SAN FRANCISCO – Apr. 3, 2006 – ZoomSystems announced today it has closed a $10 million Series C financing round led by Goldman, Sachs & Co. that will speed deployment of the company's network of 40 square foot robotic stores that place iconic brands and high demand products directly in the path of consumers.

The company's "state-of-the-art" robotic stores are located in high traffic areas and use technology to provide consumers simplicity, speed and easy access to products. These sleek retail stores prominently display up to 150 different products behind glass. Shoppers select products via an easy to use touch screen graphic interface, finalize purchases with a credit or debit card and receive products immediately via a robotic arm. All of ZoomSystems' robotic stores are networked and centrally monitored, ensuring high reliability and customer service levels.

Sierra Ventures and NeoCarta Ventures, led earlier rounds of financing for ZoomSystems. Jeff Loomans and David Schwab of Sierra both serve on the board while in addition to Peg Jackson from NeoCarta.

Also participating in the round was ZoomSystems' Chairman of the Board, Bruce Quinnell, former Vice Chairman, President and COO of leading retailer Borders Group and current chairman of Hot Topic, one of the nation's most successful mall retailers.

ZoomSystems executive management team, board of directors and advisors all have extensive retail backgrounds at leading brands that include Target, LVMH Moet Hennessey Louis Vuitton and Bank of America.

About ZoomSystems
ZoomSystems is pioneering a new channel; automated retail that places iconic brands and high demand products directly in the path of consumers. These "state-of-the-art" robotic stores utilize 30-40 square feet carry only the world's most popular products and are located in high consumer traffic areas, a retailing strategy that stands in a clear contrast to confusing, crowded and cluttered mega stores. ZoomSystems' robotic stores use technology to provide consumers simplicity, speed and easy access to products from high profile brands offering consumers a revolutionary new retail experience. Led by a dynamic team of experienced retail executives, ZoomSystems plans over the next two years to implement thousands of these robotic stores in high traffic locations such as airports, hotels, malls and grocery stores.

About Sierra Ventures
Sierra Ventures, founded in 1982, is a privately held venture capital firm focused on investments across all areas of the Information Technology sector from semiconductors to enterprise software. Sierra Ventures has managed eight venture capital partnerships and currently has more than $1 billion of capital under management. Some of the firm's investments include Combinet (acquired by Cisco), StrataCom (acquired by Cisco), ConvergeNet (acquired by Dell), Quinta (acquired by Seagate), Intuit (INTU), OnLink (acquired by Siebel), Healtheon (merged with WebMD), AmeriGroup (AGP), Micromuse (MUSE), Active Software (acquired by WebMethods), Centex (acquired by WorldCom), and Interact Commerce (acquired by Sage). More information is available at http://www.sierraventures.com.

About NeoCarta Ventures
NeoCarta Ventures is a leading venture capital firm specializing in early to mid-stage technology investments. The firm focuses on investments in IT infrastructure, software, hardware, networking, media and wireless. With offices in San Francisco and Boston, NeoCarta partners' backgrounds include senior investment experience with outstanding track records at GE Capital, Intel Capital, Thomson, and NBC. NeoCarta works closely with entrepreneurs and actively adds value by providing strategic guidance, team-building skills, industry knowledge, and operating expertise. With NeoCarta's unique mix of financial, operational, and technical expertise, the firm is able to add value at all stages of a company's development. NeoCarta's Web site address is: http://www.neocarta.com.

Return to Press Room  |  ^ Top