Nanocomp - Press Release

Nanocomp Named NHHTC 2006 Product of the Year

Peter Antoinette, left, chief executive of Concord-based Nanocomp Technologies Inc., stands with Gov. John Lynch last night during New Hampshire’s High Technology Councils’ inaugural Product of the Year Awards Banquet. At front is NHHTC’s Product of the Year trophy. Two of Nanocomp’s closely-related specialty fiber products were named Product of the Year at the banquet.

New Hampshire Union Leader (Manchester, NH)

January 11, 2007

Title: NanoYarn Product of Year

Author: BENJAMIN KEPPLE Union Leader Staff

Edition: State Section: Business Page 3

MANCHESTER -- Nanocomp Technologies Inc.'s NanoYarn and its related NanoFelt product were selected last night as the New Hampshire High Technology Council's Product of the Year, as the company won acclaim for its use of carbon nanotubes to produce super-strong, lightweight specialty fibers.

The Concord-based company's offering was chosen by both a panel of judges and the audience at the industry group's first ever Product of the Year Awards Banquet, which was held at the Radisson Hotel Manchester on Elm Street. The winner was chosen from among five finalists.

"It feels terrific," said Peter Antoinette, Nanocomp's chief executive, immediately after receiving the award. "It's a recognition for the entire Nanocomp team."

Each company that made it as a finalist was honored last night with the Judges' Award in the Product of the Year competition. The other finalists in the event were:

• Conway-based Animetrics Inc., maker of the FACEngine ID Surveillance facial identification system, which is designed to work under real-world conditions, such as when a person's face is turned a bit away from the camera.
  
  
• Manchester-based Jetboil Inc., maker of the Group Cooking System, a portable outdoor-cooking stove that works quicker and uses less fuel than traditional systems. It also works well under windy conditions.
  
  
• Merrimack-based Kollsman Inc., maker of the EVS II Enhanced Vision System, an electronic system that makes it easier for pilots to land aircraft in bad weather or other reduced visibility conditions.
  
  
• Bedford-based MetaMersion LLC, maker of the Immersive Gaming System, a platform that lets gamers play computer games in a fully immersive, virtual-reality environment.

The five companies chosen as finalists each made presentations to the audience, something they had also done previously before the judges. The five firms were chosen from an original field of 31 nominated companies, which had been culled from an earlier, two-round process. "The presentations from the five companies that presented here today were outstanding ... I congratulate all the nominees who are here. You have already succeeded -- your hard work has already paid off," said Zack Noshirwani, a vice president with Raytheon Integrated Defense Systems, who spoke at last night's event. Also speaking at last night's event were Gov. John Lynch and NHHTC officials, including NHHTC Chairman Michael Quinlan and president Fred Kocher.

More than 250 people turned out for the awards banquet. Before the dinner, attendees eagerly studied all the products up for consideration.

In addition to winning the Product of the Year Award, Nanocomp's specialty fibers will also be honored as the first product showcased in the New Hampshire Product of the Year Hall of Fame, a new display which will be set up at the main entrance of the Manchester-Boston Regional Airport. That display is scheduled to be installed in April.

Copyright 2007 Union Leader Corp. Record Number: 1169E75E6C551730