uniqueness of every person is the key to a safer future. We work with great passion across networks of international organizations, industries and cultures to make convenience safe & secure. We are pioneering next-generation biometric card technology for both payment and physical & logical access control and ID solutions. We promise our customers and partners deep insight and frictionless solutions, ensuring a seamless user experience with our innovative biometric products and services. Zwipe is headquartered in Oslo, Norway with a global presence.
To learn more, please visit www.zwipe.com
OSLO, NORWAY – 25 September 2023 – Zwipe announces today that Tanya Juul Kjær, member of the Board of Directors, has resigned with immediate effect due to time constraints involving her myriad other professional commitments. Ms. Kjær has been a member of Zwipe’s Board of Directors since May 2019 and will not be immediately replaced.
Jörgen Lantto, Chairman of the Board of Directors comments, “We have appreciated Tanya’s contributions to further developing the company over the last two plus years as well as her valuable strategic insights, and wish her all the best for the future.”
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This is information that Zwipe AS is obligated to make public pursuant to the continuing obligations of companies admitted to trading on Euronext Growth Oslo (Euronext Growth Oslo Rule Book – Part II) and on Nasdaq First North Growth Market. Certified Adviser on Nasdaq First North is FNCA Sweden AB, info@fnca.se. The information was submitted for publication, through the agency of the contact person set out below, at 08:00 on 25 September 2023.
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About Zwipe
Zwipe believes the inherent uniqueness of every person is the key to a safer future. We work with great passion across networks of international organizations, industries and cultures to make convenience safe and secure. We are pioneering next-generation biometric card technology for payment and access control solutions. We promise our customers and partners deep insight and frictionless solutions, ensuring a seamless user experience with our innovative biometric products and services. Zwipe is headquartered in Oslo, Norway, with a global presence. To learn more, visit http://www.zwipe.com.
For more information, please contact:
Danielle Glenn, CFO and Head of IR
ir@zwipe.com
OSLO, NORWAY – 11 September 2023 – Zwipe announces today that Eric Mercer, COO of Zwipe AS and CEO of Zwipe America, will leave the company as a result of the June streamlining announcement and closure of the Zwipe America subsidiary. He has accepted a new position as Director of Finance with a US-based company.
Mr. Mercer has been with Zwipe for 5.5 years and has been very important in leading Zwipe to where it stands today. He has worn various hats over the years: managing our global operations, quality and supply chain management, acting as program manager for Zwipe Pay and Zwipe Access, leading Zwipe America when it was a large team, developing personnel, and managing key partnerships across the value chain.
Robert Puskaric, CEO of Zwipe AS comments “Zwipe has taken major steps over the past years with the development and certification of Zwipe Pay, the creation of Zwipe Access as a separate business line, establishment of go-to-market partnerships and listing on Euronext Growth Oslo and Nasdaq First North Stockholm. We would like to thank Eric for his contributions to all Zwipe has achieved and wish him all the best in his future endeavors.”
Mr. Mercer will remain with the company through 29 September 2023.
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About Zwipe
Zwipe believes the inherent uniqueness of every person is the key to a safer future. We work with great passion across networks of international organizations, industries and cultures to make convenience safe and secure. We are pioneering next-generation biometric card technology for payment and access control solutions. We promise our customers and partners deep insight and frictionless solutions, ensuring a seamless user experience with our innovative biometric products and services. Zwipe is headquartered in Oslo, Norway, with a global presence. To learn more, visit http://www.zwipe.com.
For more information, please contact:
Danielle Glenn, CFO and Head of IR
ir@zwipe.com
OSLO, NORWAY – 8 September 2023 – Eric Mercer, COO of Zwipe AS, has today sold a total of 25,500 shares in Zwipe AS. After this transaction, Eric Mercer holds no remaining shares in Zwipe AS.
20,000 shares were sold on Euronext Growth Oslo at a price of 2.1035 NOK and 5,500 shares were sold on Nasdaq First North Growth Market at a price of 2.19 SEK.
Attached are copies of the forms submitted to the Norwegian FSA, Finanstilsynet, reporting the transactions as listed above.
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This information is subject to the disclosure requirements in article 19 of the Regulation EU 596/2014 (the EU Market Abuse Regulation) and section 5-12 of the Norwegian Securities Trading Act. The information was submitted for publication, through the agency of the contact person set out below, at 18:40 on 8 September 2023.
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About Zwipe
Zwipe believes the inherent uniqueness of every person is the key to a safer future. We work with great passion across networks of international organizations, industries and cultures to make convenience safe and secure. We are pioneering next-generation biometric card technology for payment and access control solutions. We promise our customers and partners deep insight and frictionless solutions, ensuring a seamless user experience with our innovative biometric products and services. Zwipe is headquartered in Oslo, Norway, with a global presence. To learn more, visit http://www.zwipe.com.
For more information, please contact:
Danielle Glenn, CFO and Head of IR
ir@zwipe.com
OSLO, NORWAY and STOCKHOLM, SWEDEN – 4 SEPTEMBER 2023 – AWT, one of the prominent security companies in Sweden focusing on providing advanced security solutions has partnered with Zwipe as its technology partner in pursuing the global market opportunities for biometric access cards.
With Zwipe Access, AWT will be able to deliver highly advanced and secure biometric card products that are also user-friendly. As a part of the agreement, AWT will be able to offer a flexible and secure premium security solution with biometric access cards with Zwipe.
According to Per Lindstrand, CEO of AWT, “In today’s highly secure working environment, having modern capabilities or access to newer door technologies is critical. The biometric solution provided by Zwipe combines breakthrough technologies and is the ideal platform for the next generation of highly secure access and ID cards.”
“We are happy to partner with AWT, a leading advanced security solution provider. We look forward to strengthening this relationship for supplying biometrics-enabled cards to our integration partners for access control solutions and their customers in airport, data center, critical infrastructure and other secure facilities globally,” says Robert Puskaric, President and CEO of Zwipe.
About AWT
Access World Technic (AWT), founded in 1993, is a high-quality security company focused on centralized premium security solutions that use access control, video surveillance and intrusion detection to secure, protect and monitor facilities such as offices, data centers, warehouses and other large production facilities.
