OSLO, NORWAY– 11 May 2023 – The Annual General Meeting (AGM) of Zwipe AS was held Thursday 11 May 2023 at 10:00 (CEST). All the items on the agenda were addressed and approved. Attached are the minutes of the Annual General Meeting. The attendants of the AGM represented 25.99% of the votes in the company.
######
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.
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 16:00 on 11 May 2023.
######
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 16:00 on 11 May 2023.
For more information, please contact
Danielle Glenn
CFO and Head of IR, Zwipe AS
E-mail: ir@zwipe.com
OSLO, NORWAY – 25 April 2023 – During the first quarter, Zwipe continued to see positive interest in bringing biometric payment and access control cards to markets globally.
Significant events during the period
Significant events after the period
Operational review
The most significant event in Q1 2023 was the successful completion of the rights issue, with Zwipe securing approximately 100 mNOK in new capital that will be used to accelerate go-to-market strategy and commercialization of Zwipe Pay and Zwipe Access solutions.
The first quarter saw Zwipe continue to expand our pipeline of SCMs and go-to-market partners by signing Wahyukartu in Indonesia, Unicard in Saudi Arabia, Antworks Money in India, and TBHP in Vietnam – all representing expanded geographic potential for Zwipe in bringing biometric payment cards to new markets. The company also continued to make progress carrying out pilot projects in the active execution phase. Some issuers are now communicating to Zwipe’s SCM customers that they will move directly to soft launch rather than undertaking pilot projects, something which should see more immediate revenue results for Zwipe. On the technology side, mobile enrolment solutions for Android and iOS were released on Apple’s AppStore and Google Play and Zwipe also released our Software Development Toolkit (SDK) for customers and partners.
While Zwipe continues to see strong interest in BPCs and the use case remains convincing, the pace of pilot launches and market adoption continues to be slower than Zwipe or other players in the market expected. That said, Zwipe remains convinced that the material benefits of BPCs remain clear for all and that market adoption will happen soon.
While progress with Zwipe Pay has been slower than desired, the first quarter saw tangible progress and excitement for Zwipe Access. Our North American partner Civix launched a Proof-of-Concept (“POC”) project at Richmond International Airport, carried out in conjunction with National Safe Skies Alliance, Inc. Also in North America, Zwipe signed a significant partnership agreement with CardLogix, a smart card provider that already provides access control solutions to our target end customers and is now adding Zwipe’s biometric solution to their portfolio. The company attended ISC West in March and came away from the event with 20+ qualified leads and potential partners, ranging from system integrators to security engineering companies to direct end customers. The first quarter also saw Zwipe make significant progress with Swedish and broader Nordic partners, aiming to reach Nordic enterprises with high security needs.
The above developments in the USA and Nordics translate into 15+ access control proof of concept projects targeted to be executed in the coming months at end-user sites. While it is too early to estimate immediate revenue potential from these engagements, Zwipe believes the bigger picture revenue potential is substantial.
Commercial priorities for 2023 remain unchanged, but the company has substantially reduced our planned expenditures for 2023. This should prolong funding towards the commercial inflection point and keep the average net monthly burn rate lower than 2022.
Financial review
Zwipe reported total revenue of 1.7 mNOK during Q1 2023 compared to revenue of 0.6 mNOK in Q1 2022. After adjusting for transaction costs related to fundraising, cash flow from operations was –24.7 mNOK versus –25.4 mNOK in Q1 2022, equating to an underlying average monthly operating cash flow in Q1 2023 of –8.2 mNOK versus –8.5 mNOK in the same period last year. With the successful completion of the rights issue, cash and cash equivalents stood at 121.9 mNOK at the end Q1 2023 compared to 130.6 mNOK at the end of Q1 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, Tuesday April 25th, at 10:00 CET.
Audiocast details
Date: 25 April 2023
Time: 10:00 CET
Format: Audiocast and Q&A
Language: English
Link: https://app.webinar.net/OEXe514K1L4
########
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 25 April 2023.
########
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
OSLO, NORWAY - 24 April 2023 - The Board of Directors of Zwipe AS (the "Company") call for the Annual General Meeting ("AGM") to be held on 11 May 2023 at 10:00 CEST. The general meeting will be held as a digital meeting on Microsoft Teams.
Please find enclosed the notice of the AGM. The notice and Zwipe's Annual Report for 2022 are available on the Company's website, https://zwipe.com/investors.
Shareholders who wish to attend the AGM in person or by proxy or vote in advance are encouraged to register this electronically by following the link on the Company’s website https://zwipe.com/investors/general-meetings, via VPS Investor Services, by sending a signed version of the form attached to the notice by e-mail to genf@dnb.no, or by ordinary mail to: DNB Bank ASA, Registrars Department, Postboks 1600 Sentrum, NO-0021 Oslo. Notification of attendance, proxy or advance votes must be registered online or received by DNB Bank ASA, Registrars Department by 16:00 hours CEST on 10 May 2023.
In order to be invited to the meeting, Zwipe's administration will need to have the shareholder's email address in advance. Shareholders must after having registered their attendance also register their email address by sending an email to ir@zwipe.com prior to 16:00 hours CEST on 10 May 2023.
The Board of Directors (the "Board") has proposed the following agenda:
1. Opening of the annual general meeting by the chair. Registration of meeting shareholders
2. Election of a meeting chairperson and person to co-sign the minutes together with the chairperson
3. Approval of the notice and the agenda
4. Report by the management on the Company
5. Approval of the annual report and financial statements for 2022 for the Company and the group
6. Remuneration to the auditor
7. Election of members to the Board
8. Remuneration to the Board and the members of the nomination committee
9. Proposal on implementing a new incentive program towards the Company's employees and key personnel
10. Proposals on authorizations to the Board on capital increase
Proposed decisions from the Board
Matter no. 5: Approval of the annual report and financial statements for 2022 for the Company and the Group
The Board proposes that the annual report and financial statements for 2022 for the Company and the Group are approved.
Matter no. 6: Remuneration to the auditor
The Board proposes that the auditor's fees are paid as per accounts rendered.
Matter no. 7: Election of members to the Board
Subject to the AGM's approval, the Board for the period from the AGM in 2023 until the AGM in 2025 will comprise:
Mini-CVs for Christina Örn and David Chew have been included in the report from the Nomination Committee.
Matter no. 8: Remuneration to the members of the Board and the members of the Nomination Committee
The Nomination Committee makes the following recommendation:
Fees to the Board for the period from the AGM in 2022 until the AGM in 2022 were resolved by the AGM on 23 May 2022.
Fees to the Board for the period from the AGM in 2023 until the AGM in 2024 is suggested as follows:
As to remuneration, the Nomination Committee proposes that no remuneration is paid to the members of the Nomination Committee.
Matter no. 9: Proposal on implementing a new incentive program towards the Company's employees and key personnel
The Company's compensation committee has in cooperation with specialists on incentive programmes in the Swedish company Novare Pay Consulting assessed the various aspects of the current SIP program, including the taxation of the options. Based on its assessments and input from Novare, the Compensation Committee has presented a new proposal for a long-term incentive scheme directed towards the Company's leading employees and other key personnel in the form of so-called restricted share units ("RSUs").
