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.
OSLO, NORWAY – 27 October 2020 –
(Oslo, 27 October 2020) Reference is made to the stock exchange announcement from Zwipe AS ("Zwipe" or the "Company") dated 20 October 2020 relating to the subsequent offering and listing of up to one million new shares in the Company, each with a nominal value of NOK 0.10 (the "Offer Shares"), at a subscription price of NOK 15.00 per Offer Share (the "Subscription Price") to be carried out by the Company (the "Subsequent Offering").
The subscription period for the Subsequent Offering expired today, 27 October 2020, at 16:30 hours (CET). At the expiry of the subscription period, the Company has received subscriptions for approximately 4.1 million Offer Shares from eligible shareholders in the Subsequent Offering and other investors and the Subsequent Offering has accordingly been significantly oversubscribed.
The allocation of the Offer Shares will be resolved by the board of directors in accordance with the allocation criteria set out in the prospectus dated 19 October 2020 section 5.8. The board of directors will consider the subscriptions and allocations of Offer Shares and resolve the capital increase pertaining to the Subsequent Offering on 28 October 2020. The final results of the Subsequent Offering will be published shortly thereafter. Letters regarding allocation of Offer Shares and the corresponding subscription amount to be paid by each eligible shareholder who has subscribed for Offer Shares in the Subsequent Offering will be distributed on or about 28 October 2020. The subscription amount for the Offer Shares is expected to fall due on or about 30 October 2020 as further described in the allocation letters.
Arctic Securities AS acts as manager in the Subsequent Offering. Simonsen Vogt Wiig AS acts as Norwegian legal counsel to Zwipe and White & Case Advokat AB acts as Swedish legal counsel to Zwipe.
Zwipe AS is obliged to make this information public pursuant to the Continuing obligations of companies admitted to trading on Merkur Market and Nasdaq First North Growth Market. 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 20:30 CET on 27 October 2020.
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This release is issued for information purposes only, and this document is not an offer to sell or a solicitation of offers to purchase or subscribe for shares. Copies of this document may not be sent to jurisdictions, or distributed in or sent from jurisdictions, in which this is barred or prohibited by law. The information contained herein shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy, in any jurisdiction in which such offer or solicitation would be unlawful absent registration, or an exemption from registration or qualification under the securities laws of any jurisdiction. This document is not for publication or distribution in, directly or indirectly, Australia, Canada, Japan, the United States or any other jurisdiction in which such release, publication or distribution would be unlawful, and it does not constitute an offer or invitation to subscribe for or purchase any securities in such countries or in any other jurisdiction. In particular, the document and the information contained herein should not be distributed or otherwise transmitted into the United States or to publications with a general circulation in the United States of America. This document is not an offer for sale of securities in the United States. Securities may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission or an exemption from registration under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act"). The Company does not intend to register any part of the offering in the United States or to conduct a public offering in the United States of the shares to which this document relates. The Managers are acting for the Company in connection with the Private Placement 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 providing advice in relation to the Private Placement or any transaction or arrangement referred to in this press release. This announcement and any materials distributed in connection with this announcement may contain certain forward-looking statements. By their nature, forward-looking statements involve risk and uncertainty because they reflect Zwipe'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. This information is subject to a duty of disclosure pursuant to Section 5-12 of the Norwegian Securities Trading Act.
OSLO, NORWAY – 20 October 2020
During the third quarter, Zwipe has continued to strengthen its foundation for mass-volume roll out of biometric payment cards.
André Løvestam, CEO of Zwipe said:
“During the third quarter Zwipe has continued to take significant strides in cementing our position in the global payment ecosystem and towards commercialization.
We have maintained momentum in expanding our network of smart card manufacturing customers while also growing our capacity to support larger-scale deployment of our commercial offering in 2021. In addition to the new customers that have been announced, the strategic technical partnerships we have formed this quarter will be instrumental in preparing the biometric payment card industry for efficient scaling.
By implementing numerous cross-industry commercial collaborations we are creating an offering that sets us apart. Zwipe’s objective is to deliver a solution that offers both technology and cost leadership to our smart card manufacturing customers. In addition, we also advise card issuers on how to simplify the value proposition of biometric payment solutions by supporting the entire process of launching a new biometric payment product. This approach further raises the attractiveness of our offering and elevates our position as a trusted advisor and enabler.
This market position has also generated strong support from international institutional investors, translating into a successful private placement carried out during the period. We raised gross MNOK 96, funding the company through commercial launches in 2021 and beyond. The chairman of the Board participated in the private placement with MNOK 5, and since his purchase was subject to approval by the extraordinary general meeting, this was registered in October. The general meeting also enabled us to initiate the process for the repair issue of up to 1,000,000 new shares to be held in October, as announced today, October 20th.
After the period we entered a commercial partnership with TietoEVRY, which marks a significant milestone for Zwipe. Thanks to TietoEVRY’s deep relations with virtually all banks in the Nordics and Baltics, we see strong potential in supporting the launch of biometric payment cards powered by Zwipe Pay ONE in this region and beyond, meaningfully increasing our sales capacity and impact. The fact that TietoEVRY is now actively going after the biometric payment card market with Zwipe is a further validation of our belief in the market to come and that Zwipe will have a major role and position in that market.
With these exciting developments pushing Zwipe forward we are further strengthening our team to be ready to serve a mass-volume market. Consequently, we have completed several key recruitments within quality management, project management, certification, sales, and product management. In addition, as we are seeing that our pull strategy and professional service offerings receive strong interest from our customers and partners, we are bringing in additional resources that will anchor this emerging business vertical for Zwipe. With a passionate, ever stronger team moving together towards our goal, and with institutional investors backing our vision, I am confident that we will keep this momentum while we continue to enhance our ability to create value for our customers, our shareholders, and for society at large.”
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Zwipe AS is obliged to make this information public pursuant to the Continuing obligations of companies admitted to trading on 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 08:00 CET on 20 October 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.