For more information, visit www.awt.com
About Zwipe
Zwipe believes the inherent uniqueness of every person is the key to a safer future. We work with great passion across networks of international organizations, industries and cultures to make convenience safe and secure. We are pioneering next-generation biometric card and wearables technology for payment and physical & logical access control and identification solutions. We promise our customers and partners deep insight and frictionless solutions, ensuring a seamless user experience with our innovative biometric products and services. Zwipe is headquartered in Oslo, Norway, with a global presence.
To learn more, visit www.zwipe.com
OSLO, NORWAY and GURUGRAM, INDIA – 8 FEBRUARY 2023 – Antworks Money, a Gurugram based neobanking platform, has selected Zwipe to offer biometric payment cards in India. With this partnership Zwipe will gain further traction in the Indian market for biometric payment cards.
As part of the collaboration both companies have agreed to develop and leverage the growing market opportunities in India for biometric on-card payment solutions. Moving forward Antworks Money will promote Zwipe Pay solutions to banks and financial institutions in India and collaborate with Zwipe’s local card manufacturing partners
Commenting on this Rajeev Mahajan, Founder and CEO of Antworks Money said “Our partnership with Zwipe will enable us to start offering Zwipe’s products to banks, credit card issuers and PPI card issuers. We believe that Zwipe’s products are well suited for the Indian market and will help to eliminate the fraudulent use of contactless payment cards. We are also planning to introduce co-branded credit cards in partnership with a bank, which will have Zwipe’s biometric cards as one of the key differentiators.”
“The Indian fintech sector is witnessing significant progress and we are proud to partner with Antworks Money who provide a wide range of credit-focused neobanking services in the region. This is a landmark agreement for Zwipe that will help to drive our growth plans in the Indian market,” said Robert Puskaric, CEO of Zwipe.
About Antworks Money
Antworks Money is in the business of providing full stack neobanking services to small businesses and their employees. Antworks Money has partnered with well-known banks and NBFCs to offer neobanking services to its users. To learn more, please visit www.antworksmoney.com. For product information please email at paymentcards@antworksmoney.com
About Zwipe
Zwipe believes the inherent uniqueness of every person is the key to a safer future. We work with great passion across networks of international organizations, industries & cultures to make convenience safe & secure. We are pioneering next-generation biometric card technology for both payment and physical & logical access control and ID solutions. We promise our customers and partners deep insight and frictionless solutions, ensuring a seamless user experience with our innovative biometric products and services. Zwipe is headquartered in Oslo, Norway with a global presence. To learn more, please visit www.zwipe.com
OSLO, NORWAY – 3 February 2023 – Zwipe AS ("Zwipe" or "the company") today announces its results for the second half of 2022.
Significant events H2 2022
H2 2022 operational review
Zwipe ended the year on a positive note with sequential quarterly growth of 172% and 2.3 mNOK in Q4 revenue, the highest sales revenue in a quarter in Zwipe’s history. During the fourth quarter, we announced the single largest commercial order in a quarter to date for Zwipe and received other smaller orders from SCMs in the Middle East and Asia. Further traction with these SCMS is expected in 2023.
Zwipe’s first major focus for Zwipe Pay in the period was on executing our signed issuers’ pilots. In total, seven issuer pilot projects are being executed – including our first pilot with a major Nordic bank, the global Tier-1 bank pilot and the MEPS pilot. Owing to recently implemented technical changes to improve user experience and product performance, we expect not only streamlined pilot project execution but a significantly faster pace of pilot project launches in the coming quarters.
The second focus for Zwipe Pay in the second half was helping our SCM customers get certified and production ready. KL Hi-Tech in India became the fourth SCM to receive their Visa LoA for production of BPCs using the Zwipe Pay platform, while Tag Systems became the first customer to receive approval from Mastercard. The latter followed Zwipe’s own certification from Mastercard in August.
For Zwipe Access, we continued to lay the groundwork for commercial deployments in 2023. We successfully completed the pilot project for Fraport AG at Frankfurt International Airport, and Zwipe is shortlisted as an access control solutions provider when Fraport moves forward with its tender process in 2023. We also further strengthened our position in the airport vertical when Civix, a leading US provider of airport security solutions, selected Zwipe’s access control technology to augment their airport security propositions.
On the organizational side, after significant management changes in the first half, Jens Hansen joined the management team in September to head up the newly created Customer Success department.
H2 2022 financial review
Zwipe reported total revenues of 3.1 mNOK during H2 2022 versus 1.1 mNOK in H2 2021, mostly related to the sale of payment products and services. Total operating expenses increased by 2.1 mNOK to 59.6 mNOK in H2 2022 from 57.5 mNOK in H2 2021. Net income for H2 2022 was -56.5 mNOK, essentially unchanged from -56.4 mNOK in H2 2021. For the full year, revenue was 3.9 mNOK compared to 2.5 mNOK in 2021. Adjusted EBITDA totaled -96.4 mNOK in 2022 compared to -81.7 mNOK in 2021.
During the second half of 2022, cash flow from operations and investments, before financing and facilitation, decreased by -13.4 mNOK to -60.6 mNOK. The underlying average monthly operating cash flow in the second half of 2022 was -10.1 mNOK compared to -7.9 mNOK in the same period last year. This was in line with expectations, and the average monthly burn rate is expected to decrease again in 2023.
On 31 December 2022, cash and equivalents were 50.5 mNOK, down from 152.3 mNOK at the end of 2021, and down from 109.7 mNOK on 30 June 2022. Total equity as of 31 December 2022 was 55.4 mNOK. Total liabilities totaled 14.1 mNOK on 31 December 2022 and were entirely comprised of short-term liabilities. This resulted in an equity ratio of 80%, roughly stable versus the position at the end of 2021.
On 22 November 2022, Zwipe announced a rights issue raising approximately 100 mNOK in capital. The rights issue is fully guaranteed through a combination of subscription commitments and underwriting commitments from the three largest shareholders in Zwipe. It is being carried out in order to strengthen the company’s financial position and enable the transition from start-up to scale-up. The transaction is expected to close in March 2023 and will ensure the Group has sufficient working capital for the period covering at least 12 months from the date of close.
