Zapera strengthens its position as the leading Nordic online market research provider – up to 10 new employees in Oslo are expected to join Zapera now and during 2007, making the company one of the largest privately held Internet based research institute in Europe.

PRESS RELEASE
13 April 2007

In the recent years, Zapera has experienced explosive growth in The Nordic Region. To further accelerate this growth and to focus even more on the Norwegian market, Zapera has made an agreement with the shareholders of Receptor Markedsanalyse AS to acquire the company in Norway.

- For a long period we have considered how we could accelerate our business model even further in Northern Europe. With its strong position on the Norwegian research market, achieved over a remarkably short period of time, Receptor was an obvious choice. The company’s success is based on its highly skilled employees and a business clearly dedicated towards quality and client satisfaction making Receptor a perfect match for Zapera,” says Zapera´s CEO Lars Lund-Nielsen.

Together the new entity will comprise of more than 70 qualified and competent researchers based at offices in Oslo, Stockholm, Copenhagen, Kolding and Malmø. Zapera operates a high quality research panel with more than 120,000 respondents in Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Estonia and Poland. The combined revenue will on a yearly basis reach NOK 75 mill. or € 9 mill. The acquisition means that Zapera will become one of the largest independent online market research institutes in Europe.

- In many aspects, the acquisition of Receptor is perfect for Zapera. The Norwegian Research market is a mature and nicely growing market and now moving rapidly towards the use of online based research. Together with Receptor we see a huge potential for online experts like Zapera in Norway. It is my belief that together we can provide our Norwegian and international clients the best quality & service, now offering an even stronger Nordic set up than before, says Lars Lund-Nielsen.

Receptor was established in 2004 and rapidly took the position as one of the preferred Norwegian research suppliers. Since the start, focus has been on primarily Media, Service and Public clients. The growth has been remarkable with annual growth rates of 35% and is expected to continue even more as the company moves towards new business areas together with Zapera.

In the Nordic countries the total research market is approx. €700 mill. of which online research accounts for less than 10%. In the years to come the share is expected to grow immensely – primarily at the expense of traditional telephone based research. Zapera is ready and able to take their part of this growth.

- In the US, which is usually 2-3 years ahead of Europe when it comes to research, the online share is now close to 40% of the total market. I have no doubt, that within the next years we will see online research grow even further. It is my ambition and belief, that Zapera will be one of the leading forces in this development. Now with the acquisition of Receptor we are getting closer to this goal.

The acquisition awaits the completion of a satisfactory Due Diligence and any Norwegian authorities approval but is made public today.

For more information please contact:

CEO Lars Lund-Nielsen, cell +45 40 80 80 40 or e-mail
Country Director Ole Brauteset, cell +47 916 01 971 or e-mail

Facts about Zapera:

Zapera was established in January 2000 as the first market research agency solemnly doing online market research in the Nordic countries. Together with international partners we are now capable of doing online market research in the entire Western world. Zapera has offices in Norway, Finland, Sweden and Denmark and the 70 employees serve more than 400 clients in the Nordic countries. The total panel consists of 120,000 individuals in the Nordic countries, Poland and Estonia. Zapera has experienced a tremendous growth of 40% p.a. during the last five years and thus among the most profitable in the industry.