OSLO, NORWAY – 20 October 2020 –
Reference is made to the stock exchange announcement by Zwipe AS ("Zwipe" or the "Company") on 7 September 2020, regarding the successfully completed private placement with gross proceeds of approximately NOK 96 million (the "Private Placement"). In the said release, the board of directors of the Company (the "Board") announced that it intended to carry out a subsequent offering of up to 1,000,000 new shares (the "Offer Shares" and the "Subsequent Offering") towards shareholders of the Company who was not allocated shares in the Private Placement, provided that an extraordinary general meeting to be convened without delay made a new authorization to the Board to issue shares to strengthen the Company's equity. Such authorization was provided to the Board by the extraordinary general meeting on 29 September 2020. On this basis, the Board has now decided to proceed with the Subsequent Offering.
In the Subsequent Offering, Eligible Shareholders, being shareholders of the Company as of 7 September 2020, and consequently registered in the Company's shareholders' registers in VPS or Euroclear Sweden AB ("Euroclear") on 9 September 2020 (the "Record Date"), will be granted non-transferable subscription rights (the "Subscription Rights") that, subject to applicable law, provide preferential rights to subscribe for and be allocated Offer Shares at the Subscription Price (as defined below). Exceptions to the above are existing shareholders who (i) were allocated shares in the Private Placement and/or (ii) are resident in a jurisdiction where such offering would be unlawful or, for jurisdictions other than Norway and Sweden, would require any filing, registration or similar action.
The subscription period in the Subsequent Offering commences today, on 20 October 2020 at 09:00 hours (CEST) and will end on 27 October 2020 at 16:30 hours (CET) (the "Subscription Period"). The subscription price in the Subsequent Offering is NOK 15.00 per Offer Share (the "Subscription Price"), which is equal to the subscription price in the Private Placement.
Eligible Shareholders will be granted 0.04366 Subscription Rights for each share in the Company registered as held by such Eligible Shareholder on the Record Date, rounded down to the nearest whole Subscription Right. Each whole Subscription Right provides a preferential right to subscribe for, and be allocated, one Offer Share at the Subscription Price, subject to applicable securities laws. Over-subscription and subscription without Subscription Rights is permitted, and over-subscriptions made by holders of Subscription Rights will in the allocation be prioritized before subscriptions made by holders without Subscription Rights, cf. the details on the allocation in the Prospectus (as defined below) section 5.8 "Allocation of Offer Shares".
In order to subscribe for shares, Eligible Shareholders must provide the Manager (as defined below) with a complete and duly signed application form within the end of the Subscription Period. Applications for Offer Shares by investors in Norway should be made using the application form attached to the Prospectus, while investors in Sweden should use the application form for the Swedish market made available in a separate document on the same websites as the Prospectus (www.zwipe.com and www.arctic.com/offerings). Norwegian citizens may also subscribe through the VPS online system. Further instructions regarding the subscription procedure is available in the Prospectus (as defined below) section 5.7 "Application procedures". The Subscription Rights must be used to subscribe for Offer Shares before the expiry of the Subscription Period on 27 October 2020 at 16:30 hours (CET). Subscription Rights that are not used to subscribe for Offer Shares before 16:30 hours (CET) on 27 October 2020 will have no value and will lapse without compensation to the holder.
Completion of the Subsequent Offering is subject to (i) the Board resolving the Subsequent Offering and allocating the Offer Shares, and (ii) registration of the capital increase pertaining to the Subsequent Offering with the Norwegian Register of Business Enterprises.
Notifications of allocation in the Subsequent Offering are expected to be issued on or about 28 October 2020. The due date for payment of allocated Offer Shares is on or about 30 October 2020. Delivery of the Offer Shares is expected to take place on or about 6 November 2020, through the facilities of VPS and Euroclear. Trading in the Offer Shares on Merkur Market or Nasdaq First North Growth Market (as the case may be) is expected to commence on or about 6 November 2020.
A prospectus dated 19 October 2020 (the "Prospectus") prepared in connection with the Subsequent Offering will be available electronically at www.zwipe.com and www.arctic.com/offerings, or by contacting Arctic Securities AS. Please also find the Prospectus attached hereto. The Prospectus has been approved by the Financial Supervisory Authority of Norway and border-crossed to Finansinspektionen in Sweden for use in the Swedish market.
Arctic Securities AS acts as manager in the Subsequent Offering (the "Manager"). Advokatfirmaet Simonsen Vogt Wiig AS acts as Norwegian legal counsel to Zwipe and White & Case Advokat AB acts as Swedish legal counsel to Zwipe.
Zwipe AS is obliged to make this information public pursuant to the Continuing obligations of companies admitted to trading on Merkur Market and Nasdaq First North Growth Market. 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 07:55 CET on 20 October 2020.
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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 Manager assumes 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 Manager is acting for the Company and no one else in connection with the Subsequent Offering 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 Subsequent Offering 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 – 19 October 2020 – Zwipe, a leading biometric fintech company, is pleased to confirm, following significant market traction recently, that it has today placed an order for 300,000 units of IDX3405 next generation fingerprint sensors from IDEX Biometrics, a leading provider of fingerprint identification technologies. The sensors will support the rollout of Zwipe Pay ONE to a growing list of smart card manufacturers and issuers in Europe, the Middle East, the Americas and Asia.
In April this year, Zwipe announced that it has selected IDEX as its preferred sensor partner for Zwipe Pay ONE biometric payment card solution. The selection was based on comprehensive evaluations of performance and costs.
The Zwipe Pay ONE solution with IDEX’s next generation fingerprint sensor will be released for customer pilots in the fourth quarter of 2020 followed by mass-volume deployment in 2021.
“Zwipe has a fast-growing global customer network of smart card manufacturers and service providers that have selected Zwipe Pay ONE. Our pipeline of prospective customers and partners grows even faster. We are excited about the strong interest that Zwipe Pay ONE has attracted so far. Working with strategic suppliers such as IDEX we are confident that Zwipe Pay ONE will be the one of the best and most cost-efficient offerings in the market,” said André Løvestam, CEO of Zwipe.