The main rationale behind the proposal of the RSU plan is to create a long-term ownership, being expected to stimulate an increased interest in the business and performance development. The Board believes that it is in the interests of all shareholders that executive personnel and other key employees who are important for the Company's development, have a long-term interest in a positive development of the Company's share price.
The vesting period for the RSUs is four years from award. RSUs will only vest if the average annual total shareholder return during the vesting period exceeds 10%. Vested RSUs will be settled in shares at vesting, where one RSU gives the right to one share. The Company will be entitled to settle vested RSUs in each instance with a cash settlement. The Board proposes that a maximum of 1,076,230 RSUs may be granted to participants in the RSU plan, which corresponds to a maximum dilution of approximately 1.8% percent of outstanding shares in the Company.
Based on the assumptions that all RSUs under RSU plan are granted and vested, a share price of NOK 10.4 at the time of settlement of the RSUs and an average percentage for social security contributions of 20%, the total costs for the program including social security contributions, is expected to amount to approximately NOK 6.3 million whereof NOK 2.2 million refers to social security contributions.
The RSU plan is suggested to replace the current option plan. Following resolution to adopt the RSU plan, no more options will be granted to employees. However, already granted stock options may be exercised.
Matter no. 10: Proposal on authorizations to the Board on capital increase
The Board proposes that two new authorizations for the Board on capital increases are issued, (i) to fulfil the Company's incentive programs and (ii) to strengthen the Company's equity.
The Board proposes that the AGM adopts the following resolution:
1. Authorization for capital increase to fulfill the Company's incentive programs
The Board is hereby granted authorization to increase the share capital of the company on one or several occasions, with up to NOK 293,038.80 (2 930 388 new shares), equivalent to approximately 5.0% of the registered share capital at the time of this resolution.
2. Authorization for capital increase to strengthen the Company's equity
The Board proposes that the AGM renews the authorization to the Board to issue shares corresponding to up to 15% of the share capital, and the new authorization shall be restricted to issue shares to strengthen the Company's equity to the extent the Board considers this to be in the Company's best interest at the given time.
The Board is hereby granted authorization to increase the share capital of Zwipe AS with up to NOK 876,206.00 (8,762,060 new shares) on one or several occasions. The authorization may be used to issue shares to strengthen the Company's equity to the extent the Board considers this to be in the Company's best interest at the given time.
For more information, please contact:
Danielle Glenn, CFO and Head of IR
Tel: +47 909 98 201 and e-mail: danielle@zwipe.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 http://www.zwipe.com.
########
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 19:00 CEST on 24 April 2023.
OSLO, NORWAY – 24 April 2023 – Zwipe AS will publish its Q1 2023 operational update report on 25 April 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: 25 April 2023
Time: 10:00 CET
Format: Audiocast and Q&A
Language: English
Link: https://app.webinar.net/OEXe514K1L4
###
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
ir@zwipe.com
OSLO, NORWAY – 14 April 2023 - Zwipe AS (“Zwipe” or “the Company”) has decided to change the date of its Annual General Meeting (“AGM”). The company has previously communicated that its 2023 AGM would be held on 27 April 2023. The AGM will instead be held on 11 May 2023.
Zwipe has planned for its 2023 AGM to be held on 27 April 2023 and has, in accordance with applicable regulations, communicated this planned date to the public. One key preparation for the AGM of a listed Norwegian company is for the Nomination Committee to prepare a number of proposals for the AGM to consider and resolve upon. One such proposal relates to the appointment of board members. The Nomination Committee’s proposals are to be included in the notice to the AGM. Zwipe has been informed by its Nomination Committee that this work has not yet been concluded. Zwipe has decided to change the planned date of the AGM to allow the Nomination Committee to conclude its important work. The new planned date of the AGM is 11 May 2023. Notice and relevant information will be submitted in due course, as governed by the relevant regulations and by Zwipe’s Articles of Association.
########
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.
########
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 14:00 CET on 14 April 2023.
########
For more information, please contact:
Danielle Glenn, CFO and Head of IR
E-mail: ir@zwipe.com
OSLO, NORWAY and HANOI, VIETNAM – 12 APRIL 2023 – TBHP Co Ltd., one of the largest bureau and service providers of cards in Vietnam, has partnered with Zwipe to launch biometric payment cards in Vietnam. With this partnership, Zwipe will provide commercialization support, expertise and technical guidance to help TBHP integrate biometric payment cards into its portfolio.
TBHP is a leading provider of barcode, magnetic and smart card applications and has provision of access control and security systems. The collaboration will allow both companies to develop and leverage the growing market opportunities in Vietnam for biometric on-card payment solutions.
Commenting on this partnership Hoang Nguyen Duc, CEO, TBHP said, “Over the past years, there has been a growing awareness of biometric payment cards in Vietnam. We are sure that this partnership will let issuers and consumers embrace biometric payment cards as they provide an excellent check-out experience with much higher security. Zwipe Pay will bring strong differentiation and value uplift to our card portfolio.”
Under this partnership, Zwipe Pay- based biometric cards will be delivered by Zwipe's partner TBHP in the region.
“The interest in adopting biometric payment cards is growing steadily in the APAC market. We are happy to partner with TBHP as we are confident that this alliance will further accelerate the deployment of biometric payment cards. With this partnership, Zwipe’s unique biometric payment card platform and enrolment solutions will be made available to banks and financial institutions in Vietnam, a dynamic and growing market for payments in Asia,” said Alex Chung, Vice President & General Manager for Asia Pacific, Zwipe.
About TBHP
TBHP Co Ltd. is a diversified 100% privately owned trading company with 20 years of experience supplying some of the biggest banks in Vietnam. Among the services and expertise, the company offers logistics management, technical consultancy, efficient and technologically superior equipment maintenance, training and technology transfer. By doing so TBHP enhances the intrinsic and extrinsic value of its product and services.
To learn more, please visit www.tbhp.vn
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 – 31 MARCH 2023 - Reference is made to the stock exchange announcement published by Zwipe AS (the "Company") on 21 March 2023 regarding the final result of the fully guaranteed rights issue of 20,862,047 new shares in the Company (the "Offer Shares"), at a subscription price of NOK 4.80 per share, raising gross proceeds of NOK 100,137,825.60 (the "Rights Issue").
The share capital increase pertaining to the Offer Shares has now been registered with the Norwegian Register of Business Enterprises (Nw. Foretaksregisteret). The Company's new share capital is NOK 5,841,373.20 divided into 58,413,732 shares, each with a nominal value of NOK 0.10.
#######
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 above, at 10:00 CEST on 31 March 2023.
########
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 further information, please contact:
Danielle Glenn, CFO and Head of IR
E-mail: ir@zwipe.com
OSLO, NORWAY – 30 March 2023 – Zwipe AS ("Zwipe" or "the company") has today released its Annual Report 2022, including the Board of Directors report and financial statements. The report and annual accounts were approved by the Board of Directors after the close of business on 29th of March 2023. The 2022 Annual Report is attached to this release and available at https://www.zwipe.com/investors/reports.
