Commenting on the capital raise and Merkur Market process, André Løvestam, CEO of Zwipe, said:
“These are truly exciting times. Biometric payment cards enabled with Zwipe technology offer consumers the convenience of contactless and the security and peace of mind of biometrics. With a mission of Making Convenience Secure, Zwipe is the first mover and technology leader in our field. We are partnering with global leaders and are well protected with a strong IP portfolio.
We are preparing for a commercial breakthrough for our biometric payment card solution in the second half of 2019 and accelerating growth in 2020 and beyond, both within biometric payment cards, wearables and other form factors and verticals. With a strengthened balance sheet and shareholder base, we will be well positioned to capture the opportunities ahead.”
Zwipe highlights
Financial history
Zwipe is pursuing a growth strategy and has since inception raised a total of NOK 241.3 million (USD 27.6 million) in equity, debt and grants. The capital has been invested in R&D, technology development, IP, organizational expansion, partnerships, operational expansion and other preparations for large-scale commercialisation.
In addition, Zwipe was awarded a NOK 23 million (USD 2.6 million) grant from the European Commission’s Horizon 2020 programme in December 2018. The grant will support Zwipe’s commercial go-to-market ability and will be paid out in tranches over the next 24 months. Horizon 2020 is the largest European Union (EU) Research and Innovation program, aiming to bring innovations faster to the market.
Offering highlights
The offering and subsequent admission to trading will contribute to strengthening Zwipe’s equity and financial position, including repayment of debt, and ensure sufficient funding of the company's planned commercialisation phase and further development of the company's technology.
The offering will consist of two tranches and is expected to raise gross proceeds of up to NOK 120 million (USD 13.7 million) through the issuance of up to 6 million new ordinary shares at a fixed price of NOK 20.00 per share.
The first tranche will be in the form of a private placement offered to large existing shareholders in the company and certain new investors in Norway and Sweden, who have pre-committed to subscribe for a total of 4.5 million shares in the amount of NOK 90 million (USD 10.3million).
Among the investors having provided pre-commitments are member of the board of directors, Lars Windfeldt, who has pre-committed to subscribe for 10.3% of the offering, approximately NOK 12.4 million (USD 1.4million) given a NOK 120 million round. Other members of the board of directors have pre-committed to subscribe for a total of approximately NOK 4.1 million (USD 0.5 million), approximately 3.4% of the offering.
The second tranche, in the amount of up to NOK 30 million (USD 3.4 million), will be in the form of a public offering of up to 1.5 million shares to retail investors. Existing shareholders in Zwipe who have not been allocated offer shares in the private placement will be offered to participate along with new retail investors in the Swedish and Norwegian markets.
All primary insiders in the company have entered into a lock-up agreement with the company, and hence are subject to a lock-up period of six months following completion of the offering.
Preliminary timetable and settlement:
Start of application period: 10 January 2019 at 09:00 hours (CET)
End of application period: 17 January 2019 at 16:30 hours (CET) (may close earlier and on short notice)
Allocation: On or about 17 January 2019
Settlement: Expected on or about 22 January 2019
Delivery and first day of trading: Expected on or about 28 January 2019, not prior to the share capital is registered in the Norwegian Register of Business Enterprises and announced by the company
Note that the timetable is subject to any shortening or extension of the application period and to the conditions outlined below being satisfied.
Completion of the offering is conditional upon the following conditions being satisfied:
(i) The company obtaining admission to trading on Merkur Market,
(ii) Approval of the offering by an extraordinary general meeting expected to be held on or about 18 January 2019,
(iii) The company resolving to consummate the offering and allocate the offer shares, and
(iv) Registration of the share capital increase in the company pertaining to the offering with the Norwegian Register of Business Enterprises.
In addition, completion of the second tranche of 1.5 million shares to retail investors is conditional upon the approval of an EEA prospectus by the Financial Supervisory Authority of Norway (Finanstilsynet).
The offering is being managed by Carnegie AS and Redeye AB as Managers and Joint Bookrunners. In addition, Nordnet (Nordnet Bank AB in Sweden and Nordnet Bank NUF in Norway) is acting as alternative application office and receiving agent for applications for offer shares in the public offering from investors who are not existing shareholders of the company. Investors who are not existing shareholders and who wish to apply for offer shares in the public offering through Nordnet will have to apply for offer shares through their Nordnet accounts. Persons who are not customers of Nordnet will have to apply for an account in Nordnet in order to apply for offer shares in the public offering.