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About IDEX Biometrics ASA
IDEX Biometrics ASA (OSE: IDEX and OTCQB: IDXAF) is a leading provider of fingerprint identification technologies offering simple, secure and personal authentication for all. We help people make payments, prove their identity, gain access to information, unlock devices or gain admittance to buildings with the touch of a finger. We invent, engineer, and commercialize these secure, yet incredibly user-friendly solutions. Our total addressable market represents a fast growing multi-billion-unit opportunity.
For further information contact:
Marianne Bøe, Investor Relations
E-mail: marianne.boe@IDEXbiometrics.com
Tel: + 47 918 00186
OSLO, NORWAY – October 15, 2020 – Biometric fintech company Zwipe and Inkript, a digital security provider in the Middle East and Africa (MEA) region and a subsidiary of Resource Group, announce that they have launched a joint project to deliver the next generation contactless payments experience, Zwipe Pay ONE, to banks across the Middle East.
“Since we announced our partnership with Zwipe, and as a result of the surge in contactless payments, our customers are increasingly demanding safer and more secure payment options; more so today with the impact of the global COVID-19 pandemic on people’s actions towards the nature of cash. It is undoubtedly that security, convenience and contactless are the future of payments, and banks are ready to dive into new technologies that support consumers’ changing behaviors towards money, hygiene, comfort, and overall wellbeing”, says Riad Itani, Managing Director at Inkript.
He added: “Biometric payment cards powered by the Zwipe Pay ONE platform are the most compelling way to address this demand, in terms of both performance and cost. We are enthusiastic to take this next step with Zwipe.”
Inkript has placed an order to Zwipe, commencing small scale manufacturing of biometric payment cards based on the Zwipe Pay ONE platform with the goal of launching pilots, followed by mass-volume deployments with multiple banks in 2021.
“Inkript is a distinguished provider of smartcards and value-added services to some of the largest banks in the MEA. We are excited and proud that Inkript has selected Zwipe Pay ONE as its preferred biometric payment card platform and are now taking action together with us to provide secure payments solutions in the Middle East region,” says André Løvestam, CEO of Zwipe.
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About Inkript
Inkript is a digital security solutions provider catering to governments, telecom operators and financial institutions in the MEA region. The company’s growth is driven by an extensive R&D and continuous investments in emerging technologies. Inkript is distinguished by its state-of-the-art factories, technology competence centers, customized integrated solutions and international certifications covering processes, quality and security.
Media Contact for Inkript: Ms. Ghina Ramadan, +9611412000 ext. 2931, gramadan@resource.group
OSLO, NORWAY– 14 OCTOBER 2020 – Biometric fintech company, Zwipe, and areeba, one of the Middle East’s leading financial technology companies and payment service provider, are partnering to bring Zwipe Pay ONE enabled biometric payment solutions to banks across the Middle East and North African markets. Zwipe Pay ONE will be a market leading solution since it will combine a disruptive single chip secure element and a next generation sensor with a fingerprint registration process supported by a mobile app.
areeba and Zwipe have a long-standing collaboration, launching the first biometric payment card pilots in the Middle East and winning the Seamless Award for Best Technological Innovation in Payments for that joint project.
“We are happy to take this next big step with Zwipe, a well-known brand in biometric payments. Their disruptive Zwipe Pay ONE platform and 100% focus on biometric payment solutions complements our strong relations and end-to-end payments offering to banks and merchants across the region. We pride ourselves on being innovators and, together with Zwipe, we will give banks a new perspective on how to drive deeper customer engagement and acquisition by offering safer and more secure payments,” says Maher Mikati, CEO at areeba.
As part of this collaboration areeba has agreed to work exclusively with Zwipe in delivering biometric payment solutions including the Zwipe Experience services to help its banking customers through all stages, from early trial stage to mass market rollout.
“We are proud that areeba has now decided to roll-out biometric payments and selected Zwipe Pay ONE as its platform for doing so. We have worked closely together to introduce and strengthen the business case of biometric payments in the region and we are happy to see the market moving towards larger scale adoption,” says André Løvestam, CEO of Zwipe.
The two companies have engaged multiple smart card manufacturing partners to support the volume deployment of biometric payments, expected to start in 2021 and grow exponentially over the following years.
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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 14:45 CET 14 October 2020.
About areeba
areeba is an electronic payment technology company licensed by Visa and MasterCard and has an agreement with American Express. Established in 2017, areeba adopts the latest technologies and provides solutions and payment services to banks, governments and merchants to suit their aspirations and needs.
areeba offers services tailored to global requirements, from card issuance and management, non-contact payment solutions, contactless and mobile payment. It also provides merchants and governments with the latest e-commerce platform and point-of-sale machines that adopt the highest standards and safety systems. areeba operates a wide range of loyalty programs, including: collecting points and miles, cashback programs, and providing consultancy services for the planning, design and development of electronic products and payment solutions.
For more information, visit www.areeba.com, or @areebalebanon on LinkedIn, Facebook or Instagram. areeba media contact: Nouchka El Hage, +961-1-954325 - NHage@areeba.com
OSLO, NORWAY AND HELSINKI, FINLAND – 08 OCTOBER 2020 – Biometric fintech Zwipe and TietoEVRY, the leading provider of software and digital banking services in the Nordics, have agreed to jointly roll-out biometric payment solutions based on the Zwipe Pay ONE platform.
With the recent surge in demand for safer and more secure payments, TietoEVRY is embracing biometric payment innovations that enable more hygienic, secure and convenient payments for consumers.
“We are excited to roll-out the Zwipe Pay ONE platform in close collaboration with Zwipe, a pioneer and innovator in biometric payments. We selected Zwipe as the most interesting partner for mass market deployment. Together, we will support banks to roll-out biometric payment cards and wearables at scale. From recent discussions with issuers, we already see broad interest for such innovations. Clearly, now is the time to take action,” says Jarmo Rouhiainen, Head of TietoEVRY Card Production and Personalization Services.
As part of this commercial agreement, Zwipe will provide TietoEVRY with technical support towards biometric payment card integration, enrollment solutions, and a complete end-to-end advisory offering aimed at helping banks successfully deploy biometric payment solutions. TietoEVRY will source their Zwipe Pay ONE-based cards through their network of card manufacturers.