Significant events 2022
2022 operational review
In 2022, Zwipe achieved several significant milestones and entered an “execution first” strategic phase. The company finalized technological development of the Zwipe Pay product and received both Visa and Mastercard certification, becoming the first biometric payment card platform available for sale on the open market to be certified by both major payment schemes.
A primary focus for the company in 2022 was executing our signed issuer pilots, with seven issuer pilot projects in the execution phase. During the second half, we implemented software changes related to biometric performance in Zwipe Pay cards and also updated our internal test procedures. These changes resulted in a more robust product and enhanced payment transaction experience that is expected to lead to faster completion of ongoing pilot projects as well as a significantly faster pace of new project launches in the coming quarters – with streamlined execution and commercial launch in all areas.
2022 also saw the company establish Zwipe Access as a separate business line with substantial revenue potential. We completed an important pilot project for Fraport AG at Frankfurt International Airport, with Zwipe shortlisted as an access control solutions provider when Fraport moves forward with its commercial tender process in 2023. We further reinforced our strong 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. The partnership with Civix is representative of our go-to-market strategy in access control to work with system integrator partners and distributors to bring our solution to market rapidly.
2022 financial review
Zwipe reported total revenues of 3.9 mNOK during 2022 vs. 2.5 mNOK in 2021, reflecting an underlying increase in Zwipe Pay revenues of 72%. Total operating expenses were 108.1 mNOK in 2022 compared to 85.5 mNOK in 2021. After adjusting for one-off, non-recurring costs in 2022 and receipt of a government grant in 2021, operating expenses increased to 102.2 mNOK in 2022 from 92.6 mNOK in 2021. Adjusted EBITDA was -96.4 mNOK in 2022 compared to -81.7 mNOK in 2021.
Underlying net cash use in operating activities in 2022 averaged 9.0 mNOK per month, an increase of 41% from 2021. This was mainly due to higher personnel costs, but non-recurring charges also inflated the 2022 monthly average burn rate and are not expected to continue.
On 31 December 2022, cash and equivalents were 50.5 mNOK, down from 152.3 mNOK at the end of 2021. Total equity at the end of the year was 54.6 mNOK, while total liabilities were 13.0 mNOK. This resulted in an equity ratio of 81%, down slightly from 91% at end 2021.
On 22 November 2022, Zwipe announced a rights issue raising approximately 100 mNOK in capital, with the transaction now being completed. The rights issue was fully guaranteed through a combination of subscription commitments and underwriting commitments from the three largest shareholders in Zwipe. It was carried out in order to strengthen the company’s financial position and enable the transition from start-up to scale-up and achieve larger-scale commercialization. The fundraising will ensure the Group has sufficient working capital for the period covering at least 12 months from the date of close.
Conclusion and going forward
Zwipe ended the year on a positive note with sequential quarterly growth of 172% in Q4 revenue and the single largest commercial order in a quarter to date. There is reason to believe that the markets for Zwipe Pay and Zwipe Access are nearing an inflection point for increased commercial adoption of biometric technology solutions. Zwipe has good commercial traction, and expects more positive news flow in coming quarters. Our goals for 2023 include: executing the technology roadmap, completing the current R&D projects and maturing Zwipe technology to meet evolving demands; accelerating go-to-market for Zwipe's solutions to achieve large commercial scale; increasing our customer pipeline; supporting our SCM customers in becoming certified and mass production ready; executing more pilot projects in a streamlined manner; and continuing to invest intelligently in people and technology.
The aforementioned actions are expected to lead to positive business outcomes in 2023.
###
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 30 March 2023.
###
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 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
OSLO NORWAY and CALIFORNIA, USA – 28 March 2023 – CardLogix, a global supplier of smart cards for authentication, encryption, biometric and other card operating systems has partnered with biometric cards pioneer Zwipe as its technology partner in pursuing the global market opportunities for biometric access cards.
With the disruptive Zwipe Access platform, CardLogix will be able to deliver highly advanced and secure biometric card products that are also exceedingly user-friendly.
According to Sebastien Goulet, CEO of CardLogix, “We are excited about the opportunity that this innovative technology represents. The biometric solution provided by Zwipe combines breakthrough technologies and is the ideal platform for the next generation of highly secure access, ID cards and CardLogix biometric solutions.”
According to the partnership, CardLogix will provide secure loading of smart credentials for Zwipe’s BSoC access cards.
“We are happy that Zwipe is a part of this collaboration. What adds significance to this partnership is the value that CardLogix will deliver to our US customers and the availability for them of our leading-edge biometric access cards. 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 across North America.” says Robert Puskaric, President and CEO of Zwipe.
About CardLogix
CardLogix, based in Rancho Santa Margarita, California, USA, is a smart card & biometric solution provider, software developer, and the premier provider of smart card components with a comprehensive line of Software Development Kits (SDK), tools that enable swift card or biometric project development. Since 1998, CardLogix has supplied millions of cards and card components to over 84 countries around the world. As an expert in smart card and chip technology, card operating systems, card software, biometric enrollment, validation, verification, development tools, and middleware, CardLogix has continuously been at the forefront of smart card and biometric technology offering all types of solutions.
Please send media inquiries at sales@cardlogix.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 - 08 September 2020- The board of directors of Zwipe AS call for an Extraordinary General Meeting to be held on 29 September 2020 at 10:00 CET.
Please find enclosed the notice of the Extraordinary General Meeting.
Notice of attendance, in person or by proxy, shall be given no later than 28 September 2020 at 16:00 CET. Shareholders are encouraged to register via the following link here.
Alternatively, the attached form may be sent by e-mail to genf@dnb.no, or regular post to DNB Bank ASA, Verdipapirservice, NO-0021 Oslo.
The board of directors (the "Board") has proposed the following agenda:
Proposed decisions from the Board and the Nomination Committee (extracts only, please see the attachments to the notice for the full proposals)
Matter no. 4: Approval of capital increase directed against the chair of the Board
The general meeting resolved to approve the board's use of the authorization to increase the share capital to strengthen the Company's equity to issue and allocate shares to the chair of the board of directors in the board meeting on 7 September 2020.
Matter no. 5: Proposal to issue a new authorization to the Board to strengthen the Company's equity
As the Board has used the registered authorization to strengthen the Company's equity to complete the Private Placement, the Board proposes that the general meeting resolves to issue a new authorization to the board to increase the Company's equity (including to facilitate for a potential repair issue).
The board of directors is hereby granted authorization to increase the company's share capital, on one or several occasions, with up to NOK 319,065.80 (3,190,658 new shares), equivalent to 10% of the share capital after the Private Placement has been completed.
The authorization may be used to issue shares to strengthen the company's equity to the extent the board of directors considers this to be in the company's best interest at the given time.
Matter no. 6: Proposal to amend the provision in the articles of association on notice period for the general meeting
The notice period to the general meeting (ordinary and extraordinary) is 7 days, from 21 days in the company’s articles of association prior to this meeting.