Advokatfirmaet Simonsen Vogt Wiig AS is acting as the company's legal counsel in connection with the offering and admission to trading. Advokatfirmaet Wiersholm AS acts as legal advisor to Carnegie AS in connection with the offering.
Media Contact for Zwipe: Ado Fazlic, VP Marketing, +47 930 44 040, ado@zwipe.com
Important notice
The contents of this announcement have been prepared by, and are the sole responsibility of, the company. The company's financial advisors are acting exclusively for the company and no one else and will not be responsible to anyone other than the company for providing the protections afforded to their respective clients, or for advice in relation to the transactions, the contents of this announcement or any of the matters referred to herein. The transactions and the distribution of this announcement and other information in connection with the transactions may be restricted by law in certain jurisdictions. The company assumes no responsibility in the event there is a violation by any person of such restrictions. Persons into whose possession this announcement or such other information should come are required to inform themselves about, and to observe, any such restrictions. This announcement may not be used for, or in connection with, and does not constitute, any offer of securities for sale in the United States or in any other jurisdiction. The transactions have not, and shall not, be made in any jurisdiction or in any circumstances in which such offer or solicitation would be unlawful. This announcement is not for distribution or publication, directly or indirectly, in or into any jurisdiction in which it is unlawful to make any such offer or solicitation to such person or where prior registration or approval is required for that purpose. No steps have been taken or will be taken relating to the transactions in any jurisdiction in which such steps would be required. Neither the publication and/nor delivery of this announcement shall under any circumstances imply that there has been no change in the affairs of the company or that the information contained herein is correct as of any date subsequent to the earlier of the date hereof and any earlier specified date with respect to such information. This announcement is not for publication or distribution, directly or indirectly, in the United States (including its territories and possessions, any state of the United States and the District of Columbia). This announcement does not constitute or form part of any offer or solicitation to purchase or subscribe for securities in the United States. Securities may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an exemption from registration. The shares to be issued in the transactions have not been and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "US Securities Act") or with any securities regulatory authority of any state or other jurisdiction of the United States, and may not be offered or sold in the United States or to, or for the account of, U.S. persons (as such term is defined in Regulation S under the US Securities Act), except pursuant to an effective registration statement under, or an exemption from the registration requirements of, the US Securities Act. All offers and sales outside the United States will be made in reliance on Regulation S under the US Securities Act. There will be no public offer of securities in the United States. This announcement does not constitute an offering circular or prospectus in connection with an offering of securities of the company. Investors must neither accept any offer for, nor acquire, any securities to which this document refers, unless they do so on the basis of the information contained in the investor material made available by the company only to qualified persons in certain jurisdictions where an offer may be made. This announcement does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy or subscribe for, any securities and cannot be relied on for any investment contract or decision. The offering is not being made into Australia, Canada, Hong Kong, the United States or Switzerland.
About Zwipe
Zwipe is a technology solution provider that enables battery-less, ultra-low-power, self-contained biometric authentication solutions. Together with an ecosystem of partners including global brands within security, financial services and ID applications, Zwipe is “Making Convenience Secure™” for banks, merchants and consumers. Using advanced fingerprint recognition while protecting personal information, Zwipe’s solutions address the data theft pitfalls inherent in traditional authentication methods. Headquartered in Oslo, Norway, Zwipe has spent the last 10 years developing its unique power harvesting technology platform in combination with security solutions based on international infrastructure standards.
For more information, visit: www.zwipe.com
OSLO, NORWAY – 15 June 2016– Zwipe, a global leader in biometric identification technologies, today announced the launch of Zwipe Access 2.0. The updated access control product has several key enhancements such as faster authentication, enhanced image and capture capabilities, and reduced false rejection rates. Zwipe Access 2.0 is being launched at IFSEC in London.
“The enhanced features were developed based on market research, customer feedback and industry advancements,” said Bob Fee, Director of Sales, North America.
The Zwipe Access biometric card is compatible with all popular proximity and smart card readers, including those from HID, Allegion and Farpointe. The on-card 3D capacitive fingerprint scanner both captures and matches on the card; enabling users to maintain the security of their own biometric data. At no time is biometric data communicated to any reader, hard drive or external database; giving peace of mind to end-users and card issuers alike.