Going forward
We enter the new year with good momentum in the order book and belief that organization is structured to enable a year of significant growth. Zwipe will use the funds from the rights issue to execute on our technology roadmap, accelerate our go-to-market strategy in both Zwipe Pay and Zwipe Access, assist our SCMs in becoming certified and mass production ready, and progress more rapidly with pilot projects.
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Results presentation
CEO Robert Puskaric and CFO Danielle Glenn will present the H2 2022 results by webcast today, Friday February 3rd, at 10:00 CEST.
Webcast details
Date: 3 February 2023
Time: 10:00 CET
Format: Webcast and Q&A
Language: English
Link: https://app.webinar.net/jQ7xPJLdgnw
Participants will be required to register to view the webcast and participate in the Q&A
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This information is subject to the disclosure requirements in the Market Abuse Regulation (EU 596/2014) and the Norwegian Securities Trading Act section 5-12, and is information that Zwipe AS is obligated to make public pursuant to the continuing obligations of companies admitted to trading on Euronext Growth Oslo (Euronext Growth Oslo Rule Book – Part II) and on Nasdaq First North Growth Market. Certified Adviser on Nasdaq First North is FNCA Sweden AB, info@fnca.se . The information was submitted for publication, through the agency of the contact person set out below, at 08:00 on 3 February 2023.
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About Zwipe
Zwipe believes the inherent uniqueness of every person is the key to a safer future. We work with great passion across networks of international organizations, industries and cultures to make convenience safe and secure. We are pioneering next-generation biometric card and wearables technology for payment and physical & logical access control and identification solutions. We promise our customers and partners deep insight and frictionless solutions, ensuring a seamless user experience with our innovative biometric products and services. Zwipe is headquartered in Oslo, Norway, with a global presence. To learn more, visit http://www.zwipe.com.
For more information, please contact:
Danielle Glenn, CFO and Head of IR
+47 909 98 201
OSLO, NORWAY – 30 January 2023 – Zwipe AS will publish its H2 2022 report on 3 February 2023 at 08:00 CET. On the same day at 10:00 CET, the Company will host a webcast to present the report. After the presentation, the webcast will be opened up for questions from the audience.
Participants are strongly encouraged to submit their questions prior to the webcast on the registration page below or by sending questions to ir@zwipe.com. Participants will be required to register to view the webcast and participate in the Q&A.
Webcast details
Date: 3 February 2023
Time: 10:00 CET
Format: Webcast and Q&A
Language: English
Link: https://app.webinar.net/jQ7xPJLdgnw
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About Zwipe
Zwipe believes the inherent uniqueness of every person is the key to a safer future. We work with great passion across networks of international organizations, industries and cultures to make convenience safe and secure. We are pioneering next-generation biometric card and wearables technology for payment and physical & logical access control and identification solutions. We promise our customers and partners deep insight and frictionless solutions, ensuring a seamless user experience with our innovative biometric products and services. Zwipe is headquartered in Oslo, Norway, with a global presence. To learn more, visit http://www.zwipe.com.
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For more information, please contact:
Danielle Glenn, CFO and Head of IR
+47 909 98 201
ir@zwipe.com
HYDERABAD, INDIA and OSLO, NORWAY – 15 December 2022 – KL Hi-Tech, a leading provider of secure print products and solutions in India, has obtained the Letter of Approval (LoA) from VISA for its biometric payment card built on the Zwipe Pay platform.
With this Letter of Approval (LoA), consumers can use biometric payment cards from KL Hi-Tech built on the Zwipe Pay technology working seamlessly across Visa’s global payment network. This will address the increasing market demand for more security and convenience through biometric payment authentication.
On this development, Kartik Shekar, Vice President at KL Hi-Tech said, “We are extremely proud and pleased to receive the Visa LoA allowing the issuance and deployment of our biometric cards globally. This LoA comes at a point in time where we are seeing strong interest from issuers in our core markets to launch biometric payment cards based on the Zwipe Pay platform. This is an important milestone in our journey towards developing biometric solutions for the Fintech & Banking industry in the region and enabling a more secure and seamless user experience. Given India’s appetite for the next generation of payments, and the mass adoption of digital payments, biometric cards will only supplement the country’s vision to bring technology and finance together for years to come.”
Zwipe obtained its VISA Letter of Approval (LoA) for the Zwipe Pay platform on 24 March 2022, enabling smart card manufacturers working with Zwipe to swiftly obtain VISA certification for their own biometric payment card designs.
“We are pleased to see that KL Hi-Tech has now received the Visa LoA for their biometric cards based on the Zwipe Pay platform. Achieving this key milestone has a very positive impact on the commercial rollout of Zwipe Pay enabled biometric payment cards in the region. On behalf of everyone at Zwipe, I congratulate the team at KL Hi-Tech on this achievement,” said Robert Puskaric, CEO of Zwipe.
About KL HI-TECH
KL HI-TECH is one of India's largest banking card manufacturers with an annual production capacity of over 30 million banking cards. In 2021 it was ranked as the 2nd largest banking card manufacturer in India as per the latest Nilson Report. It is a trusted partner to Central and State Governments, Banks and Financial Institutions, Telecom Companies, Universities and Colleges, Central and State Election Commissions, and Transport Utilities, it provides fool proof and secure Smartcard and security printing solutions.
For more information, contact info@klhitech.com
About Zwipe
Zwipe believes the inherent uniqueness of every person is the key to a safer future. We work with great passion across networks of international organizations, industries & cultures to make convenience safe & secure. We are pioneering next-generation biometric card technology for both payment and physical & logical access control and ID solutions. We promise our customers and partners deep insight and frictionless solutions, ensuring a seamless user experience with our innovative biometric products and services. Zwipe is headquartered in Oslo, Norway, with a global presence. To learn more, visit www.zwipe.com
OSLO, NORWAY – 2 DECEMBER 2022 - Reference is made to the stock exchange announcement published by Zwipe AS (the "Company" or "Zwipe") on 22 November 2022 and the notice dated 23 November 2023 of an extraordinary general meeting in the Company to be held on 2 December 2022 (the "EGM"), both regarding a contemplated fully guaranteed rights issue in the Company, raising gross proceeds of approximately NOK 100 million (the "Rights Issue”).