“Partnering with TietoEVRY is a significant milestone for Zwipe. TietoEVRY’s deep relations with a large number of banks in the Nordics, Baltics and beyond will be a strategic complement to Zwipe’s technology leadership, accelerating the deployment of next generation contactless payments. Partnering closely with one of Europe’s strongest players in payment services, we are further showcasing the value-add we deliver to the ecosystem,” says André Løvestam, CEO of Zwipe.
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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 12:00 CET on 8 October 2020.
OSLO, NORWAY– 29 September 2020 – The Extraordinary General Meeting in Zwipe AS (Company) was held today. All proposed resolutions were approved unanimously in accordance with the call for the meeting. The minutes of the Extraordinary General Meeting are included as an attachment. The complete proposal, which was approved by the Extraordinary General Meeting, is available on www.zwipe.com for further reference. The attendants of the EGM represented 10,2% of the votes in the company.
The following resolutions were made:
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 333,333 shares to the chair of the board of directors in the board meeting on 7 September 2020 on the terms that were stated in the company’s announcement on 7 September 2020.
Board authorizations and instructions to the Board regarding use of the authorization to issue shares to increase the company's equity
The Board proposed that a new authorization for the Board on capital increases are issued, to cater for strengthening of the Company's equity, including to facilitate for a potential repair issue (extract, please refer to the attachment to the notice for the complete proposal).
The Extraordinary General Meeting resolved to approve that the General Meeting granted a new authorization to the Board to issue shares corresponding to up to 10% of the share capital after both the capital increases under the Private Placement have been completed. 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 authorization shall remain in force until the end of the annual general meeting 2021, however not beyond 30 June 2021. The pre-emptive right of the shareholders to subscribe may be set aside.
Resolution to amend the provision in the articles of association on notice period for the general meeting
The general meeting resolved to amend article 10 of the articles of association so that the notice period to the general meeting (ordinary and extraordinary) is 7 days.
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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 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, on 29 September, 2020 at 13:30 CEST
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
Certified Adviser on Nasdaq First North is FNCA Sweden AB, info@fnca.se, +46 (0) 528 00 399
For more information contact: Lars Kristian Solheim, CFO, +47 991 66 135 ir@zwipe.com
OSLO, NORWAY – 14 September 2020 – Biometric fintech company Zwipe and Cardmatix Ltd., a leading supplier of card manufacturing equipment, are partnering to collaborate on the design, development and commercialization of equipment and modular solutions to support milling and embedding of fingerprint sensors for biometric payment card manufacturing at mass volumes.
Headquartered in Dongguan, China, Cardmatix is a leading player in the development of industrial manufacturing and testing equipment specifically for mass production of payment cards.
“We have cooperated closely with Zwipe through our sister company Silone Cardtech, and we are convinced the biometric payment card market is poised for mass-volume take-off. Our industrial solutions will make smart card manufacturers’ job of producing millions of biometric payment cards much more cost-efficient thanks to the unique insights shared by Zwipe’s technical team,” said Cardmatix CEO, Mr. John Wu.
Zwipe has a long-standing collaboration with Silone Cardtech. The Chinese market is expected to see strong payment card growth with many established stakeholders fast-tracking their capacity to support demand.
“This is an important step in preparing our supply chain and global capacity to meet future demand. Cardmatix is one of the world’s most well-established high-volume card manufacturing equipment providers and we are excited to broaden our ability to serve our customers with their strong support.” said André Løvestam, CEO of Zwipe.
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About CardMatix Ltd.
Cardmatix was established in 2002 to focus on the manufacturing of equipment for the production and testing of contact, contactless, and dual-interface smart cards for the world market. With 20 years’ experience in design, manufacturing, and marketing on smart card production related machineries, Cardmatix has been one of the leading solution providers worldwide in the card industry with durable, high speed machines engineered for easy maintenance and years of reliable service.
For more information contact: John Wu, CEO +86 0769 86855889
OSLO, NORWAY and CORPS, FRANCE – 21 November 2024 – OSE, one of France’s well known PCB assembly services provider, has chosen Zwipe to deploy Zwipe Access biometric access cards across their operations. This collaboration marks a significant milestone in delivering enhanced security to high-security environments.
OSE, headquartered in Corps, France, is known for its expertise in electronic board prototyping, testing, and lean manufacturing practices that emphasize quality and reliability. With a strong focus on innovative and flexible solutions, OSE has consistently positioned itself as a leader in the industry.
Caroline Guerin, OSE General Manager, commented on the partnership, saying, “Our commitment to protect our customers’ intellectual property aligns perfectly with Zwipe’s advanced biometric technology. The deployment of Zwipe Access cards on our premises allows us to provide a solution that ensures seamless integration and robust security for high-security environments.”
Zwipe Access cards offer a high level of security by conducting all fingerprint capture, extraction, and matching directly on the card. This ensures that sensitive biometric data never leaves the card, thereby providing optimal data privacy and security for users.
According to Robert Puskaric, President and CEO of Zwipe, “Innovation in security is paramount, especially in today’s fast-evolving landscape. With OSE as our partner, we are proud to support the deployment of Zwipe Access cards in France, reinforcing our commitment to delivering an additional layer of security in critical environments.”
About OSE
The company OSE, located in Corps en Isère (France), specializes in electronic boards from prototypes, pre-series and series industrializations to end and finished product. Its corporate culture promotes the development of the know-how of its employees in order to achieve a common objective: customer satisfaction. Our company has more than 130 employees, it is located in a 3000 m² building and controls all manufacturing processes (from the simplest to the most complex
To know more, visit www.ose.fr
About Zwipe
Zwipe believes the inherent uniqueness of every person is the key to a safer future. We work with great passion across networks of international organizations, industries and cultures to make convenience safe and secure. We are pioneering next-generation biometric card technology for payment, physical and logical access control as well as identification solutions. We promise our customers and partners deep insight and frictionless solutions, ensuring a seamless user experience with our innovative biometric products and services. Zwipe is headquartered in Oslo, Norway with a global presence.