Zwipe Access cards can be issued to key staff and personnel, or more specifically for certain high-security areas such as server rooms and pharmacies, providing the enhanced security benefits of 2-factor biometric authentication without the need to change existing access control system software or readers. The card can be integrated into a Physical or Logical Access Control system in the same way that present 125kHz Proximity, iCLASS, LEGIC or Mifare cards are incorporated. Through products such as Zwipe Access©, Zwipe ID© and Zwipe Payment©, Zwipe continues to be the industry leader in innovative biometric identification solutions.
OSLO, NORWAY – 27 MARCH 2024 - The board of directors of Zwipe AS (the "Company") has, on 25 March 2024, resolved to grant 489,196 Restricted Share Units (each a "RSU") to certain members of the Company's management, making up the formal grant of the RSUs referred to in the Company's annual report for 2023 (the "Annual Report") announced yesterday, on 26 March 2024.
The RSUs vest in three equal installments on each anniversary date from the grant date. Each RSU comprises a conditional right to receive one share after the vesting period. The shares comprised by the RSU program will be issued at nominal value. The right to receive shares is conditional upon the "Performance Condition" stated in the RSU program, the participants retained employment, and subject to the terms and conditions set out in the Annual Report.
The following primary insiders of the Company have been granted and accepted RSUs:
Please see the attached notification forms for additional information.
This information is subject to the disclosure requirements in article 19 of the Regulation (EU) 596/2014 (the Market Abuse Regulation) and section 5-12 of the Norwegian Securities Trading Act.
SCAP becomes a distributor for Zwipe and creates the first starter pack in French for Zwipe Access, the biometric Access control card.
OSLO, NORWAY and VAULX EN VELIN, March 27, 2024 – Zwipe A.S., a company listed on the stock exchanges of Oslo and Stockholm, a pioneer and world leader in the development of biometric technology on cards for identification, access control and payment, has teamed up with SCAP, the leading distributor of access control cards and readers in France, focusing on providing advanced security RFID solutions, to introduce the innovative "biometric system-on-card" to SCAP's customers in France.
SCAP's customer base spans across the entire security industry in France, including physical and logical access system manufacturers, installers, integrators as well as corporations in various industries, including airports, transportation, healthcare, data centers, critical infrastructure, manufacturing, government, and education.
As a testimony of SCAP commitment and to fulfil immediate demand from early adopters, SCAP has placed its first purchase order to Zwipe already and launched the first Zwipe Access starter pack in French language.
Zwipe Access utilizes state-of-the-art 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 the requirements of SCAP’s customers, allowing them to integrate biometric verification swiftly, securely, and cost-effectively into their existing security infrastructure.
According to Pierre Yves Dudal, president of SCAP, “In today’s highly secure EU requirements for working environment, having easy access to the latest access technologies is critical for all strategic or sensitive sites. The biometric card provided by Zwipe brings breakthrough ID card technologies to existing identification systems for the next generation of physical and logical access.”
“We are happy to partner with SCAP, a leading advanced security solution distributor. We look forward to developing and strengthening the relationship with the French security market thanks to our local expertise and support, as well as supporting SCAP to deliver best- in-class customization and logistic for access control solutions integration partners globally,”, says Robert Puskaric, President and CEO of Zwipe.
About SCAP
For over two decades, SCAP has been a trusted authority in identification and security solutions. SCAP's extensive experience in RFID cards and readers and close collaboration with the security installers have allowed SCAP to rigorously test and refine SCAP's product range.
SCAP specializes in a wide array of RFID technologies, from the basic Prox 125 kHz and EM/TEMIC to the more sophisticated 13.56 MHz, MIFARE DESfire® EV3, HID iCLASS, SEOS, and beyond. In addition to standard formats, SCAP offers customized encoding options. SCAP's badges come also in combination with the appropriate RFID readers. SCAP is member of SELEPSO Group.
For more information, visit www.scap.name
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 – 26 March 2024 – Zwipe AS ("Zwipe" or "the company") has today released its Annual Report 2023, 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 25th of March 2024. The 2023 Annual Report is attached to this release and available at https://www.zwipe.com/investors/reports.
OSLO, NORWAY – 22 February 2024 – Zwipe AS ("Zwipe" or "the company") today announces its results for the first half of 2023.