The EGM has today approved the Rights Issue. The minutes from the EGM have been attached to this notice and have also been made available on the Company's website, https://zwipe.com/investors.
Correction of the stock exchange announcement regarding the Rights Issue published by the Company on 22 November 2022:
Pursuant to the EGM's resolution and in accordance with the Oslo Stock Exchange's procedural rules for trading in subscription rights, the subscription rights in the Rights Issue will be tradable from commencement of the subscription period and until 16:30 CET four (4) trading days prior to the end of the subscription period, i.e. on 14 March 2023 (and not on 15 March 2023 as announced in the stock exchange announcement regarding the Rights Issue published by the Company on 22 November 2022), subject to the prospectus for the Rights Issue being approved in time for the subscription period to start on 6 March 2023.
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About Zwipe
Zwipe believes the inherent uniqueness of every person is the key to a safer future. We work with great passion across networks of international organizations, industries and cultures to make convenience safe and secure. We are pioneering next-generation biometric card and wearables technology for payment and physical & logical access control and identification solutions. We promise our customers and partners deep insight and frictionless solutions, ensuring a seamless user experience with our innovative biometric products and services. Zwipe is headquartered in Oslo, Norway, with a global presence.
To learn more, visit http://www.zwipe.com.
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This is information that Zwipe AS is obligated to make public pursuant to the continuing obligations of companies admitted to trading on Euronext Growth Oslo (Euronext Growth Oslo Rule Book – Part II) and on Nasdaq First North Growth Market. Certified Adviser on Nasdaq First North is FNCA Sweden AB, info@fnca.se. The information was submitted for publication, through the agency of the contact person set out below, at 13:10 CET on 2 December 2022.
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For more information, please contact:
Danielle Glenn, CFO and Head of IR
ir@zwipe.com
OSLO, NORWAY – 23 NOVEMBER 2022 - Reference is made to the stock exchange announcement published by Zwipe AS (the "Company" or "Zwipe") on 22 November 2022, regarding a contemplated fully guaranteed rights issue in the Company, raising gross proceeds of approximately NOK 100 million (the "Rights Issue”). In relation thereto, the Board of Directors of Zwipe (the "Board") calls for an Extraordinary General Meeting (the "EGM") to be held on 2 December 2022 at 10:00 CET. The general meeting will be held as a virtual meeting on Microsoft Teams.
Please find attached the notice to the EGM. The notice is also available on the Company's website, https://zwipe.com/investors.
The deadline for registration of attendance and proxies is 1 December 2022 at 16:00 hours CET. Shareholders are encouraged to register their notice of attendance and proxies via the link found here: https://zwipe.com/investors/general-meetings
Alternatively, the attached notice of attendance and proxy forms may be sent by e-mail to genf@dnb.no, or by regular post to DNB Bank ASA, Registrar's Department, P.O.Box 1600 Sentrum, 0021 Oslo, Norway.
In order to receive the link to the Microsoft Teams meeting, Zwipe's administration will need to have the shareholder's or proxy holder's e-mail address in advance. Thus, shareholders must after having registered their attendance also register their or its proxy's e-mail address by sending an email to ir@zwipe.com.
The Board has proposed the following agenda:
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About Zwipe
Zwipe believes the inherent uniqueness of every person is the key to a safer future. We work with great passion across networks of international organizations, industries and cultures to make convenience safe and secure. We are pioneering next-generation biometric card and wearables technology for payment and physical & logical access control and identification solutions. We promise our customers and partners deep insight and frictionless solutions, ensuring a seamless user experience with our innovative biometric products and services. Zwipe is headquartered in Oslo, Norway, with a global presence.
To learn more, visit http://www.zwipe.com.
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This is information that Zwipe AS is obligated to make public pursuant to the continuing obligations of companies admitted to trading on Euronext Growth Oslo (Euronext Growth Oslo Rule Book – Part II) and on Nasdaq First North Growth Market. Certified Adviser on Nasdaq First North is FNCA Sweden AB, info@fnca.se. The information was submitted for publication, through the agency of the contact person set out below, at 15:00 CET on 23 November 2022.
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For more information, please contact:
Danielle Glenn, CFO and Head of IR
ir@zwipe.com
NOT FOR RELEASE, DISTRIBUTION OR PUBLICATION, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, IN OR INTO RUSSIA, BELARUS, AUSTRALIA, HONG KONG, JAPAN, CANADA, NEW ZEALAND, SWITZERLAND, SINGAPORE, SOUTH AFRICA, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA OR ANY OTHER JURISDICTION WHERE SUCH ACTION IS IN WHOLE OR IN PART WOULD BE UNLAWFUL. THIS PRESS RELEASE DOES NOT CONSTITUTE AN OFFER TO ACQUIRE SECURITIES IN ZWIPE AS. SEE THE "IMPORTANT INFORMATION" SECTION BELOW.
*** The below text clarifies that the subscription period and planned trading in subscription rights will be in March 2023 and not March 2022.
OSLO NORWAY – 22 NOVEMBER 2022 - The Board of Directors of Zwipe AS (the "Company" or "Zwipe") has today resolved to propose a preferential rights issue of 20,862,047 new shares (the "Offer Shares"), for a subscription price of NOK 4.80 per Offer Share, raising gross proceeds of approximately NOK 100 million with preferential rights for existing shareholders (the "Rights Issue"). The Rights Issue is fully guaranteed through a combination of subscription commitments and underwriting commitments. The Rights Issue requires the approval by the extraordinary general meeting of the Company expected to be held on 2 December 2022 (the "EGM") to be implemented. The notice of the extraordinary general meeting will be published in a separate press release.