To learn more, visit www.zwipe.com
OSLO, NORWAY – 19 NOVEMBER 2024 - Reference is made to the stock exchange announcement published by Zwipe AS (the "Company" or "Zwipe") earlier on 7 November 2024, regarding a contemplated rights issue in the Company, raising gross proceeds of approximately NOK 40 million (the "Rights Issue"). In relation thereto, the Board of Directors of Zwipe (the "Board") calls for an Extraordinary General Meeting (the "EGM") to be held on 3 December 2024 at 10:00 (CET). The general meeting will be held as a virtual meeting on Microsoft Teams.
Please find attached the notice to the EGM. The notice is also available on the Company's website, https://zwipe.com/investors.
The deadline for registration of attendance, proxies and advance voting for direct shareholders is 2 December 2024 at 16:00 hours (CET). Holders of nominee registered shares must register attendance, proxies and advance voting no later than within 29 November 2024 at 16:00 hours (CET). Shareholders are encouraged to register their notice of attendance and proxies via the link found here: https://zwipe.com/investors/general-meetings.
Alternatively, the attached notice of attendance and proxy forms may be sent by e-mail to genf@dnb.no, or by regular post to DNB Bank ASA, Registrar's Department, P.O.Box 1600 Sentrum, 0021 Oslo, Norway.
Shareholders who have not registered participation digitally, must also send an e-mail to ir@zwipe.com and will, thereafter, receive a link to the Teams meeting for the General Meeting.
The Board has proposed the following agenda:
1. Opening of the general meeting (non-voting)
2. Registration of attending shareholders and proxies (non-voting)
3. Election of Chair of the meeting and one person to co-sign the minutes.
4. Approval of the notice and the agenda
5. Rights issue
6. Board authorization to issue convertible loan
7. Issue of Warrants
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
OSLO, NORWAY – 7 NOVEMBER 2024 - The board of directors (the "Board") of Zwipe AS ("Zwipe" or the "Company") has today, on 7 November 2024, resolved to propose that the Company carries out a new issue of units, consisting of shares and warrants, with preferential rights for existing shareholders raising gross proceeds of approximately NOK 39.7 million (the "Rights Issue"). The Rights Issue requires approval by the extraordinary general meeting of the Company expected to be held on 3 December 2024 (the "EGM") to be implemented. The notice of the EGM will be published in a separate press release.
Background and reason for the Rights Issue
Zwipe is a Norwegian biometric authentication technology company established in 2009, focused on developing and commercializing secure, fast, and easy-to-use biometric authentication solutions with broad applications across key verticals such as payments and access control.
Since the beginning of 2024, Zwipe has focused exclusively on Zwipe Access and continues to make considerable progress building their network of sales partners and establishing Zwipe as one of the leading solutions for biometric access control. Several major enterprises are currently evaluating Zwipes access control cards for potential deployment to enhance general security in their facilities and offices.
The Rights Issue is carried out in order to strengthen the Company's financial
position and to accelerate the commercialization of Zwipe’s biometric cards within access control. Zwipe has made substantial progress within the access control market, which the Company anticipates will translate to meaningful commercial traction and revenue in the coming quarters. With the company operating in a very cost-efficient manner, proceeds from the rights issue alongside available cash and possible additional cost saving measures are expected to support the Company throughout 2025 and in its transition to a phase of sustainable, long-term commercial success.
Key terms of the Rights Issue
The Board has today resolved to propose that the EGM resolves on the Rights Issue of 99,303,344 transferable subscription rights (the "Subscription Rights") with preferential rights for existing shareholders, whereby one Subscription Right gives the right to subscribe for four (4) units ("Unit"). Each Unit consists of (i) a new share in the Company, each with a nominal value of NOK 0.10, and (ii) a warrant of series T02 (the "Warrants") for a subscription price of NOK 0.10 per Unit. One Warrant give the right to subscribe for one ordinary share in the Company during the period beginning on 3 March 2025 and ending on 14 March 2025. The subscription price in the Rights Issue is NOK 0.10 per Unit on Euronext Growth Oslo and SEK 0.10 per Unit on Nasdaq First North Growth Market Sweden. The subscription price per share corresponds to the subscription price per Unit. Thus, the Warrants are issued free of charge. Upon full subscription, the Company will initially receive approximately NOK 39.7 million in gross proceeds. If Warrants are exercised, the Company will receive additional proceeds in March 2025.
The shareholders of the Company on 3 December 2024 (and being registered as such in the Norwegian Central Securities Depository, Euronext Securities Oslo, (the "VPS") as at the expiry of 5 December 2024 (the "Record Date") will be granted one (1) Subscription Right for each share registered as held by the shareholder as of the Record Date. One (1) Subscription Right is required to subscribe for four (4) Units. Each Unit consists of one (1) new share and one (1) Warrant.
Subscription of Units with or without preferential rights shall take place during the period beginning on 6 December 2024 and ending on 20 December 2024. Subscription Rights that are not exercised during the subscription period become invalid and lose their value. Trading in Subscription Rights takes place on Nasdaq First North Growth Market and Euronext Growth Oslo during the period beginning on 6 December 2024 and ending on 16 December 2024.
Pursuant to Section 10-4 of the Norwegian Private Limited Companies Act, the shareholders of the Company at the day of the EGM (as registered in the Company's shareholder register in VPS two trading days thereafter (the "EGM Record Date")), and who are not resident in a jurisdiction where such offering would be unlawful or, would (in jurisdictions other than Norway) require any prospectus, filing, registration or similar action, will be granted a preferential right to subscribe for and be allocated the new shares in proportion to the number of shares in the Company they own as of the EGM Record Date (the "Existing Shareholding"), and will receive Subscription Rights proportionate to their Existing Shareholding. The Company expects to apply for admission to trading of the Subscription Rights on Euronext Growth Oslo and Nasdaq First North Growth Market Stockholm.
Units will be allocated in the Rights Issue in accordance with the following criteria:
a) Allocation of Units shall be made according to granted or acquired transferable subscription rights which have been validly exercised during the subscription period.
b) Units not allocated pursuant to a) above, will be allocated to subscribers who have exercised their transferable subscription rights and oversubscribed. These subscribers will be allocated additional Units based on the amount of transferable subscription rights exercised by each subscriber. To the extent that pro rata allocation is not possible, the Company will determine the allocation by drawing lots.