Highlights H2 2023
Significant events after the period
H2 2023 operational review
Commenting on the second half of 2023, Zwipe CEO Robert Puskaric says, “Despite our many go-to-market partnerships around the globe and 50+ dialogues with issuers, market adoption of biometric payment cards in 2023 simply did not happen as Zwipe or anyone else in the industry expected. Issuers continue to be slow-moving meaning that commercial orders from our SCM customers and revenues for Zwipe Pay were far lower than anticipated at the start of the year.”
Progress in Zwipe Access has been much more positive, with Puskaric continuing, “Much more optimistically, we have seen considerable interest in biometric access control technology throughout 2023. Across the USA and Europe, we have more than 35 Zwipe Access go-to-market partnerships, and these partners are currently carrying out more than 65 proofs of concept.” These proofs of concept (“PoCs”) of Zwipe Access technology include end-user enterprises including Fortune 100 companies, Top 3 cloud service providers, healthcare facilities, airports, data centers, government agencies, and critical infrastructure operators. These PoCs are expected to translate into commercial orders and meaningful revenue in the short term, with an additional, powerful growth catalyst deriving from the EU NIS2 Directive on cybersecurity requirements in critical infrastructure sectors.
In the USA, Zwipe Access completed a critical operational test and evaluation by National Safe Skies Alliance, Inc. (Safe Skies) at Richmond International Airport (RIC) early in 2024. The Safe Skies team’s report offers a positive assessment of Zwipe Access technology in airports and is expected to motivate airports across the Americas to evaluate Zwipe Access technology. Zwipe continues to make positive progress with our key GTM partners including Schneider Electric, MC Dean, Matrix Systems and NCS in the Americas and in AWT, Assa Abloy, Certego and others in Europe.
Fundraising and new strategic direction
The negative developments in Zwipe Pay and positive developments in Zwipe Access during the second half led to our January 2024 announcement of a new strategic direction for Zwipe, which will see the company focus our resources almost exclusively on commercialization of Zwipe Access where the near-term commercial opportunity is clear.
Just before the January 2024 announcement, Zwipe completed a rights issue in December 2023 raising NOK 35 million in gross capital, with additional capital possible from an exercise of warrants in December 2024. Funds raised in addition to cash on hand will now be directed primarily to accelerating Zwipe Access commercialization, with substantially less required to support additional technology development or supply chain purchases associated with Zwipe Pay. When combined with the June 2023 restructuring, Zwipe expects operational costs to be more than NOK 40 million lower than in 2023. Total cash flow over the coming two years is also expected to be more than NOK 40 million better than if Zwipe had continued to focus on both business lines, giving Zwipe longer runway and greater financial flexibility. These decisive actions alongside funds raised from the rights issue should put Zwipe on a path towards cashflow breakeven, which we hope to reach in 2025.
H2 2023 financial review
Zwipe reported total revenues of NOK 1.2 million during H2 2023, lower than the NOK 3.1 million reported in H2 2022 and the NOK 1.7 million reported in H1 2023. Total operating expenses totalled NOK 44.6 million in H2 2023, down NOK 15.1 million compared to H2 2022, and down NOK 12.9 million compared to the first half of 2023. The above resulted in net income for H2 2023 of NOK -43.9 million, substantially better than NOK -57.1 million reported in H2 2022 and NOK -56.1 million in H1 2023.
Total net cash flow for H2 2023, including cash flow from financing and investing activities, was NOK -33.7 million compared to NOK -59.3 million in H2 2022.
On 31 December 2023, cash and cash equivalents were NOK 42.2 million, compared to NOK 50.5 million on 31 December 2022 and NOK 76.0 million on 30 June 2023. With the remaining outstanding funds from the rights issue of NOK 24.4 million received in early January 2024, the effective “turn of year” cash position was NOK 66.6 million.
Going forward
Zwipe’s priorities for 2024 all involve accelerating Zwipe Access commercialization and maximizing Zwipe’s financial flexibility:
Results presentation
CEO Robert Puskaric and CFO Hugo Petit will present the H2 2023 results by webcast today, February 22nd, at 13:00 CEST.
Webcast details:
Date: 22 February, 13.00 CET
Format: webcast and Q&A
Language: English
Link: https://app.webinar.net/bEArXRLNvJG
Participants will be required to register to view the webcast and participate in the Q&A, and are encouraged to submit their questions before the webcast to 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 08:00 on 22 February 2024.