Background and reason for the Rights Issue
Zwipe is a Norwegian biometric technology company established in 2009, focused on developing and commercializing secure, fast, and easy-to-use biometric authentication solutions with broad applications across key verticals such as payments and access control. Since 2019, card manufacturers have started the process of launching biometric payment card specific manufacturing lines, semiconductor providers have begun the development of dedicated offerings for this market, and the entire value chain supporting these processes has started moving more consistently. At the same time, Zwipe has made significant progress and added numerous smart card manufacturing customers across the world, significantly broadening their customer base. In addition, Zwipe has entered multiple important partnerships to enhance their go-to-market strategy and accelerate the adoption of biometric payment cards. Pilots have started and give the Company insights in its progress towards commercial adoption of its offerings.
In 2022, Zwipe has achieved a number of important milestones. The Company received its single largest commercial order for Zwipe Pay in a single quarter totalling $225,000. The Zwipe Pay Biometric Payment Card Platform received certification from both Visa and Mastercard, and the Fraport biometric access control project at Frankfurt Airport was successfully completed. Catering to the strong demand for access control solutions in the market, Zwipe is now engaging with a number of system integrators and distributors to accelerate the deployment of biometric access cards in key verticals and markets.
The Rights Issue is carried out in order to strengthen the Company’s financial position and enable the transition from start-up to scale-up.
Robert Puskaric, CEO of Zwipe comments:
“I am extremely pleased by the continued confidence demonstrated by our largest existing shareholders. Zwipe is experiencing significant positive commercial momentum and the proceeds from this fully secured rights issue will enable us to build upon our already strong position within biometric payments and biometric access control. The proceeds will be used to continue ramping up to meet growing global market demand for biometric security.”
Key terms of the Rights Issue
Underwriting obligations and guarantee commitments
The Rights Issue is fully guaranteed through a combination of subscription- and underwriting commitments. The subscription commitments are entered into with the Company’s largest shareholders, including Chairman of the Board Jörgen Lantto, and amount to approximately NOK 34.5 million, corresponding to approximately 34.5 percent of the Rights Issue. The underwriting commitments amount to approximately NOK 65.6 million, corresponding to approximately 65.5 percent of the Rights Issue. The underwriting commitments are entered into with three of the Company’s largest owners, Vasastaden Holding AB, Erik Selin Fastigheter AB and Arcanum Eiendom AS (controlled by Lars Windfeldt) pursuant to underwriting agreements entered into with each of them on 22 November 2022. The commitments and underwriting commitments are not secured by bank guarantee, escrow funds, pledging or similar arrangements. Pursuant to, and subject to, the terms and conditions set out in the underwriting agreements and the subscription commitments, the underwriters and pre-committing subscribing shareholders have undertaken to vote their shares held at the time of the EGM in favour of the Rights Issue and all underwriters have undertaken to guarantee on a several basis (not jointly) to subscribe for the Offer Shares, for a total underwritten amount of NOK 100,137,825.6 million, less any subscriptions covered by the subscription commitments. The Offer Shares which are not subscribed upon expiration of the subscription period (if any), will thus be subscribed by and allocated to the underwriters.
Other information pertaining to the Rights Issue
In connection with the Right Issue, a prospectus will be prepared, which is subject to the approval by the Norwegian Financial Supervisory Authority and which will be passported to Sweden. The prospectus will be published prior to the commencement of the subscription period and will form the basis for subscriptions in the Right Issue. Provided that the prospectus is approved by the Norwegian Financial Supervisory Authority and passported to Sweden in time, the subscription period for the Rights Issue will commence on 6 March 2023 and expire 20 March 2023 at 16:30 hours (CET). In the event that the prospectus is not approved in time to uphold this subscription period, the subscription period will commence on the second trading day on the Oslo Stock Exchange following the approval of the prospectus and expire at 16:30 hours (CET) two weeks thereafter.
The shareholders of the Company on 27 February 2023 (and being registered as such in the Norwegian Central Securities Depository, Euronext Securities Oslo, (the "VPS") as at the expiry of 1 March 2023 (the "record date")) will be granted one (1) preferential subscription right for each share registered as held by the shareholder as of the record date. Nine (9) preferential rights will give the right to subscribe for and be allocated five (5) Offer Shares in the Rights Issue (i.e. the holding of less than nine (9) preferential rights will not give the right to subscribe for any Offer Shares in the Rights Issue). Provided that a purchase of shares is made with ordinary T+2 settlement, shares purchased up to and including 27 February 2023 will give the right to receive subscription rights, whereas shares purchased from and including 28 February 2023 will not give the right to receive subscription rights. The subscription rights are expected to be tradable and listed on Euronext Growth Oslo and Nasdaq First North from and including the first day of the subscription period and until 16:30 (Oslo time) four trading days prior to the expiry of the subscription period. Over-subscription and subscription without subscription rights will be permitted.
A further description of the Rights Issue and of other circumstances that must be considered upon subscription of shares in the Rights Issue will be included in the prospectus for the Rights Issue, which will be published no later than the first trading of the subscription period and that will constitute the subscription material for the Rights Issue.
Indicative timeline for the Rights Issue
Change in share capital and number of shares and dilution
Upon completion of the Rights Issue, the share capital in the Company will be increased by NOK 2,086,204.7, from NOK 3,755,168.50 to NOK 5,841,373.20, through the issuance of 20,862,047 new shares. The number of shares thus increases from 37,551,685 to 58,413,732 shares. For existing shareholders who do not participate in the Rights Issue, this means, in the case of full subscription, a dilution effect of 35.7 percent of capital and votes in the Company.
Advisor
Zwipe has engaged Erik Penser Bank AB and Advokatfirmaet Simonsen Vogt Wiig AS as financial and legal advisors respectively in connection with the Rights Issue.
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For further information contact:
Danielle Glenn, CFO and Head of IR, Zwipe
E-mail: ir@zwipe.com
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This information is subject to the disclosure requirements in the Market Abuse Regulation (EU 596/2014) and the Norwegian Securities Trading Act section 5-12, and is information that Zwipe AS is obligated to make public pursuant to the continuing obligations of companies admitted to trading on Euronext Growth Oslo (Euronext Growth Oslo Rule Book – Part II) and on Nasdaq First North Growth Market. Certified Adviser on Nasdaq First North is FNCA Sweden AB, info@fnca.se. The information was submitted for publication, through the agency of the contact person set out below, at 19:30 on 22 November 2022.
