FINAM Invests $10 Million in IM+

NEW YORK and STUTTGART, Germany, Feb. 13, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Finam, the largest Russian brokerage and investment holding, that previously invested in Badoo and a bunch of other web companies, invests $10 Million in IM+, popular mobile messenger with 17,5 million users and 800 million mobile ad impressions/month.

As a part of the deal Finam and Shape Services, the company behind IM+, launch FinamShape joint venture that will release a special version of plus.im web messenger for the fast growing Russian market.

"This deal is squarely in line with our fund's new strategy which is geared towards investing in global players in the TMT sector worldwide.  We have a deep understanding of the mobile applications market, and IM+ is one of the best and most popular universal communications platforms for young people.  It's particularly important that IM+ is well connected with all leading social communication networks, and our mission is to solidify IM+'s positions in the universal Internet messenger sector," said Dmitry Smirnov, FINAM Private Equity Fund CEO.

"With the new release of Beep in-app push messenger IM+ allows people to save on SMS and MMS while simultaneously chat on Facebook, Skype, Google Talk and tweet. In the first weeks after release Beep got a half of million users and we see endless opportunities for growth", said Igor Berezovsky, IM+ founder.

"To have such a strong partner as Finam means we will be able to bring the product we love to more users. As a side note, Shape Services' name will be shortened to Shape and URL to www.shape.ag. We understand the .ag domain as Apps&Games, that fits to Shape's strategy very well."

About FINAM:

Finam is one of the largest investment groups in Russia with a proven track record of private equity investments. Since 2003 Finam invested in more than 20 projects in sphere of Internet, Telecommunications and Media, among them are Begun, the largest independent context advertising service in Russia, Mamba,  #1 online dating service in the Russian-language internet with 11.5 mln registered users,  Badoo, a second-generation social network, with over 137 mln. subscribers, and some others.

More: www.finamcapital.com

About SHAPE:

Started in 2002 from ground, SHAPE has grown to a profitable multimillion company with 55 shapers working in Europa and USA. SHAPE's flagship is IM+ communication platform with 17.5 mln registered users, fast growing Beep in-app free push messenger and Neighbors local chat. IM+ is available on all mobile platforms, web and TV.

More: www.shape.ag

SOURCE SHAPE Services GmbH