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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:
ir@zwipe.com
Zwipe AS will publish its H2 2023 financial report on 22 February 2024 at 08.00 CET. On the same day at 13.00 CET, the company will host a webcast to present the report. After the presentation, the webcast will be opened up fr questions from the audience.
Participants will be required to register to listen to the webcast and participate in the Q&A.
Webcast details:
Date: 22 February, 13.00 CET
Format: webcast and Q&A
Language: English
Link:
https://app.webinar.net/bEArXRLNvJG
For more information contact:
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA, USA and OSLO, NORWAY – 25th January 2024 - Safe Skies’ evaluation report entitled SSDA—23-032 Zwipe Access Biometric Smart Card was published in November 2023. This report is available to qualified airport personnel at US commercial-service airports via the Homeland Security Information Network (HSIN) or by contacting anna.hamilton@sskies.org with their request.
Safe Skies, an independent third-party, non-profit organization funded by the Federal Aviation Administration, conducts thorough testing of security systems’ detection capabilities, reliability, and maintainability under active airport operational and environmental conditions. Safe Skies performs its evaluations under an ISO 9001:2015-approved Quality Management System.
“We are very pleased with the results of the evaluation,” said Tim Walsh, President of Tadera. “The Zwipe Access system is a highly secure and user-friendly solution that meets the needs of airports. We are confident that this product will be a valuable addition to our portfolio and will help airports enhance their security posture.”
“We are excited to partner with Tadera to bring this innovative biometric access card system to the market,” said Robert Puskaric, CEO of Zwipe. “The encouraging evaluation results instill confidence in our vision that the Zwipe Access system strengthens security at airports worldwide.
For further information, please contact:
Tim Walsh, timothy.walsh@TADERA.com; 504-754-0048 for TADERA
Marcel Williams,marcel.williams@Zwipe.com; 954-649-6222 for Zwipe
About ASSIST
Safe Skies’ Airport Security System Integrated Support Testing (ASSIST) Program is a collaborative effort between US commercial-service airports, the Transportation Security Administration, the Federal Aviation Administration, Airports Council International-North America, American Association of Airport Executives, and Airport Consultants Council. Safe Skies created the ASSIST Program to fulfill its core purpose of helping airport operators meet their security responsibilities using a transparent process for identifying, selecting, and executing projects that are designed to create a more efficient and effective airport security system.
About TADERA
TADERA's commitment to the airport sector spans over 40 years, culminating in our transformation into TADERA from Civix CI. Our mission is to enhance the safety, security, and financial stability of airports, ensuring world-class facilities for passengers and cargo transport. The name TADERA reflects our dedication to facilitating Transportation, Aviation, and Destinations in the next era of air travel. We provide software and integrated technology solutions that elevate the safety and financial performance of airports. TADERA serves the Federal Aviation Administration, state aeronautics departments, and more than 100 airports worldwide.
Learn more about us at
www.tadera.com.
About Zwipe
Zwipe believes in the inherent uniqueness of every individual, paving the way for a safer future. We passionately collaborate across international networks, industries, and cultures to make convenience both secure and safe. At Zwipe, we pioneer next-generation biometric card and wearables technology for payment, physical and logical access control, and identification solutions. We promise our customers and partners deep insights and frictionless solutions, ensuring a seamless user experience with our innovative biometric products and services. With our headquarters in Oslo, Norway, and a global presence, we are shaping the future of security.
Learn more at
www.zwipe.com.
OSLO, NORWAY – 16 January 2024 – Zwipe AS today announces a company restructuring and new strategic direction, increasing its focus on Zwipe Access and accelerating the commercialization of its biometric authentication technology in the access control market. As a result of the change in strategic focus, the company has initiated a restructuring process that is expected to reduce operational costs, particularly related to Zwipe Pay. On a directly comparable basis excluding one-off costs, the Group expects to reduce operating costs in 2024 by approximately NOK 40 million compared to 2023, combining the effects of Zwipe’s new strategy and the streamlining plan previously announced on 21 June 2023.
“Zwipe has seen considerable traction and progress in the access control market in 2023, with more than 30 partnerships signed or in progress in the USA and Europe. The market is in its early stages but we believe biometric cards can represent a substantial share of the nearly 500 million smart access cards expected to be shipped annually in coming years. Our value proposition is clear, with partners and end-users alike recognizing the substantial benefits of biometric access control technology in terms of security, convenience, and GDPR compliance,” says Zwipe CEO Robert Puskaric.