###
About Zwipe
Zwipe is pioneering the next generation contactless payments experience, providing biometric payment cards and wearables that enable consumers to authorize transactions with their fingerprints without compromising their privacy. Together with an ecosystem of partners including global brands within digital security and financial services, Zwipe is "Making Convenience Safe & Secure" for banks, merchants and consumers. Zwipe's solutions address the hygiene and data theft pitfalls inherent in traditional authentication methods. Headquartered in Oslo, Norway, with a global presence, Zwipe is leading the next great shift in payments from contactless to contact free. To learn more, visit www.zwipe.com
For more information, please contact:
Lars Kristian Solheim, CFO
+47 991 661 35
This is information that Zwipe AS is obligated to make public pursuant to the continuing obligations of companies admitted to trading on Oslo Børs Merkur Market and on Nasdaq First North Growth Market. Certified Adviser on Nasdaq First North is FNCA Sweden AB, info@fnca.se, +46 (0)8528 00 399. The information was submitted for publication, through the agency of the contact person set out below, at 15:20 CET on 08 September 2020.
NOT FOR RELEASE, PUBLICATION OR DISTRIBUTION, IN WHOLE OR IN PART DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, IN AUSTRALIA, CANADA, JAPAN OR THE UNITED STATES OR ANY OTHER JURISDICTION IN WHICH THE RELEASE, PUBLICATION OR DISTRIBUTION WOULD BE UNLAWFUL. THIS ANNOUNCEMENT DOES NOT CONSTITUTE AN OFFER OF ANY OF THE SECURITIES DESCRIBED HEREIN. PLEASE SEE THE IMPORTANT NOTICE AT THE END OF THE PRESS RELEASE.
OSLO, NORWAY – 07 September 2020 – Reference is made to the stock exchange release from Zwipe AS (“Zwipe” or the “Company”) published earlier this evening regarding a contemplated private placement.
The Company is pleased to announce that it has raised approximately NOK 96 million in gross proceeds through a private placement (the "Private Placement") of 6,381,315 new shares (the "New Shares"), at a price of NOK 15 per share. The Private Placement took place through an accelerated book building process managed by retained Arctic Securities AS and Erik Penser Bank AB (publ) as joint bookrunners (together the "Managers") after close of markets on 7 September 2020. The Offer Shares were placed to international institutional investors and existing shareholders of the Company.
The net proceeds of the Private Placement will be used to fund further development and commercialization of the Company, general operating cost and strategic investments.
André Løvestam, CEO of Zwipe said: "After completion of this private placement, Zwipe is funded through commercial launches in 2021 and beyond based on the current business plan and market assumptions. We now look forward to taking a leading role in the biometric payment space and embarking on a long journey of value creation for our customers, our shareholders and society at large.”
Jörgen Lantto, chairman of the board of directors of Zwipe (“the Board”) said: “We are humble and proud to receive overwhelming support from high quality international and Nordic institutional investors, considerably strengthening our shareholder base. In particular, the new funding will allow the company to further accelerate our commercial activities to cater for the strong demand from smart card manufacturers and card issuers for Zwipe Pay ONE, our new technology platform for biometric payment cards”.
The payment date for the Offer Shares will be on or about 10 September 2020, with delivery of the Offer Shares expected on or about 14 September 2020. The Offer Shares will be tradable following the registration of the share capital increase in the Norwegian Register of Business Enterprises expected to take place on or about 14 September 2020, and trading is expected to commence simultaneously at Merkur Market and Nasdaq First North Growth Market on or about 14 September 2020.
The completion of the Private Placement was subject to approval by the Board pursuant to an authorisation to increase the share capital given by the annual general meeting held on 14 May 2020.
Following registration of the new share capital pertaining to the Private Placement, the Company will have 31,906,576 shares outstanding, each with a par value of NOK 0.10.
Primary insider Jörgen Lantto, chairman of the Company, was allocated 333,333 shares in the Private Placement. Mr. Lantto's shareholding after completion of the rights issue will be 866,666 shares. The allocation of shares to Jörgen Lantto is subject to shareholder approval at an extraordinary general meeting.
Primary insider Energetic AS, owned by André Løvestam, CEO of Zwipe, was allocated 20,000 shares in the Private Placement. Following this transaction, André Løvestam owns 500,000 shares in the Company through Energetic AS.
Primary insider Lars Kristian Solheim, CFO of Zwipe, was allocated 20,000 shares in the Private Placement. Following this transaction, Lars Kristian Solheim owns 90,000 shares in the Company.
Primary insider Bishwajit Choudhary, EVP of Strategy and Channels of Zwipe, was allocated 20,000 shares in the Private Placement. Following this transaction, Bishwajit Choudhary owns 25,500 shares in the Company.
Primary insider Dr. Robert Mueller, CTO of Zwipe, was allocated 20,000 shares in the Private Placement. Following this transaction, Dr. Robert Mueller owns 48,572 shares in the Company.
Primary insider Eric Mercer, CEO of Zwipe America Inc., was allocated 5,500 shares in the Private Placement. Following this transaction, Eric Mercer owns 5 500 shares in the Company.
The Board will shortly call for an extraordinary general meeting, to be held on or about 29 September 2020 (“the EGM”), which will be requested, inter alia, to make a new authorisation to the Board to issue shares to strengthen the Company's equity. Provided that the EGM provides the authorisation, it is the Board's intention to use this to carry out a subsequent offering of up to NOK 15 million / 1,000,000 shares towards shareholders of the Company as of 7 September 2020 (as registered in the VPS and Euroclear Sweden AB) who (i) were not allocated Offer Shares in the Private Placement, and (ii) are not resident in a jurisdiction where such offering would be unlawful, or would (in jurisdictions other than Norway and Sweden) require any prospectus, filing, registration or similar action. Such shareholders will be granted non-transferable subscription rights to subscribe for, and, upon subscription, be allocated new shares. One subscription right will entitle the holder to subscribe for one share in the Subsequent Offering. Oversubscription and subscription without rights will be allowed. The subscription price in the Subsequent Offering will be the same as the subscription price in the Private Placement. The Subsequent Offering will, if approved, commence after a prospectus describing the Subsequent Offering has been approved by the Financial Supervisory Authority of Norway. The Board may at its discretion decide not to proceed with the Subsequent Offering.
The Board has considered the offering of new shares in Private Placement in light of the equal treatment obligations under the Continuing obligations of companies admitted to trading on Merkur Market and Oslo Børs' Circular no. 2/2014, and is of the opinion that the contemplated transaction is in compliance with these requirements. The Board of Directors concluded that the waiver of the preferential rights inherent in a private placement was considered necessary in the interest of time and successful completion of the share issue. The Private Placement will allow the Company to raise capital faster, with a lower discount and with significantly lower transaction costs than what a rights issue would entail, and it will also allow for the Company to strengthen its shareholder base to the benefit of the shareholders and the Company. On this basis, and based on an assessment of the current equity markets, the Board has considered the Private Placement to be in the common interest of the Company and its shareholders. As a consequence of the Private Placement structure, the shareholders' preferential rights will be deviated from.