One (1) Warrant entitles, during the period beginning on 3 March 2025 and ending on 14 March 2025, to subscription of one (1) new share in Zwipe at an exercise price of NOK 0.10.
There will from and including 7 November 2024 temporarily be imposed a block for repositioning of trading in the shares in the Company between Euronext Securities Oslo (VPS) and Euroclear Sweden AB until and including the Record Date. Full terms and conditions for the Rights Issue as well as other information about the Company will be described in the EU Growth Prospectus, which is expected to be published on or around 5 December 2024.
Robert Puskaric, CEO of Zwipe comments:
"Zwipe continues to see strong interest in bringing biometric access control cards to market globally. We feel confident that a number of the engagements and opportunities our partners are working with us on will result in commercial and operational deployments in a very short timeframe. The proceeds from the Rights Issue will give us more financial flexibility and enable us to execute on our commercial objectives for Zwipe Access. We are operating in an efficient and agile manner and proceeds from the Rights Issue should support us in achieving significant commercial traction and positioning the company for sustainable, profitable growth."
Change in share capital, number of shares and dilution
Based on the outstanding number of shares as of today, the share capital in the Company increases through the Rights Issue by a maximum of NOK 39,721,337.60, from NOK 9,930,334.40 to NOK 49,651,672.00, through the issuance of a maximum of 397,213,376 shares. The number of shares increases from 99,303,344 to a maximum of 496,516,720 shares. For existing shareholders who do not participate in the Rights Issue, this implies a dilution effect of 80.0 percent in the case of full subscription.
In the event that all outstanding Warrants issued in the Rights Issue are fully exercised for the subscription of new shares in Zwipe, the number of shares will increase by an additional 397,213,376 to a total of 893,730,096 shares and the share capital will increase by NOK 39,721,337.60 to a total of NOK 893,730,009.6.
Extraordinary general meeting
The Rights Issue requires the approval by the EGM expected to be held on [3 December] 2024 to be implemented. The notice of the EGM will be published in a separate press release.
Advisor
Zwipe has engaged Bergs Securities AB and Advokatfirmaet Schjødt AS as financial and legal advisors respectively in connection with the Rights Issue.
For further information contact:
Robert Puskaric, CEO of Zwipe
E-mail: ir@zwipe.com
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 the date and time provided.
About Zwipe
Zwipe believes the inherent uniqueness of every person is the key to a safer
future. We work with great passion across networks of international
organizations, industries and cultures to make convenience safe and secure. We
are pioneering next-generation biometric card and wearables technology for
payment and physical & logical access control and identification solutions. We
promise our customers and partners deep insight and frictionless solutions,
ensuring a seamless user experience with our innovative biometric products and
services. Zwipe is headquartered in Oslo, Norway, with a global presence.
To learn more, visit http://www.zwipe.com
Important information
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, Belarus, Hong Kong, Japan, Canada, New Zealand, Russia, 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.
OSLO, NORWAY, and WETZIKON, SWITZERLAND – 14th October 2024 – As part of the official launch of LEGIC neon on card Zwipe and LEGIC Identsystems are excited to announce the introduction of biometric cardholder verification on Zwipe Access for LEGIC-based access control systems. This enhancement, now available commercially, integrates Zwipe’s industry-leading biometric technology into the latest version of LEGIC’s neon application.
With LEGIC neon on card, organizations can now deploy smartcard-based access solutions that incorporate fingerprint authentication. This new feature ensures that Zwipe Access releases credentials only after successful on-card fingerprint verification, adding an extra layer of security while maintaining a seamless experience for users.
For end users, the process is simple and secure: by placing a finger on the card’s built-in sensor, the cardholder can easily unlock the credentials needed to gain access via an NFC reader. This eliminates the need for PINs or passwords, streamlining access control without compromising safety.
"We are delighted to bring multi-factor authentication to LEGIC neon-based cards," said Christoph Beckenbauer, General Manager at LEGIC Identsystems. “This product seamlessly extends biometric verification to smartcards, which was previously only available with LEGIC neon for smartphones.”
"LEGIC neon is a uniquely secure and flexible technology." Robert Puskaric, President and CEO of Zwipe, added, "We are proud that LEGIC has chosen to partner with us, leveraging our Zwipe Access platform to enhance the security of their application."
For over 30 years, Swiss-based LEGIC Identsystems has enabled companies from around the world to deploy solutions with demanding security requirements. Based on key management, trusted services and secure, contactless semiconductors, the LEGIC Security Platform provides end-to-end security for smartphone- and smartcard-based access, mobility, shared resource and industrial IoT applications.
Zwipe believes the inherent uniqueness of every person is the key to a safer future. We work with great passion across networks of international organizations, industries and cultures to make convenience safe and secure. We are pioneering next-generation biometric card technology for payment, physical and logical access control as well as identification solutions. We promise our customers and partners deep insight and frictionless solutions, ensuring a seamless user experience with our innovative biometric products and services. Zwipe is headquartered in Oslo, Norway with a global presence.
For more information, visit: www.zwipe.com
OSLO, NORWAY – 07-Oct-2024 – One of the prominent global leaders in the pharmaceutical industry is currently testing Zwipe Access biometric cards, in collaboration with a trusted partner, with a view to potentially deploy these innovative cards in its operations.
Zwipe AS, a pioneer in biometric technology, offers Zwipe Access cards equipped with an advanced fingerprint sensor. This technology captures the cardholder’s fingerprint securely, delivering the highest level of security and privacy available in biometric systems. By ensuring that the biometric data never leaves the card, Zwipe Access provides an unparalleled safeguard against data breaches.
The global pharmaceutical company involved in this testing is dedicated to reimagining medicine, improving, and extending lives. With the deployment of Zwipe Access cards, the company aims to enhance security across its processes and operations.
Robert Puskaric, President and CEO of Zwipe, shared his thoughts on the potential deployment and said, “Securing individual identities is critical in today’s landscape of cyber and security threats. Biometric authentication offers a highly secure, reliable method for identity verification. Since biometric characteristics are unique to each person, Zwipe Access Cards prevents the risk of unauthorized access, all while providing a seamless and intuitive user experience."