In addition, in recent months compliance with the EU NIS2 Directive on cybersecurity requirements in critical infrastructure sectors – required by October 2024 and which Zwipe Access provides – has emerged as a critical catalyst for end customers, encouraging them to consider the adoption of biometric access control solutions.
Zwipe has more than 60 proofs of concept in progress with end users, including a Top 3 global cloud service provider, a well-known Swedish consumer technology company, Berkshire Hathaway Energy Group, Fortune 100 companies, and entities including government agencies, airports, critical infrastructure operators, data centers, and healthcare facilities.
“Our new strategic direction will mean laser focus on the singular objective to rapidly achieve commercial success with Zwipe Access, while operating in as lean a manner as possible to maximize our financial flexibility,” says Puskaric.
Zwipe has historically focused primarily on the development and application of its biometric authentication technology in the payments market. Over the last two years, Zwipe completed the development of Zwipe Pay including mobile enrollment solutions, achieved full certification of the technology by both Visa and Mastercard, and spent significant time lining up the biometric payment card (“BPC”) value chain players to launch quickly once banks decided to move forward with biometric payment cards. However, neither market adoption nor the pace of commercial launches has materialized in the manner Zwipe or other players had expected, particularly towards the end of 2023.
“The decision to focus on Zwipe Access is a natural outcome of the traction seen in 2023. However, all the effort that went into developing and certifying Zwipe Pay is what laid the foundation for success with Zwipe Access. Our Access partners and end customers tell us they gain confidence using technology subjected to the rigorous testing required for certification in the payments market,” states Puskaric. Zwipe will continue to serve and fulfill purchase orders from Zwipe Pay customers that have already been certified.
Cost reduction initiatives will begin immediately, with full impact from the middle of the second quarter of 2024. On a net basis, five employees will leave Zwipe, with departures linked to Zwipe Pay, while the Zwipe Access sales team will increase slightly as the company ramps up commercialization efforts here.
Total cash flow over the coming two years is anticipated to be more than NOK 40 million better than if Zwipe had continued to focus on both payments and access control, giving Zwipe significantly longer runway and greater financial flexibility.
“While it is heartbreaking to let highly valued employees go and transition away from Zwipe Pay, we fully believe this is the right course of action for our shareholders. Zwipe Access is a higher margin business with visible commercial inroads, and our objective is for Zwipe to approach breakeven in H2 2025 as a result of higher margins, lower operational costs, and lower supply chain costs,” says CEO Robert Puskaric.
The recently completed rights issue, which includes a possible exercise of warrants in December 2024, should enable this path to profitability.
The Company will host a webcast today, 16 January at 15:00 CET, about our new strategic focus. After the presentation, the webcast will be opened up for questions from the audience.
Webcast details
Date: 16 January 2024
Time: 15:00 CET
Format: Webcast and Q&A
Language: English
Link: https://app.webinar.net/4bmE8YkDrNQ
For further information, please contact:
Robert Puskaric, CEO
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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 16 January 2024.
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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 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.
OSLO, NORWAY – 5 January 2024 – Zwipe has appointed Hugo Petit as interim CFO with Zwipe’s current CFO and Head of IR, Danielle Glenn, deciding to leave the company to join a capital markets advisory and consulting firm
Ms. Glenn has been responsible for Zwipe’s capital markets activities, including the two rights issues in 2023. She has also been instrumental in designing Zwipe’s overall strategic, operating, and investment plans and in restructuring the company to maximize financial flexibility and liquidity. Mr. Petit will join Zwipe as soon as possible, bringing over 20 years of experience as a CFO.
“I am excited to work with Hugo, who has a great deal of experience keeping organizations lean and streamlined while adapting to fast-evolving markets,” says Zwipe CEO Robert Puskaric.
“I would like to thank Danielle for her significant contributions to Zwipe in a difficult environment. She has been a dynamic and integral part of the management team, providing valuable strategic input and handling her myriad cross-departmental responsibilities with efficiency and diligence. The Board and I wish her all the best in her new role,” continues Puskaric.
The company has agreed with Ms. Glenn that she will leave Zwipe at the end of January 2024 but stay on as long as needed thereafter in a consulting capacity to ensure the smooth handover of responsibilities and transition to the new CFO.