Advokatfirmaet Simonsen Vogt Wiig AS is acting as legal advisor to Zwipe with respect to Norwegian law, White & Case Advokat AB and Kanter Advokatbyrå KB are acting as legal advisor with respect to Swedish law.
About Zwipe
Zwipe is pioneering the next generation contactless payments experience, providing biometric payment cards and wearables that enable consumers to authorize transactions with their fingerprints without compromising their privacy. Together with an ecosystem of partners including global brands within digital security and financial services, Zwipe is "Making Convenience Safe & Secure" for banks, merchants and consumers. Zwipe's solutions address the hygiene and data theft pitfalls inherent in traditional authentication methods. Headquartered in Oslo, Norway, with a global presence, Zwipe is leading the next great shift in payments from contactless to contact free. To learn more, visit www.zwipe.com
For further information please contact: André Løvestam, CEO, +47 991 66 135 ir@zwipe.com
This is information that Zwipe AS is obliged to make public pursuant to the Continuing obligations of companies admitted to trading on Oslo Børs Merkur Market, Nasdaq First North Growth Market and the EU Market Abuse Regulation. Certified Adviser on Nasdaq First North is FNCA Sweden AB, info@fnca.se, +46 (0) 8 528 00 399. The information was submitted for publication, through the agency of the contact person set out above, at 23:50 CET on 7 September 2020.
###
This release is issued for information purposes only, and does not constitute or form a part of any offer or solicitation to purchase or subscribe for securities in the United States, or any other jurisdiction in which such distribution would be unlawful or would require registration or other measures. The securities mentioned herein have not been, and will not be, registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "US Securities Act"). The securities may not be offered or sold in the United States except pursuant to an exemption from the registration requirements of the US Securities Act. The Company does not intend to register any portion of the offering of the securities in the United States or to conduct a public offering of the securities in the United States. Copies of this announcement are not being made and may not be distributed or sent into Australia, Canada, Japan or the United States.
The issue, subscription or purchase of shares in the Company is subject to specific legal or regulatory restrictions in certain jurisdictions. Neither the Company nor the Managers assume any responsibility in the event there is a violation by any person of such restrictions.
The distribution of this release may in certain jurisdictions be restricted by law. Persons into whose possession this release comes should inform themselves about and observe any such restrictions. Any failure to comply with these restrictions may constitute a violation of the securities laws of any such jurisdiction.
The Managers are acting for the Company and no one else in connection with the Private Placement and will not be responsible to anyone other than the Company providing the protections afforded to their respective clients or for providing advice in relation to the Private Placement and/or any other matter referred to in this release.
Forward-looking statements: This release and any materials distributed in connection with this release may contain certain forward-looking statements. By their nature, forward-looking statements involve risk and uncertainty because they reflect the Company's current expectations and assumptions as to future events and circumstances that may not prove accurate. A number of material factors could cause actual results and developments to differ materially from those expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements.
NOT FOR RELEASE, PUBLICATION OR DISTRIBUTION, IN WHOLE OR IN PART DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, IN AUSTRALIA, CANADA, JAPAN OR THE UNITED STATES OR ANY OTHER JURISDICTION IN WHICH THE RELEASE, PUBLICATION OR DISTRIBUTION WOULD BE UNLAWFUL. THIS ANNOUNCEMENT DOES NOT CONSTITUTE AN OFFER OF ANY OF THE SECURITIES DESCRIBED HEREIN. PLEASE SEE THE IMPORTANT NOTICE AT THE END OF THE PRESS RELEASE.
OSLO, NORWAY – 07 September 2020 – Zwipe AS (“Zwipe” or the “Company”) has retained Arctic Securities AS and Erik Penser Bank AB (publ) as joint bookrunners (the "Managers") to advise on and effect a private placement of up to 6,381,315 new shares (the “Offer Shares”) equal to 25% of the outstanding shares in the Company, directed towards Norwegian and international investors, in each case subject to and in compliance with applicable exemptions from relevant registration, filing and prospectus requirements, and subject to other applicable selling restrictions (the "Private Placement"). The Managers have prior to launch received indications of demand covering the transaction size.
Jörgen Lantto, chair of the Company’s Board of directors (“the Board”), has committed to subscribe for new shares in the Private Placement for a subscription amount of NOK 5 million, subject to approval by an extraordinary general meeting in the Company to be convened shortly after allocation of the Private Placement (the "EGM").
André Løvestam, CEO, Lars Kristian Solheim, CFO, Bishwajit Choudhary, EVP of Strategy and Channels, and Dr. Robert Mueller, CTO, have all committed to subscribe for 20 000 new shares each in the Private Placement. Eric Mercer, CEO of Zwipe America Inc, has committed to subscribe for 5 500 new shares in the Private Placement.
The net proceeds of the Private Placement will be used to fund further development and commercialization of the Company, general operating costs and strategic investments. After completion of this private placement, Zwipe is funded through commercial launches in 2021 and beyond based on the current business plan and market assumptions.
The subscription price and number of Offer Shares to be issued in the Private Placement will be determined by the Board following an accelerated book building process. The minimum application and allocation amount have been set to the NOK equivalent of EUR 100,000. The Company may however, at its sole discretion, allocate an amount below EUR 100,000 to the extent applicable exemptions from the prospectus requirement pursuant to the EU Prospectus Regulation (as implemented in Norway by the Norwegian Securities Trading Act and through similar legislation in other EEA states) are available.
The book building period for the Private Placement commences today at 17:30 CEST and closes 7 September 2020 at 21:00 CEST. The Managers and the Company may, however, at any time resolve to close or extend the book building period, or cancel the Private Placement, at their sole discretion and on short notice. If the book building period is shortened or extended, any other dates referred to herein may be amended accordingly. Allocation of the Offer Shares will be determined at the end of the book building period, and the final allocation will be made by the Board at its sole discretion, following advice from the Managers. Notice of allocation of Offer Shares is expected to be sent to the investors on or about 8 September 2020.
The payment date for the Offer Shares will be on or about 10 September 2020, with delivery of the Offer Shares expected on or about 14 September 2020. The Offer Shares will be tradable following the registration of the share capital increase in the Norwegian Register of Business Enterprises expected to take place on or about 14 September 2020, and trading is expected to commence simultaneously at Merkur Market and Nasdaq First North Growth Market on or about 14 September 2020.
The completion of the Private Placement is subject to approval by the Board of the Company pursuant to an authorization to increase the share capital given by the annual general meeting held on 14 May 2020.