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About Zwipe
Zwipe believes the inherent uniqueness of every person is the key to a safer future. We work with great passion across networks of international organizations, industries and cultures to make convenience safe and secure. We are pioneering next-generation biometric card and wearables technology for payment and physical & logical access control and identification solutions. We promise our customers and partners deep insight and frictionless solutions, ensuring a seamless user experience with our innovative biometric products and services. Zwipe is headquartered in Oslo, Norway, with a global presence.
To learn more, visit http://www.zwipe.com.
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Important information
The information in this press release neither contains nor constitutes an offer to acquire, subscribe or otherwise trade in shares, warrants or other securities in Zwipe. No action has been taken and no action will be taken to permit an offer to the public in any jurisdictions other than Norway and Sweden. The invitation to interested persons to subscribe for shares in Zwipe will only take place through the prospectus that Zwipe expects to be able to publish around 3 March 2023. This announcement is an advertisement and is not a prospectus for the purposes of the Prospectus Regulation. Investors should not subscribe for any securities referred to in this announcement except on the basis of information contained in the aforementioned prospectus.
The information contained in this press release may not be disclosed, published or distributed, directly or indirectly, within or to the United States, Australia, Hong Kong, Japan, Canada, New Zealand, Switzerland, Singapore, South Africa, Russia, Belarus or any other jurisdiction where such action would be illegal, subject to legal restrictions or require measures other than those that follow from Norwegian and Swedish law. Actions contrary to this instruction may constitute a violation of applicable securities legislation. No shares or other securities of Zwipe have been registered, and no shares or other securities will be registered, under the United States Securities Act of 1933 from time to time ("Securities Act") or the securities laws of any state or other jurisdiction of the United States and may not be offered, sold or otherwise transferred, directly or indirectly, in or to the United States, except pursuant to an applicable exemption from, or in a transaction not subject to, the registration requirements of the Securities Act and pursuant to the securities laws of the relevant state or other jurisdiction in the United States. This communication is distributed to and directed solely to persons in the United Kingdom who are (i) professional investors falling within the scope of Article 19(5) of the U.K. from time to time in force; Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Financial Promotion) Order 2005 ("the Order") or (ii) high net worth subjects and other persons to whom this notice may lawfully be addressed, who are subject to Article 49(2)(a)-(d) ) in the Order (all such persons are collectively referred to as "Relevant Persons"). Persons who are not Relevant Persons may not act on or rely on the information in this communication. An investment or investment measure referred to in this communication is only possible for Relevant Persons and will only be completed with Relevant Persons. Persons who disseminate this communication must themselves ensure that such dissemination is permitted.
Forward-looking statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements that refer to the Company's intentions, assessments or expectations regarding the Company's future results, financial position, liquidity, development, prospects, expected growth, strategies and opportunities as well as the markets in which the Company operates. Forward-looking statements are statements that do not relate to historical facts and can be identified by the inclusion of expressions such as "believes", "expects", "anticipates", "intends", "estimates", "will", "may", "assumes", "should" "could" and, in each case, negations thereof, or similar expressions. The forward-looking statements in this press release are based on various assumptions, which in several cases are based on additional assumptions. Although the Company believes that the assumptions reflected in these forward-looking statements are reasonable, there can be no assurance that they will occur or that they are accurate. As these assumptions are based on assumptions or estimates and are subject to risks and uncertainties, the actual result or outcome may, for many different reasons, differ materially from what appears in the forward-looking statements.
Such risks, uncertainties, contingencies, and other material factors may cause actual events to differ materially from the expectations expressed or implied in this press release through the forward-looking statements. The Company does not warrant that the assumptions underlying the forward-looking statements in this press release are correct and any reader of the press release should not place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements in this press release. The information, opinions and forward-looking statements expressed or implied herein are provided only as of the date of this press release and are subject to change. Neither the Company nor anyone else undertakes to revise, update, confirm or publicly announce any revision of any forward-looking statement to reflect events occurring or circumstances occurring with respect to the contents of this press release, except as required by law or Nasdaq First North Growth Markets' regulations for issuers.
OSLO NORWAY – 22 NOVEMBER 2022 - Reference is made to the stock exchange announcement published by Zwipe AS (the "Company") earlier today, 22 November 2022, regarding a contemplated fully underwritten rights issue in the Company, raising gross proceeds of approximately NOK 100 million (the “Rights Issue”). Key information relating to the Rights Issue is set out below.
Date on which the terms and conditions of the preferential rights issue were announced: 22 November 2022
Last day including right: 27 February 2023
Ex-date: 28 February 2023
Record Date: 1 March 2023
Date of approval: 2 December 2022
Number of new shares: 20,862,047
Subscription price: NOK 4.80
Ratio subscription rights: Each existing shareholder as of 27 March 2023 (and being registered as such in the Norwegian Central Securities Depository, Euronext Securities Oslo, (the VPS) as at the expiry of 1 March 2023 (the record date)) will be granted one (1) subscription right for each share registered as held by the shareholder on the record date.
Subscription ratio: Nine (9) subscription rights will give the holder the right to subscribe for five (5) new shares (i.e. the holding of less than 9 subscription rights will not give the holder the right to subscribe for any new shares).
Manager: Erik Penser Bank AB
Will the rights be listed – yes/no: Yes, the Company will apply for listing of the subscription rights on Euronext Growth Oslo and Nasdaq First North.
ISIN for the preferential rights: To be announced when available
Other information: The rights issue is fully guaranteed through a combination of subscription commitments and underwriting commitments. The rights issue is subject to the approval by the extraordinary general meeting of the Company, which will be held on 2 December 2022 (the "EGM"). Any changes in the dates included in this release will be communicated to the market by the Company.
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About Zwipe
Zwipe believes the inherent uniqueness of every person is the key to a safer future. We work with great passion across networks of international organizations, industries and cultures to make convenience safe and secure. We are pioneering next-generation biometric card and wearables technology for payment and physical & logical access control and identification solutions. We promise our customers and partners deep insight and frictionless solutions, ensuring a seamless user experience with our innovative biometric products and services. Zwipe is headquartered in Oslo, Norway, with a global presence.