For further information, please contact:
Robert Puskaric, CEO
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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 14:05 on 5 January 2024.
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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 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 PRESS RELEASE MAY NOT BE MADE PUBLIC, PUBLISHED OR DISTRIBUTED, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, IN OR INTO AUSTRALIA, HONG KONG, JAPAN, CANADA, NEW ZEALAND, SWITZERLAND, SINGAPORE, SOUTH AFRICA, THE UNITED STATES OR ANY OTHER JURISDICTION IN WHICH SUCH ACTIONS, WHOLLY OR IN PART, WOULD BE UNLAWFUL. THIS PRESS RELEASE DOES NOT CONSTITUTE AN OFFER TO BUY SECURITIES IN ZWIPE AS. SEE ALSO THE SECTION "IMPORTANT INFORMATION" BELOW IN THIS DOCUMENT.
OSLO, NORWAY – 3 January 2024 – Reference is made to the stock exchange announcement published by Zwipe AS (the "Company") on 14 December 2023 regarding the final allocation of a rights issue of units, each consisting of one new share in the Company, each with a nominal value of NOK 0.10 and one warrant of series T01 (the "Warrants"), with preferential rights for existing shareholders raising gross proceeds of approximately NOK 35 million (the "Rights Issue").
The Rights Issue resulted in the issuance of 64,823,988 Warrants, of which 40,889,612 Warrants were allocated to subscribers in the Rights Issue and 13,480,092 Warrants were allocated to the top guarantor in connection with the Convertible Loan (as defined below). All 64,823,988 Warrants will be listed and tradable on Euronext Growth Oslo for a period commencing today, 3 January 2024 and ending at 16:30 (CET) on 9 December 2024. In addition, the Warrants will be listed on Nasdaq First North Growth Market Sweden for a period commencing today, 3 January 2024 and ending at 16:30 (CET) on or about 10 December 2024. The 10,454,284 Warrants not allocated to subscribers in the Rights Issue or in connection with the Convertible Loan (as defined below) will not be used and will be returned to the Company.
Two (2) Warrants entitle to the subscription of one (1) new share in the Company. The subscription price upon exercise of the Warrants shall for subscription of one share in the Company be 70% of the ten-day VWAP (Volume Weighted Average Price) of the Company's shares on Euronext Growth Oslo the last ten (10) trading days prior to commencement of the Exercise Period, but never lower than NOK 0.10 per share and never higher than 1.20 per share. Consequently, if all Warrants are exercised, the Company expects to raise an additional amount of minimum NOK 3,241,199.40 and maximum NOK 38,894,392.80.
Holders of Warrants may either sell their Warrants or use them to subscribe for shares in the Company, in both cases within the deadlines stated above. As such, the Warrants may have a financial value for the holders, depending on the prevailing market price for the shares in the Company. If the Warrants are not sold or exercised within the respective deadlines, the Warrants will lapse with no compensation to the holders.
For more information pertaining to the Warrants, please see the prospectus prepared in connection with the Rights Issue (the "Prospectus"), which is available on the Company's website www.zwipe.com and on the Swedish Financial Supervisory Authority's website, www.fi.se.
Pre-commitment and bottom guarantee commitments:
In connection with the Rights Issue, the Company received subscription commitments from a number of existing shareholders totaling approximately NOK 8.8 million, corresponding to approximately 25 percent of the Rights Issue. No compensation is paid for these subscription commitments.
In addition, Zwipe received so-called bottom guarantee commitments of approximately NOK 15.8 million. Through the bottom guarantees together with the subscription commitments, approximately 70 percent of the issue proceeds in the Rights issue was secured. For the so-called bottom guarantees, a compensation of thirteen (13) percent of the guaranteed amount is paid. The subscription commitments and bottom guarantee commitments were not secured by bank guarantee, escrow funds, pledging or similar arrangements. Detailed information regarding the parties that have entered into subscription commitments and guarantee undertakings can be found in the Prospectus.
Top guarantee commitment and new issue of the Convertible Loan and Warrants pursuant to the top guarantee commitment:
Zwipe received a so-called top guarantee of approximately NOK 10.5 million. The top guarantee was fulfilled by the top guarantor subscribing for a convertible loan in the Company of NOK 10,514,472 (the "Convertible Loan"). Through the top guarantee, together with the subscription commitments and the bottom guarantee commitments, 100 percent of the issue proceeds in the Rights Issue was secured. For the so-called top guarantee, a compensation of fifteen (15) percent of the guaranteed amount is paid. The top guarantee commitment was not secured by bank guarantee, escrow funds, pledging or similar arrangements. The subscription amount has been paid to the Company.