The Board has considered the offering of new shares in Private Placement in light of the equal treatment obligations under the Continuing obligations of companies admitted to trading on Merkur Market and Oslo Børs' Circular no. 2/2014, and is of the opinion that the contemplated transaction is in compliance with these requirements. The Board of Directors concluded that the waiver of the preferential rights inherent in a private placement was considered necessary in the interest of time and successful completion of the share issue. The Private Placement will allow the Company to raise capital faster, with a lower discount and with significantly lower transaction costs than what a rights issue would entail, and it will also allow for the Company to broaden its shareholder base to the benefit of the shareholders and the Company. On this basis, and based on an assessment of the current equity markets, the Board has considered the Private Placement to be in the common interest of the Company and its shareholders. As a consequence of the Private Placement structure, the shareholders' preferential rights will be deviated from.
The Private Placement is directed towards investors subject to applicable exemptions from relevant prospectus requirements (i) outside the United States in reliance on Regulation S under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended, (the “US Securities Act”) and (ii) in the United States to "accredited investors" as defined in the US Securities Act Rule 501(a), acquiring the Offer Shares for investment purposes for its own account, or pursuant to another exemption from the registration requirements of the US Securities Act.
The Board will consider to carry out a subsequent offering of new shares in the Company (the “Subsequent Offering”) which, subject to applicable securities laws, will be directed towards existing shareholders in the Company as of 7 September 2020 (as registered in the VPS and Euroclear Sweden AB on 9 September 2020) who (i) were not allocated Offer Shares in the Private Placement, and (ii) are not resident in a jurisdiction where such offering would be unlawful, or would (in jurisdictions other than Norway and Sweden) require any prospectus, filing, registration or similar action. The subscription price in a potential Subsequent Offering will be equal to the subscription price in the Private Placement.
Existing shareholders that participate in the Private Placement will irrevocably undertake to vote for their shares in favor of the resolution(s) proposed at the EGM to issue shares to Jörgen Lantto and the potential Subsequent Offering.
Advokatfirmaet Simonsen Vogt Wiig AS is acting as legal advisor to Zwipe with respect to Norwegian law, and White & Case Advokat AB and Kanter Advokatbyrå KB are acting as legal advisors with respect to Swedish law.
About Zwipe
Zwipe is pioneering the next generation contactless payments experience, providing biometric payment cards and wearables that enable consumers to authorize transactions with their fingerprints without compromising their privacy. Together with an ecosystem of partners including global brands within digital security and financial services, Zwipe is "Making Convenience Safe & Secure" for banks, merchants and consumers. Zwipe's solutions address the hygiene and data theft pitfalls inherent in traditional authentication methods. Headquartered in Oslo, Norway, with a global presence, Zwipe is leading the next great shift in payments from contactless to contact free. To learn more visit www.zwipe.com
For more information contact André Løvestam, CEO +47 991 66 135 ir@zwipe.com
This is information that Zwipe AS is obliged to make public pursuant to the Continuing obligations of companies admitted to trading on Oslo Børs Merkur Market, Nasdaq First North Growth Market and the EU Market Abuse Regulation. Certified Adviser on Nasdaq First North is FNCA Sweden AB, info@fnca.se, +46 (0) 8528 00 399. The information was submitted for publication, through the agency of the contact person set out above, at 17:40 CET on 7 September 2020.
###
This release is issued for information purposes only, and does not constitute or form a part of any offer or solicitation to purchase or subscribe for securities in the United States, or any other jurisdiction in which such distribution would be unlawful or would require registration or other measures. The securities mentioned herein have not been, and will not be, registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "US Securities Act"). The securities may not be offered or sold in the United States except pursuant to an exemption from the registration requirements of the US Securities Act. The Company does not intend to register any portion of the offering of the securities in the United States or to conduct a public offering of the securities in the United States. Copies of this announcement are not being made and may not be distributed or sent into Australia, Canada, Japan or the United States.
The issue, subscription or purchase of shares in the Company is subject to specific legal or regulatory restrictions in certain jurisdictions. Neither the Company nor the Managers assume any responsibility in the event there is a violation by any person of such restrictions.
The distribution of this release may in certain jurisdictions be restricted by law. Persons into whose possession this release comes should inform themselves about and observe any such restrictions. Any failure to comply with these restrictions may constitute a violation of the securities laws of any such jurisdiction.
The Managers are acting for the Company and no one else in connection with the Private Placement and will not be responsible to anyone other than the Company providing the protections afforded to their respective clients or for providing advice in relation to the Private Placement and/or any other matter referred to in this release.
Forward-looking statements: This release and any materials distributed in connection with this release may contain certain forward-looking statements. By their nature, forward-looking statements involve risk and uncertainty because they reflect the Company's current expectations and assumptions as to future events and circumstances that may not prove accurate. A number of material factors could cause actual results and developments to differ materially from those expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements.
OSLO, NORWAY – 27 August 2020, CET 09:40 – Zwipe AS today publishes its half-year report for H1 2020.
The update is with reference to the EU Market Abuse Regulations
Highlights for first half-year 2020 include:
Financials
Second Quarter
First Half Year
Significant events during the period
Significant actions after the period
CEO comment
The first half of 2020 has been very productive, and a period marked by progress and major achievements for Zwipe. At a time when the public is particularly attuned to the benefits of social distancing, the payment ecosystem has increasingly embraced the need for secure, contactless payment technologies. COVID-19 has been a game-changer for market acceptance of the need for truly touchless payment solutions such as those offered by Zwipe.
The year began with Zwipe successfully listing on Nasdaq’s First North Growth Market in Sweden, boosting liquidity and investor awareness through access to a broader investor community.
We continued building our end-to-end ecosystem, expanding our customer network globally, forging several new strategic technical partnerships, securing important orders and extending exclusive partnerships. All of this while continuing to make progress on our previously announced key projects, Zwipe Pay ONE with IDEMIA and IDEX, and the wearables project with Giesecke+Devrient (G+D).
The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has elevated the focus on safety and significantly increased the growth of contactless transactions. This, in turn has led to raised contactless transaction limits all over the world and has served to highlight the improved hygiene and safety benefits of biometric payments. During 2020, the first announcements of upcoming small-scale commercial launches of biometric payment cards to consumers have been made, proving that the industry is ready to start serving a mass market.
We believe we hold the key to the next step of broad-scale, high-volume adoption of biometric payment cards through our cooperation with IDEMIA on Zwipe Pay ONE, which will reduce manufacturing cost for biometric payment cards to a level that enables card issuers to start mass-volume deployment.
Consequently, we are doubling down our efforts to serve the market, with immediate results. As previously announced, we have an ongoing dialogue with more than 40 out of the world’s top 50 smart card manufacturers. During H1 2020 we have seen very good progress in our sales pipeline. We have announced that five new smart card manufacturers have decided to adopt Zwipe Pay ONE once it is available for early sampling, planned for later in 2020, and our prospect list and pipeline are continuously increasing. These are the clearest indications of demand for our solutions.
During the period we also began to engage directly with issuers and banks. Early insights suggest that a sizable number of consumers are willing to pay a meaningful monthly fee for biometric payment cards. We have been able to initiate fruitful engagements with multiple banks on how to profitably deploy biometric payment cards to consumers in large scale. This has strongly resonated across the payments and cards ecosystem, creating a wave of interest in what we uniquely offer to the marketplace.