To learn more, visit http://www.zwipe.com.
########
For more information, please contact:
Danielle Glenn, CFO and Head of IR
ir@zwipe.com
NOT FOR RELEASE, DISTRIBUTION OR PUBLICATION, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, IN OR INTO RUSSIA, BELARUS, AUSTRALIA, HONG KONG, JAPAN, CANADA, NEW ZEALAND, SWITZERLAND, SINGAPORE, SOUTH AFRICA, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA OR ANY OTHER JURISDICTION WHERE SUCH ACTION IS IN WHOLE OR IN PART WOULD BE UNLAWFUL. THIS PRESS RELEASE DOES NOT CONSTITUTE AN OFFER TO ACQUIRE SECURITIES IN ZWIPE AS. SEE THE "IMPORTANT INFORMATION" SECTION BELOW.
OSLO NORWAY – 22 NOVEMBER 2022 - The Board of Directors of Zwipe AS (the "Company" or "Zwipe") has today resolved to propose a preferential rights issue of 20,862,047 new shares (the "Offer Shares"), for a subscription price of NOK 4.80 per Offer Share, raising gross proceeds of approximately NOK 100 million with preferential rights for existing shareholders (the "Rights Issue"). The Rights Issue is fully guaranteed through a combination of subscription commitments and underwriting commitments. The Rights Issue requires the approval by the extraordinary general meeting of the Company expected to be held on 2 December 2022 (the "EGM") to be implemented. The notice of the extraordinary general meeting will be published in a separate press release.
Background and reason for the Rights Issue
Zwipe is a Norwegian biometric technology company established in 2009, focused on developing and commercializing secure, fast, and easy-to-use biometric authentication solutions with broad applications across key verticals such as payments and access control. Since 2019, card manufacturers have started the process of launching biometric payment card specific manufacturing lines, semiconductor providers have begun the development of dedicated offerings for this market, and the entire value chain supporting these processes has started moving more consistently. At the same time, Zwipe has made significant progress and added numerous smart card manufacturing customers across the world, significantly broadening their customer base. In addition, Zwipe has entered multiple important partnerships to enhance their go-to-market strategy and accelerate the adoption of biometric payment cards. Pilots have started and give the Company insights in its progress towards commercial adoption of its offerings.
In 2022, Zwipe has achieved a number of important milestones. The Company received its single largest commercial order for Zwipe Pay in a single quarter totalling $225,000. The Zwipe Pay Biometric Payment Card Platform received certification from both Visa and Mastercard, and the Fraport biometric access control project at Frankfurt Airport was successfully completed. Catering to the strong demand for access control solutions in the market, Zwipe is now engaging with a number of system integrators and distributors to accelerate the deployment of biometric access cards in key verticals and markets.
The Rights Issue is carried out in order to strengthen the Company’s financial position and enable the transition from start-up to scale-up.
Robert Puskaric, CEO of Zwipe comments:
“I am extremely pleased by the continued confidence demonstrated by our largest existing shareholders. Zwipe is experiencing significant positive commercial momentum and the proceeds from this fully secured rights issue will enable us to build upon our already strong position within biometric payments and biometric access control. The proceeds will be used to continue ramping up to meet growing global market demand for biometric security.”
Key terms of the Rights Issue
Underwriting obligations and guarantee commitments
The Rights Issue is fully guaranteed through a combination of subscription- and underwriting commitments. The subscription commitments are entered into with the Company’s largest shareholders, including Chairman of the Board Jörgen Lantto, and amount to approximately NOK 34.5 million, corresponding to approximately 34.5 percent of the Rights Issue. The underwriting commitments amount to approximately NOK 65.6 million, corresponding to approximately 65.5 percent of the Rights Issue. The underwriting commitments are entered into with three of the Company’s largest owners, Vasastaden Holding AB, Erik Selin Fastigheter AB and Arcanum Eiendom AS (controlled by Lars Windfeldt) pursuant to underwriting agreements entered into with each of them on 22 November 2022. The commitments and underwriting commitments are not secured by bank guarantee, escrow funds, pledging or similar arrangements. Pursuant to, and subject to, the terms and conditions set out in the underwriting agreements and the subscription commitments, the underwriters and pre-committing subscribing shareholders have undertaken to vote their shares held at the time of the EGM in favour of the Rights Issue and all underwriters have undertaken to guarantee on a several basis (not jointly) to subscribe for the Offer Shares, for a total underwritten amount of NOK 100,137,825.6 million, less any subscriptions covered by the subscription commitments. The Offer Shares which are not subscribed upon expiration of the subscription period (if any), will thus be subscribed by and allocated to the underwriters.
Other information pertaining to the Rights Issue
In connection with the Right Issue, a prospectus will be prepared, which is subject to the approval by the Norwegian Financial Supervisory Authority and which will be passported to Sweden. The prospectus will be published prior to the commencement of the subscription period and will form the basis for subscriptions in the Right Issue. Provided that the prospectus is approved by the Norwegian Financial Supervisory Authority and passported to Sweden in time, the subscription period for the Rights Issue will commence on 6 March 2023 and expire 20 March 2023 at 16:30 hours (CET). In the event that the prospectus is not approved in time to uphold this subscription period, the subscription period will commence on the second trading day on the Oslo Stock Exchange following the approval of the prospectus and expire at 16:30 hours (CET) two weeks thereafter.
The shareholders of the Company on 27 February 2023 (and being registered as such in the Norwegian Central Securities Depository, Euronext Securities Oslo, (the "VPS") as at the expiry of 1 March 2023 (the "record date")) will be granted one (1) preferential subscription right for each share registered as held by the shareholder as of the record date. Nine (9) preferential rights will give the right to subscribe for and be allocated five (5) Offer Shares in the Rights Issue (i.e. the holding of less than nine (9) preferential rights will not give the right to subscribe for any Offer Shares in the Rights Issue). Provided that a purchase of shares is made with ordinary T+2 settlement, shares purchased up to and including 27 February 2023 will give the right to receive subscription rights, whereas shares purchased from and including 28 February 2023 will not give the right to receive subscription rights. The subscription rights are expected to be tradable and listed on Euronext Growth Oslo and Nasdaq First North from and including the first day of the subscription period and until 16:30 (Oslo time) four trading days prior to the expiry of the subscription period. Over-subscription and subscription without subscription rights will be permitted.
