• New fiscal year off to strong start
• Growing product demand from international sales network and new customers
• Operating profit against background of sustained revenue growth

Frankfurt / Heimerdingen, February 2, 2011 – Holmenkol AG, a portfolio holding of nanotechnology investment company Nanostart AG, has completed its shortened fiscal year (nine months from March 31 to December 31) with sales growth of approx. 13 percent along with positive operating income (EBIT), according to preliminary figures which have not yet been audited. The company, an innovation leader in high-performance surface coatings for sports and leisure applications, has changed its fiscal year to end on December 31.

The company attributes this revenue growth to several factors. Firstly, innovations such as its new “Speedbase” product line for downhill ski racers are driving new sales. Secondly, the company continues to expand its product range, particularly in the area of care and maintenance products. Over the past year, for example, it launched a complete new family of care products for sporting and outdoor footwear. In addition, rising demand for the company’s care products among major international customers in Europe as well as expanded market shares in Canada, the U.S. and Austria contributed substantially to growth.

The profitable growth path is expected to continue in the new fiscal year, with actual revenues for the month of January 2011 significant ahead of plan. In addition, the company is currently in discussions with several renowned names in the outdoor and sporting goods industries which have the potential to significantly further boost sales both at home and abroad. A number of new products are also slated for market launch in 2011.

“With our new strategic direction, the company will establish itself over the medium term as a global leader in sports coatings,” said Karim Grueber, CEO of Holmenkol AG. “The new fiscal year off to a superb start, and we are highly optimistic that Holmenkol will again see strong growth in the current year within the winter sports and outdoor markets, along with an increase in operating profit to match.”

According to recent studies, the global market for camping, hiking and other outdoor products, currently estimated at some EUR 45 billion, is growing rapidly. In Germany alone, the outdoor market totals approx. EUR 1.7 billion, which at 20% makes it the largest segment of the country’s market for sporting goods.

About Nanostart:
Nanostart AG, headquartered in the German financial capital of Frankfurt, is the world’s leading nanotechnology investment company, with portfolio companies spanning the globe from Silicon Valley to Singapore. The company provides venture capital financing for nanotechnology companies in various growth phases with a focus on innovation-driven industries of the future such as cleantech, life sciences and IT/electronics. Through its subsidiary and venture capital fund in Singapore, Nanostart is proud to be the investment partner of the Singaporean government. For further information about the company, please visit www.nanostart.de.

About Holmenkol:
Holmenkol AG, with world headquarters in Heimerdingen near the German city of Stuttgart, is a producer of high-tech surface coatings for sporting applications. Building on the company’s many decades of excellence in ski waxes, Holmenkol is today an innovation leader whose products are relied on by top professional athletes and national teams around the world. Holmenkol, as a global company with a long brand legacy among serious athletes, also produces advanced products for amateur athletes and leisure enthusiasts, particularly in the areas of aquatic sports, boating, outdoor activities and cycling. With its leading-edge solutions and worldwide sales network, Holmenkol is superbly positioned for growth and serves as a prime example of how amateur athletes can directly benefit from breakthrough innovations in the professional sporting world. In the company’s research laboratories in Germany, new surface treatments and products are developed to give professional skiers, cyclists and swimmers a competitive edge, as well as to bring greater enjoyment to amateur sports and outdoor activities. More information about the company can be found at 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 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
e-mail: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it