Zwipe builds its competitive position on combining cost and performance leadership with our value-adding trusted advisor/systems integrator role. This combination is the cornerstone in Zwipe’s ambitions towards mass market deployments of Biometric Payment Cards and wearables.
In the second half of 2019 we streamlined costs and lasered in on core processes to achieve mass-volume market readiness for Zwipe. Our progress in recent months is proof that we are on the right path. Our technology partnership with IDEMIA has secured Zwipe world-wide, exclusive ownership to a disruptive technology platform with superior energy efficiency and excellent biometric performance, positioning Zwipe for cost- and technology leadership.
Leveraging the deep systems know-how of our organization, we are also teaming up with other component suppliers and manufacturing partners to further simplify adoption and reduce the total cost of Zwipe Pay ONE. I am excited by the results of these efforts, which secure our ability to meet the aggressive cost targets we have set for Zwipe Pay ONE. We remain on track with regards to the development of Zwipe Pay ONE, having met all significant milestones during the period. We are confident that our cost leadership strategy is enabling us to bring a very compelling offering to our customers, while laying the foundation for a sound long-term business and value creation for Zwipe as the market matures.
Thanks to the experience gained from being fully dedicated to Biometric Payment Cards from the outset, we are a trusted advisor to smart card manufacturers and card issuers, advising them on what is needed to launch Biometric Payment Cards including user experience and customer onboarding.
This comprehensive approach makes Zwipe stand-out in the crowd. Zwipe’s uniqueness is in the combination of our know-how, network, patents and technology. We make the entire process of evaluating, building, integrating, and deploying a biometric payment solution simple. We provide the components and build the inlays necessary for the smart card manufacturers. We are building an ecosystem of partners to enable card manufacturers and issuers a frictionless route to launching Biometric Payment Cards. This cooperative approach is central to supporting the growth of the overall Biometric Payment Card market, but also key to cementing Zwipe’s position and role. By giving banks and issuers, alongside our smart card manufacturing partners, a one-stop shop for the most cost effective and compelling route to launching an innovative, rapidly deployable contactless payment solution, we are building a commercial path that creates sustainable long-term value for our customers.
Cardholders and consumers around the world are demanding greater safety and security when paying for goods, and they want convenience too, which is the background for our mission of “making convenience safe and secure”. I am confident that we are on track to deliver on our mission and fulfil our pivotal role in supporting our many communities tackle the risks posed by COVID-19 at the point of sale.
###
This is information that Zwipe AS is obligated to make public pursuant to the continuing obligations of companies admitted to trading on Oslo Børs Merkur Market and on Nasdaq First North Growth Market and the EU Market Abuse Regulation. Certified Adviser on Nasdaq First North is FNCA Sweden AB, info@fnca.se, +46 (0)8528 00 399. The information was submitted for publication, through the agency of the contact person set out below, at 09:40 CET on 27 August 2020.
OSLO, NORWAY – 27 August 2020, CET 08:00 – Zwipe AS today publishes its half-year report for H1 2020.
Highlights for first half-year 2020 include:
Financials
Second Quarter
First Half Year
Significant events during the period
Significant actions after the period
CEO comment
The first half of 2020 has been very productive, and a period marked by progress and major achievements for Zwipe. At a time when the public is particularly attuned to the benefits of social distancing, the payment ecosystem has increasingly embraced the need for secure, contactless payment technologies. COVID-19 has been a game-changer for market acceptance of the need for truly touchless payment solutions such as those offered by Zwipe.
The year began with Zwipe successfully listing on Nasdaq’s First North Growth Market in Sweden, boosting liquidity and investor awareness through access to a broader investor community.
We continued building our end-to-end ecosystem, expanding our customer network globally, forging several new strategic technical partnerships, securing important orders and extending exclusive partnerships. All of this while continuing to make progress on our previously announced key projects, Zwipe Pay ONE with IDEMIA and IDEX, and the wearables project with Giesecke+Devrient (G+D).
The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has elevated the focus on safety and significantly increased the growth of contactless transactions. This, in turn has led to raised contactless transaction limits all over the world and has served to highlight the improved hygiene and safety benefits of biometric payments. During 2020, the first announcements of upcoming small-scale commercial launches of biometric payment cards to consumers have been made, proving that the industry is ready to start serving a mass market.
We believe we hold the key to the next step of broad-scale, high-volume adoption of biometric payment cards through our cooperation with IDEMIA on Zwipe Pay ONE, which will reduce manufacturing cost for biometric payment cards to a level that enables card issuers to start mass-volume deployment.
Consequently, we are doubling down our efforts to serve the market, with immediate results. As previously announced, we have an ongoing dialogue with more than 40 out of the world’s top 50 smart card manufacturers. During H1 2020 we have seen very good progress in our sales pipeline. We have announced that five new smart card manufacturers have decided to adopt Zwipe Pay ONE once it is available for early sampling, planned for later in 2020, and our prospect list and pipeline are continuously increasing. These are the clearest indications of demand for our solutions.
During the period we also began to engage directly with issuers and banks. Early insights suggest that a sizable number of consumers are willing to pay a meaningful monthly fee for biometric payment cards. We have been able to initiate fruitful engagements with multiple banks on how to profitably deploy biometric payment cards to consumers in large scale. This has strongly resonated across the payments and cards ecosystem, creating a wave of interest in what we uniquely offer to the marketplace.
Zwipe builds its competitive position on combining cost and performance leadership with our value-adding trusted advisor/systems integrator role. This combination is the cornerstone in Zwipe’s ambitions towards mass market deployments of Biometric Payment Cards and wearables.
In the second half of 2019 we streamlined costs and lasered in on core processes to achieve mass-volume market readiness for Zwipe. Our progress in recent months is proof that we are on the right path. Our technology partnership with IDEMIA has secured Zwipe world-wide, exclusive ownership to a disruptive technology platform with superior energy efficiency and excellent biometric performance, positioning Zwipe for cost- and technology leadership.
Leveraging the deep systems know-how of our organization, we are also teaming up with other component suppliers and manufacturing partners to further simplify adoption and reduce the total cost of Zwipe Pay ONE. I am excited by the results of these efforts, which secure our ability to meet the aggressive cost targets we have set for Zwipe Pay ONE. We remain on track with regards to the development of Zwipe Pay ONE, having met all significant milestones during the period. We are confident that our cost leadership strategy is enabling us to bring a very compelling offering to our customers, while laying the foundation for a sound long-term business and value creation for Zwipe as the market matures.
Thanks to the experience gained from being fully dedicated to Biometric Payment Cards from the outset, we are a trusted advisor to smart card manufacturers and card issuers, advising them on what is needed to launch Biometric Payment Cards including user experience and customer onboarding.
This comprehensive approach makes Zwipe stand-out in the crowd. Zwipe’s uniqueness is in the combination of our know-how, network, patents and technology. We make the entire process of evaluating, building, integrating, and deploying a biometric payment solution simple. We provide the components and build the inlays necessary for the smart card manufacturers. We are building an ecosystem of partners to enable card manufacturers and issuers a frictionless route to launching Biometric Payment Cards. This cooperative approach is central to supporting the growth of the overall Biometric Payment Card market, but also key to cementing Zwipe’s position and role. By giving banks and issuers, alongside our smart card manufacturing partners, a one-stop shop for the most cost effective and compelling route to launching an innovative, rapidly deployable contactless payment solution, we are building a commercial path that creates sustainable long-term value for our customers.