A further description of the Rights Issue and of other circumstances that must be considered upon subscription of shares in the Rights Issue will be included in the prospectus for the Rights Issue, which will be published no later than the first trading of the subscription period and that will constitute the subscription material for the Rights Issue.
Indicative timeline for the Rights Issue
Change in share capital and number of shares and dilution
Upon completion of the Rights Issue, the share capital in the Company will be increased by NOK 2,086,204.7, from NOK 3,755,168.50 to NOK 5,841,373.20, through the issuance of 20,862,047 new shares. The number of shares thus increases from 37,551,685 to 58,413,732 shares. For existing shareholders who do not participate in the Rights Issue, this means, in the case of full subscription, a dilution effect of 35.7 percent of capital and votes in the Company.
Advisor
Zwipe has engaged Erik Penser Bank AB and Advokatfirmaet Simonsen Vogt Wiig AS as financial and legal advisors respectively in connection with the Rights Issue.
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For further information contact:
Danielle Glenn, CFO and Head of IR, Zwipe
E-mail: ir@zwipe.com
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This information is subject to the disclosure requirements in the Market Abuse Regulation (EU 596/2014) and the Norwegian Securities Trading Act section 5-12, and is information that Zwipe AS is obligated to make public pursuant to the continuing obligations of companies admitted to trading on Euronext Growth Oslo (Euronext Growth Oslo Rule Book – Part II) and on Nasdaq First North Growth Market. Certified Adviser on Nasdaq First North is FNCA Sweden AB, info@fnca.se. The information was submitted for publication, through the agency of the contact person set out below, at 19:30 on 22 November 2022.
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About Zwipe
Zwipe believes the inherent uniqueness of every person is the key to a safer future. We work with great passion across networks of international organizations, industries and cultures to make convenience safe and secure. We are pioneering next-generation biometric card and wearables technology for payment and physical & logical access control and identification solutions. We promise our customers and partners deep insight and frictionless solutions, ensuring a seamless user experience with our innovative biometric products and services. Zwipe is headquartered in Oslo, Norway, with a global presence.
To learn more, visit http://www.zwipe.com.
########
Important information
The information in this press release neither contains nor constitutes an offer to acquire, subscribe or otherwise trade in shares, warrants or other securities in Zwipe. No action has been taken and no action will be taken to permit an offer to the public in any jurisdictions other than Norway and Sweden. The invitation to interested persons to subscribe for shares in Zwipe will only take place through the prospectus that Zwipe expects to be able to publish around 3 March 2023. This announcement is an advertisement and is not a prospectus for the purposes of the Prospectus Regulation. Investors should not subscribe for any securities referred to in this announcement except on the basis of information contained in the aforementioned prospectus.
The information contained in this press release may not be disclosed, published or distributed, directly or indirectly, within or to the United States, Australia, Hong Kong, Japan, Canada, New Zealand, Switzerland, Singapore, South Africa, Russia, Belarus or any other jurisdiction where such action would be illegal, subject to legal restrictions or require measures other than those that follow from Norwegian and Swedish law. Actions contrary to this instruction may constitute a violation of applicable securities legislation. No shares or other securities of Zwipe have been registered, and no shares or other securities will be registered, under the United States Securities Act of 1933 from time to time ("Securities Act") or the securities laws of any state or other jurisdiction of the United States and may not be offered, sold or otherwise transferred, directly or indirectly, in or to the United States, except pursuant to an applicable exemption from, or in a transaction not subject to, the registration requirements of the Securities Act and pursuant to the securities laws of the relevant state or other jurisdiction in the United States. This communication is distributed to and directed solely to persons in the United Kingdom who are (i) professional investors falling within the scope of Article 19(5) of the U.K. from time to time in force; Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Financial Promotion) Order 2005 ("the Order") or (ii) high net worth subjects and other persons to whom this notice may lawfully be addressed, who are subject to Article 49(2)(a)-(d) ) in the Order (all such persons are collectively referred to as "Relevant Persons"). Persons who are not Relevant Persons may not act on or rely on the information in this communication. An investment or investment measure referred to in this communication is only possible for Relevant Persons and will only be completed with Relevant Persons. Persons who disseminate this communication must themselves ensure that such dissemination is permitted.
Forward-looking statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements that refer to the Company's intentions, assessments or expectations regarding the Company's future results, financial position, liquidity, development, prospects, expected growth, strategies and opportunities as well as the markets in which the Company operates. Forward-looking statements are statements that do not relate to historical facts and can be identified by the inclusion of expressions such as "believes", "expects", "anticipates", "intends", "estimates", "will", "may", "assumes", "should" "could" and, in each case, negations thereof, or similar expressions. The forward-looking statements in this press release are based on various assumptions, which in several cases are based on additional assumptions. Although the Company believes that the assumptions reflected in these forward-looking statements are reasonable, there can be no assurance that they will occur or that they are accurate. As these assumptions are based on assumptions or estimates and are subject to risks and uncertainties, the actual result or outcome may, for many different reasons, differ materially from what appears in the forward-looking statements.
Such risks, uncertainties, contingencies, and other material factors may cause actual events to differ materially from the expectations expressed or implied in this press release through the forward-looking statements. The Company does not warrant that the assumptions underlying the forward-looking statements in this press release are correct and any reader of the press release should not place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements in this press release. The information, opinions and forward-looking statements expressed or implied herein are provided only as of the date of this press release and are subject to change. Neither the Company nor anyone else undertakes to revise, update, confirm or publicly announce any revision of any forward-looking statement to reflect events occurring or circumstances occurring with respect to the contents of this press release, except as required by law or Nasdaq First North Growth Markets' regulations for issuers.