About Zwipe
Zwipe believes the inherent uniqueness of every person is the key to a safer future. We work passionately across networks of international organizations, industries, and cultures to make convenience safe and secure. We pioneer next-generation biometric card technology for payment, physical and logical access control, as well as identification solutions. We promise our customers and partners deep insight and frictionless solutions, ensuring a seamless user experience with our innovative biometric products and services. Zwipe is headquartered in Oslo, Norway, with a global presence.
To learn more, please visit http://www.zwipe.com/
OSLO, NORWAY – 30-Sept – 2024 – Zwipe, a global pioneer and leader in biometric technology for access control, identification, and payment solutions, announces that one of the world’s top digital music streaming service providers is currently testing Zwipe’s biometric access cards. This evaluation is part of a potential deployment of Zwipe’s technology across the company.
Zwipe is listed on the stock exchanges of Oslo and Stockholm and specializes in secure, biometric authentication technology for access control, identification, and payment solutions.
The global music streaming company aims at increasing security on its premises by evaluating and potentially adopting Zwipe Access cards. These biometric cards offer enhanced protection by ensuring that sensitive credentials are kept secure and can only be activated by the legitimate cardholder.
Zwipe Access is a card-based fingerprint dual-authentication solution designed for access control, fast and easy to deploy. With fingerprint capture, extraction, and comparison taking place entirely on the card itself, the biometric data never leaves the card. This provides heightened data privacy and security for users, significantly reducing the risk of security breaches, whether in the physical or digital world.
Robert Puskaric, President and CEO of Zwipe, commented on the potential partnership, stating: “Security and privacy concerns are growing everywhere. Adopting secure and reliable access control systems is essential in protecting people and facilities. Zwipe’s biometric technology offers a secure, fast, and intuitive authentication experience for access control. We are delighted to have such a global leader as potential customer.”
About Zwipe
Zwipe believes the inherent uniqueness of every person is the key to a safer future. We work with great passion across networks of international organizations, industries, and cultures to make convenience safe and secure. We are pioneering next-generation biometric card technology for payment, physical and logical access control, and identification solutions. We promise our customers and partners deep insight and frictionless solutions, ensuring a seamless user experience with our innovative biometric products and services. Zwipe is headquartered in Oslo, Norway, with a global presence.
To learn more, visit www.zwipe.com
OSLO, NORWAY – 25-September – 2024 – A leading U.S.-based social media and IT company is currently testing Zwipe Access biometric cards via their strategic technology partner, mandated to assess and implement technology globally, considering the possible deployment of this cutting-edge solution across its facilities.
Zwipe AS, a widely recognized pioneer in biometric technology, has supplied these cards as part of a collaborative effort to enhance customer’s sites security.
Zwipe is listed on the stock exchanges of Oslo and Stockholm and specializes in secure, biometric authentication technology for access control, identification, and payment solutions.
The global technology giant aims at further strengthening its security protocols by evaluating and potentially adopting Zwipe Access cards. These biometric cards offer enhanced protection by ensuring that sensitive credentials are kept secure and can only be activated by the legitimate cardholder.
Zwipe Access is a card-based fingerprint dual-authentication solution designed for access control. With fingerprint capture, extraction, and comparison taking place entirely on the card itself, the biometric data never leaves the card. This provides heightened data privacy and security for users, significantly reducing the risk of security breaches, whether in the physical or digital world.
Speaking on this potential deployment, Robert Puskaric, President and CEO of Zwipe, said, “In today’s digital age, secured identity and authentication are more important than ever. We are immensely proud for a potential partnership with such a prominent global leader in the tech industry. The Zwipe Access biometric card offers an excellent solution for enhancing security through two-factor authentication, all without requiring lengthy and costly hardware upgrades, thus providing both increased protection and significant savings in capital expenditure.”
About Zwipe
Zwipe believes the inherent uniqueness of every person is the key to a safer future. We work passionately across networks of international organizations, industries, and cultures to make convenience safe and secure. We pioneer next-generation biometric card technology for payment, physical and logical access control, as well as identification solutions. We promise our customers and partners deep insight and frictionless solutions, ensuring a seamless user experience with our innovative biometric products and services. Zwipe is headquartered in Oslo, Norway, with a global presence.
To learn more, please visit http://www.zwipe.com/
Significant events H1 2024
Focusing on identity and access management, Seriline, a Sweden-based company, has signed a distribution agreement with Zwipe that pioneers next generation biometric cards for physical & logical access control and identification solutions.
Plasticard - ZFT, one of the leading manufacturers for plastic cards, smart cards and ID media has partnered with Zwipe to distribute biometric access cards for Zwipe in Germany, Austria and Switzerland.
Ermes srl, one of the leaders in providing solutions for the identification and security of people, has signed a distribution agreement with Zwipe, a pioneer and world leader in the development of biometric technology on cards for identification and access control.
Zwipe announced the appointment of PCB & Security Europe S.L., headquartered in Barcelona, Spain, as its official distributor for Spain and Portugal. This strategic partnership expands Zwipe’s reach across Europe and positions the company to capitalize on the growing demand for secure and convenient biometric access solutions in the Iberian Peninsula.
Zwipe 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.
Tadera and Zwipe announce that the Zwipe Access Biometric Smart Card System has completed operational test and evaluation by National Safe Skies Alliance, Inc. (Safe Skies) at Richmond International Airport (RIC). The report concludes that the Zwipe access card is a highly secure and user-friendly solution that meets the needs of the airport.
In January, Zwipe announced 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.
Significant events after the period
ZKTeco, a globally recognized leader in access control solutions, is proud to announce a partnership with Zwipe, a leader in biometric technology for cards used in identification, access control, and payment. Together, they aim to deliver cutting-edge, high-security access solutions in Europe.
Zwipe the market leader in Biometric Smart Card technology for biometric access card technology, has entered into a strategic partnership with ABC Security Access Systems, a prominent integrator specializing in physical security solutions. This collaboration aims to introduce Zwipe’s state-of-theart biometric smart card technology solutions to customers across the Canadian marketplace, focusing on key sectors such as retail, government, commercial and institutional.
