Top Canadian private equity firm begins international investments

MONTREAL, Jan. 24, 2013 /PRNewswire/ – NOVACAP is pleased to announce
the acquisition of US-based Host.net, a leading provider of network
infrastructure services focusing on colocation, cloud computing,
virtualization and storage. This transaction will allow Host.net to
continue its growth and expansion. For NOVACAP, one of Canada’s leading
private equity firms, this transaction also represents the next step in
the path of expanding its successful investment strategy to the United
States.

Acquisition of Host.net

Host.net is a leader in colocation and network infrastructure services
provider in South Florida with over 700 customers ranging from small to
large multinationals. “The transaction will allow Host.net to continue
to lead the industry, to grow to the next stage by adding more data
centers, and to expand their portfolio of services to remain the
industry’s benchmark,” said Ted Mocarski, Senior Advisor at NOVACAP.

NOVACAP contributes over 15 years of seasoned experience in data centers
and cloud computing and working with entrepreneurs to help Host.net in
its expansion. “We are delighted to be working with NOVACAP, whose
insight and investment will definitely benefit Host.net’s growth
strategy. Their experience in the industry will bring focus to the
strategic steps needed in order to grow the company,” declared Mr.
Davis, Co-Founder & Chief Executive Officer of Host.net.

“We are extremely proud to have reached an agreement with Host.net’s
senior management team and the company’s founder, Jeffrey Davis, thus
allowing us to purchase a business that is dominant in its market. The
company’s dynamic team, significant presence in the market and untapped
opportunities for colocation and cloud services make Host.net an ideal
partner,” mentioned Pascal Tremblay, President of NOVACAP Technologies.

Host.net’s management team will remain in place and will be supported by
newly appointed board members. “With this new acquisition, NOVACAP
wishes to show its confidence in Mr. Davis’ team, ” said Mr. Tremblay.

NOVACAP will leverage the experience it has acquired in Canada in this
first international transaction.

NOVACAP’s international expansion

For NOVACAP, this transaction is the stepping stone for its expansion in
the United States. “It is part of a plan to increase our presence in
the United States, and this agreement shows that we are a serious
player in the market,” declared Mr. Tremblay. “Our expansion will
benefit our portfolio of companies, and will help us find additional
opportunities throughout North America and in international markets.”

About Novacap:

With $790 million in assets under management, NOVACAP is one of Canada’s
leading private equity firms. Since 1981, its distinct partnership
approach based on operational expertise has helped companies accelerate
their growth and maximize their value. NOVACAP ranks among the top
private equity firms in North America. For more information, please
consult: www.novacap.ca.

About Host.net:

Host.net is a multinational provider of managed infrastructure services
focusing on colocation, cloud computing and storage, along with network
transport and transit for enterprise organizations. The company
operates multiple enterprise-class data centers connected to an
extensive fiber-optic backbone delivering Internet, MPLS and layer 2
communications using a wide array of last-mile options. It serves
customers in most major metropolitan regions of North America as well
as portions of Europe. Founded in 1996, Host.net is headquartered in
Boca Raton, FL. Further information about Host.net is available at http://www.host.net.

SOURCE Novacap