• Specialist in high-tech sports coatings posts more than 25% gain in sales
• Products now distributed in 47 countries
• Nanostart holds almost 50% share in Holmenkol

Frankfurt / Heimerdingen, Germany – April 24, 2009 – Holmenkol AG, a portfolio company of Nanostart AG, has reported an increase in sales of more than 25 percent for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2009, despite the generally difficult economic situation.

“This performance, which we are all very pleased about, was attributable to significant growth in ski wax products, in part because of the good winter, along with disproportionate increases in our Texture Protection, Bike and Aquatic product lines,” said Christian Römlein, managing director of Holmenkol. In the winter sports area, Holmenkol benefited not only from its almost 90 years of experience but also from the impressive list of top athletes and customers who use its products. Virtually all major ski producers and ski associations work together with Holmenkol. The company, which holds 18 patents, supplies 45 world-class national teams.

With its four product divisions – Snow, Aquatic, Bike and Textile Protection – Holmenkol products are sold in 47 countries. The company has its own sales subsidiaries in Austria, Norway and Japan. Within Austria, Holmenkol was able to increase its sales by 15 percent compared to the prior year, while its newly founded Japanese subsidiary was able to achieve seven-digit revenues in its very first year, double the level of the importer which had previously distributed its products in Japan.

About Nanostart:
Nanostart AG is the world’s leading nanotechnology investment company. The Frankfurt-based company provides venture capital financing for nanotechnology companies in various growth phases. It also provides the benefits of its experience and expertise to developers of financial instruments and to investors in the nanotechnology sector. For further information about the company, please visit www.nanostart.de.

About Holmenkol:
Holmenkol AG, the oldest manufacturer of ski wax with a legacy going back 86 years, is a sports technology leader which supplies virtually all national teams worldwide. Countless athletes, Olympic medalists, world champions and sports enthusiasts rely on the company’s technologies and products. Since Nanogate’s initial equity investment, Holmenkol has been pursuing an international growth strategy beyond the winter sports sector, providing product applications for numerous other sports, particularly aquatic sports, outdoor activities, cycling and golf. The company’s target market includes professionals and performance athletes as well as leisure sports enthusiasts. For further information about the company, please visit www.holmenkol.com.

Disclaimer:
This notice constitutes neither an offer to sell nor a solicitation of offers to purchase or subscribe to securities. There will be no public offering of securities of Nanostart AG in conjunction with the existing listing of its shares in the “Entry Standard” segment of the regulated unofficial market (Freiverkehr) on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange. This notice does not constitute a securities prospectus. Neither this notice nor the information contained within is intended for direct or indirect distribution within the United States of America, Canada, Australia or Japan.

Media contact:
Nanostart AG
Public Relations
Dr. Hans Joachim Dürr
Goethestrasse 26-28
D-60313 Frankfurt, Germany
phone: +49 (0)69-21 93 96 111
fax: +49 (0)69-21 93 96 122
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