The top guarantor also had the right and obligation to subscribe for Warrants free of charge in relation to the subscription price for the Convertible Loan. The number of Warrants the top guarantor was entitled to subscribe for amounted to the maximum number of Units in the Rights Issue less the aggregate number of Units subscribed for by existing shareholders in the Company and Units subscribed for under the bottom guarantee commitments, multiplied by 0.78. Based on these principles, the top guarantor was allocated 13,480,092 Warrants.
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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 07:57 on 3 January 2024.
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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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IMPORTANT NOTICE
Publication, release or distribution of this press release may in certain jurisdictions be subject to legal restrictions and persons in the jurisdictions where this press release has been made public or distributed should be informed of and follow such legal restrictions. The recipient of this press release is responsible for using this press release and the information herein in accordance with applicable rules in each jurisdiction. This press release does not constitute an offer or solicitation to buy or subscribe for any securities in Zwipe in any jurisdiction, either from Zwipe or from anyone else.
This press release is not a prospectus according to the definition in Regulation (EU) 2017/1129 (the "Prospectus Regulation") and has not been approved by any regulatory authority in any jurisdiction. A prospectus will be prepared by the Company and published on the Company's website after the prospectus has been reviewed and approved by the Swedish Financial Supervisory Authority (Sw. Finansinspektionen).
This press release does not constitute an offer or solicitation to buy or subscribe for securities in the United States. The securities mentioned herein may not be sold in the United States without registration, or without an exemption from registration, under the U.S. Securities Act from 1933 ("Securities Act"), and may not be offered or sold within the United States without being registered, covered by an exemption from, or part of a transaction that is not subject to the registration requirements according to the Securities Act. There is no intention to register any securities mentioned herein in the United States or to issue a public offering of such securities in the United States. The information in this press release may not be released, published, copied, reproduced or distributed, directly or indirectly, wholly or in part, in or to Australia, Hong Kong, Japan, Canada, New Zealand, Switzerland, Singapore, South Africa, the United States or any other jurisdiction where the release, publication or distribution of this information would violate current rules or where such an action is subject to legal restrictions or would require additional registration or other measures beyond those that follow from Swedish and Norwegian law. Actions in contravention of this instruction may constitute a violation of applicable securities legislation.
Offers to the public will be permitted in Sweden and Norway from and including the date of approval of the prospectus by the competent authority in Sweden and the competent authority in Norway has been notified in accordance with the Prospectus Regulation, through to and including the end of the subscription period in the Rights Issue.
Forward-looking statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements related to the Company's intentions, estimates or expectations with regard to the Company's future results, financial position, liquidity, development, outlook, estimated growth, strategies and opportunities as well as the markets in which the Company is active. Forward-looking statements are statements that do not refer to historical facts and can be identified by the use of terms such as "believes," "expects," "anticipates," "intends," "estimates," "will," "may," "implies," "should," "could" and, in each case, their negative, or comparable terminology. The forward-looking statements in this press release are based on various assumptions, which in several cases are based on further assumptions. Although the Company believes that the assumptions reflected in these forward-looking statements are reasonable, there is no guarantee that they will occur or that they are correct. Since these assumptions are based on assumptions or estimates and involve risks and uncertainties, actual results or outcomes, for many different reasons, may differ materially from those what is stated in the forward-looking statements. Due to such risks, uncertainties, eventualities and other significant factors, actual events may differ materially from the expectations that expressly or implicitly are contained in this press release through the forward-looking statements. The Company does not guarantee that the assumptions which serve as a basis for the forward-looking statements in this press release are correct, and each reader of the press release should not rely on the forward-looking statements in this press release. The information, opinions and forward-looking statements that expressly or implicitly are stated herein are provided only as of the date of this press release and may change. Neither the Company nor any other party will review, update, confirm or publicly announce any revision of any forward-looking statement to reflect events that occur or circumstances that arise with respect to the contents of this press release, beyond what is required by law or Euronext Growth Oslo or Nasdaq First North Growth Market's rules for issuers.