Cardholders and consumers around the world are demanding greater safety and security when paying for goods, and they want convenience too, which is the background for our mission of “making convenience safe and secure”. I am confident that we are on track to deliver on our mission and fulfil our pivotal role in supporting our many communities tackle the risks posed by COVID-19 at the point of sale.
###
This is information that Zwipe AS is obligated to make public pursuant to the continuing obligations of companies admitted to trading on Oslo Børs Merkur Market and on Nasdaq First North Growth Market. Certified Adviser on Nasdaq First North is FNCA Sweden AB, info@fnca.se, +46 (0)8528 00 399. The information was submitted for publication, through the agency of the contact person set out below, at 08:00 CET on 27 August 2020.
OSLO, NORWAY– August 20th, 2020 – Biometric fintech company Zwipe and Wisecard Technology, a leading supplier of EMV personalization and payment solutions, have partnered to support the industrialization of biometric payments solutions.
Headquartered in Shenzhen, China, Wisecard Technology Ltd. specializes in personalization software development, primarily focusing on the smart card payment industry. As a leading provider of EMV personalization services, the company will support the co-development of personalization offerings for the Zwipe Pay family of products and solutions.
“We are excited to work closely with Zwipe to tap into the huge potential we see for biometrics in the payments market. Zwipe has led the way in establishing a global network of partners to make the launch of biometric payment cards and wearables at scale as effortless and cost-effective as possible. We are keen to support this mission and bring safer and more secure payment options to consumers around the world,” says, Kevin Yi, Vice President at Wisecard.
Smart card manufacturers will benefit from the collaboration by having access to a validated and proven personalization process for their biometric payment cards powered by Zwipe technology.
Speaking on the partnership André Løvestam, CEO of Zwipe, says “We are excited to partner with Wisecard as we continue to expand our ecosystem and our capacity to provide the most comprehensive and compelling offerings within biometric payments to smart card manufacturers and issuers, further cementing the value-add we bring to our customers.”
###
About Wisecard Technology
Wisecard Technology Co , Ltd. is a solution provider for smart card issuance and innovative payment platforms with more cost effective and user friendly features. Wisecard has invested heavily on technological innovation and product development. This has resulted in the creation of leading solutions in the area of Card Management and Personalization, payment systems, which have been compliant with the regulations from international payment schemes. Wisecard has always had a strong customer service focus and built leading edge professional services organization, delivering high class product and process support around the world. After a decade of providing cost-effective, innovative and vendor independent solutions that enable customers to improve their operational processes, Wisecard has successfully deployed solutions in more than 60 countries throughout Europe, Africa, Middle East, Southeast Asia and South America.
To learn more, please visit www.wisecardtech.com
For more information contact: Kevin Yi, Vice President, + 86 755 86007346 sales@wisecardtech.com
OSLO, NORWAY– 18 August 2020 – Biometric fintech company Zwipe and Smart Technology Services (STS), one of the world’s first equipment manufacturers to develop a biometric payment card milling and embedding enabled system, have expanded their previously announced partnership to support the industrialization of dual interface biometric payment cards using Zwipe Pay ONE platform.
Headquartered in France, STS is a leading player in the development of industrial manufacturing equipment specifically for the production and personalization of smart cards. The two companies have jointly developed integrated solutions that will enable Smart Card Manufacturers (SCMs) to achieve a risk-free and agile industrialization of biometric payment cards.
“Zwipe has been one of the leaders in the development of biometric payment platforms while we have developed manufacturing processes to enable SCMs to successfully reach a true volume offer capability for such cards. We have worked very closely together over the last year to fine-tune our complementary offering in order to support smart card manufacturers as they adopt and begin to roll out cards based on the Zwipe Pay ONE platform,” said Thierry Buisson, CEO of STS, speaking on the ramping up of activities.
“Our expanded partnership with STS has mitigated project risks and reduced the capital expenditure needed to enable the production of biometric payment cards. This will further strengthen our respective positions in the market and accelerate the adoption of biometric payment cards,” said André Løvestam, CEO of Zwipe.
###
About Smart Technology Services
Founded in 2013 in France, Smart Technology Services provides high level support services and card personalization solutions to card manufacturers and bureaus worldwide. The company provides services support activities for card central issuance systems and secondhand systems It also supplies the Smart Evol 1000 – a fully modular mid-range card personalization system, and the SI20 and SI700 – versatile card production systems for contact, dual interface, and biometric cards.
Please visit http://stservices.fr for further information
OSLO, NORWAY– 28 JULY 2020 – Biometric fintech company Zwipe and Liveo Research, a major supplier of PVC materials to some of the world’s largest card manufacturers, have partnered to offer a highly optimized route to efficient and scalable manufacturing of biometric payment cards. This is key in supporting the ongoing industrialization of the Zwipe Pay family of products.
Liveo Research is a global manufacturer of rigid packaging solutions focusing on pharma packaging innovations, specialty films and card solutions. With around 1,100 employees across five locations worldwide, Liveo is generating annual sales of more than 350 million euros.
“We are excited to collaborate with Zwipe, a pioneer in the field of biometric payment cards, to promote and roll out the Zwipe Pay ONE platform that will radically reduce the cost and complexity associated with card production process”, says Managing Director at Liveo Research, Mr. Pietro Parmeggiani.
Speaking on the partnership André Løvestam, CEO of Zwipe says, “This showcases how Zwipe is leveraging the payment ecosystem’s key players to enable best-in-class solutions and grow the biometric payment card segment. Liveo Research is a strong stakeholder and working together we will be able to further strengthen the value proposition to smart card manufacturers.”
###
About Liveo Research
Since 1953 Liveo Research’s Castiglione facility has been at the forefront of technological innovation in vinyl calendaring. Decades of commitment to manufacturing quality and enhanced rigid films properties has given Liveo’s card manufacturers the extra edge to easily move into new niche market with even newer technological requirement. Today, Liveo’s SICO films are sought after for high quality secure payment cards, e-government, IoT SIM/GSM, M2M, access controls cards, where they withstand daily handling while maintaining a pristine appearance and data integrity. Liveo Research SICO films are available globally with two primary manufacturing sites, Castiglione, Italy, where it all began and, Delaware City, DE, USA. To learn more, visit www.liveoresearch.com
For more information contact: cs.eu@liveo-research.com
OSLO, NORWAY – 24 July 2020 – Primary insider Diderik Schonheyder, board member at Zwipe AS, has today acquired 5,000 shares at an average price per share of SEK 13,30. Diderik Schonheyder’s shareholding after the transaction is 5,000 shares.
###
This information is subject to the disclosure requirements pursuant to Section 5-12 of the Norwegian Securities Trading Act