Zwipe, the global leader in biometric payment and access cards, and AXYS, a specialist in integrating access control, video surveillance, intrusion detection, and other security technology solutions announce a strategic partnership. This collaboration aims to deliver the groundbreaking “biometric smartcard” technology solution to AXYS’s global customer base.
Message from the CEO
During the first half of the year, we have, alongside the execution of the restructuring program, focused on implementing the new strategy focusing on the access control market. We intensified our efforts to establish and develop strategic partnerships in our targeted regions that enhance our reach and credibility within the industry with good traction and response. Collaborations and the establishment of go-to-market partnerships with key players in the security and technology sectors are increasing both our market presence and growth potential and we have expanded our network of distributors and resellers, as well as system integrators and installation companies in all geographies.
In France, during the first quarter, we signed a distribution agreement with SCAP, a major distributor giving us access to many local system integrators and installers, and a large pool of potential French end user enterprises.
During the second quarter we have started to see our intense work paying off as we have been able to sign additional collaborations with, among others, Seriline, Plasticard and Ermes. Lately we also communicated agreements with AXYS, ABC Security Access Systems, ZKTeco Europe. Many of these partners operate and have strong foothold in multiple countries and regions giving us an even wider reach.
Today we have more than 60 distributors and system integration partners throughout North America and European counties we have selected to focus on. It also means we have continued to increase the number of distributed starter packs/ demo kits during the second quarter of the year, so our partners can approach an increased number of end user enterprises.
As we have stated before, we are primarily targeting three verticals. For the Airport, Power Plants and Data Centers we have developed specific value propositions that we are getting good response and traction on. The fourth area we are approaching is more generic in terms of government agencies, major tech companies and multinational enterprises in various sectors and verticals.
Three of our partners in North America are specialized in providing security solutions to data centers. This has so far resulted in that we are engaged in a tender process with a leading internet search company and that we have commenced testing for a top social network and software company. Biometric access cards and our solution have also been adopted by architects and solution providers in future tenders when building new data centers.
On the power plant vertical we have passed product tests and are under evaluation by a major nuclear plant in North America. We also under evaluation by a major energy company in the USA.
Unfortunately, the airport vertical has not yet shown the development we had expected given the positive outcome of the report by National Safe Skies Alliance, Inc. We have two major partners in this vertical that are currently in dialogue with more than 10 airports in the USA. It is our assessment that more time is needed as decision processes in these potential deals take longer time than expected.
In total we together with our partners now have around 55 ongoing unique end user enterprise engagements. Not to say that every enterprise will ever implement biometric access cards for all their employees, but our current 55 engagements have an average of +40.000 employees per engagement, so the potential is huge.
We are obviously disappointed that we and our partners have not been able to enter into material commercial deployments and generate revenue during the first half of this year. At the same time, we are very pleased with the development in building our partner network in the first half year and the response we are getting from our engagements. That said, we are convinced that the work we have been doing will pay off in the near future.
Financial review
Profit and loss Zwipe reported total revenues of NOK 0.6 million during the first half of 2024, lower than the NOK 1.7 million reported in the first half of 2023. Net sales equalled NOK 0.1 million during the first half of 2024, and consisted to 100 percent of Zwipe access, compared to NOK 0.05 million during the first half of 2023.
Total operating expenses totaled NOK 29.4 million in the first half of 2024, down NOK 28.1 million compared to the first half of 2023. Personnel expenses were down to NOK 13.6 million compared to NOK 28.3 million in the first half of 2023, as headcount has decreased in line with the restructuring plans presented in June 2023 as well as in January 2024. Other operating expenses of NOK 14.6 million in the first half of 2024 were also significantly lower when compared to NOK 26.9 million in the first half of 2023, driven mainly by lower development, certification, marketing and travel costs. Depreciation, amortization and impairment amounted to NOK 0.7 million in the first half of 2024 versus NOK 1.0 million during the first half of 2023.
The above resulted in net income for the first half of 2024 of NOK -30.0 million, substantially better than NOK -56.1 million reported in the first half of 2023.
Cash flow During the first half of 2024, cash flow from operations and investments, before financing and facilitation, was NOK -40.9 million from NOK -59.3 million in the first half of 2023, an improvement with NOK 18.4 million.
Cashflow from financing activities equalled NOK 24.1 million and represents the remaining cash outstanding from the fundraising in the fourth quarter of 2023.
Total net cash flow for the first half of 2024, including cash flow from financing and investing activities, was NOK -17.0 million compared to NOK 25.4 million in the first half of 2023, as Zwipe completed a rights issue raising NOK 100.1 million in gross proceeds in the first half of 2023. Investments, liquidity, and financial position On 30 June 2024, cash and cash equivalents were NOK 25.2 million, compared to NOK 76.0 million on 30 June 2023.
As of 30 June 2024, production equipment, machinery, and fixtures were valued at NOK 3.7 million, and made up all long-term assets. Including cash of NOK 25.2 million, inventories of NOK 23.5 million, and receivables of NOK 1.2 million, current assets stood at NOK 49.9 million giving total assets of NOK 53.7 million.
Total equity as of 30 June 2024 amounted to NOK 30.7 million. Liabilities totaled NOK 22.9 million, comprising solely short-term liabilities. Consequently, the equity ratio stood at 57%.
This disclosure contains information that Zwipe AS is obliged to make public pursuant to the Swedish Securities Markets Act (2007:528). The information was submitted for publication, through the agency of the contact person, on 22-08-2024 08:00 CET.
Zwipe AS will publish its H1 2024 financial report on 22 August 2024 at 08.00 CET. On the same day at 14.00 CET, the company will host a webcast to present the report. After the presentation, the webcast will be opened up for questions from the audience.
Participants will be required to register to listen to the webcast and participate in the Q&A.
Webcast details:
Date: 22 August, 14.00 CET
Format: webcast and Q&A
Language: English
Link:
https://app.webinar.net/DgvB0X80NM3
For more information contact:
