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SPRINGBOARD: NEW ENGLAND SELECTS ec-FINANCE TO PRESENT AT NOVEMBER VENTURE FORUM FOR WOMEN ENTREPRENEURS

October 23, 2000, Boston, MA - The Center for Women & Enterprise and The National Women’s Business Council today announced they have selected Janet Handal, president of ec-Finance, as one of 25 entrepreneurial women who will present their businesses before the region’s investors at the Springboard: New England Venture Forum. Part of a national initiative to increase investments in women-led firms and facilitate new deal flow to investors, Springboard: New England will take place on Friday, November 3, at Harvard Business School.

Presenting companies were chosen from a field of more than 300 applicants by a committee of the region’s leading venture capitalists and service providers. The New England forum will showcase entrepreneurs seeking from $1 million-$30 million each in early and later stage funding for their high-growth businesses. The New England forum will primarily include presenters and investors from New England and New York.

“The women chosen to present at Springboard: New England represent the next wave of successful entrepreneurs in this dynamic, high-tech rich region,” said Andrea Silbert chief executive officer of the Center for Women & Enterprise and co-host of Springboard: New England. “These forums offer talented entrepreneurs ready access to the ‘who’s who’ within the investment community.”

“ec-Finance is honored to be chosen as one of 25 to present in front of this prestigious board,” said Janet Handal. “Springboard provides a great opportunity for women in the region to showcase their business expertise and to provide investors insight into the new market of women-led firms.”

About ec-Finance
Combining 30 years of experience in international trade with Internet banking and information technology expertise earned at major financial services institutions and the White House, ec-Finance provides Internet-based Letter of Credit (LC) products for B2B exchanges and banks which represents significant improvements over existing LC products. ec-Finance’s core technology system, enables buyers to apply for LCs online, buyers and sellers to initiate iteratively negotiate amendment and discrepancy requests online, and all supply chain participants to monitor the status of the LC. This system enables the buyer, seller, and issuing and advising bank to streamline the LC process by organizing critical information into a Web-enabled, queriable database - eliminating the fragmentation that can occur in the “off-line” process. Specifically designed for B2B exchanges, FASTLC^{TM provides for acquisition
of LCs from B2B exchanges which are then executed by one of ec-Finance’s
established bank payment partners. For more information, please visit
www.ec-finance.com.}

^{About
Springboard:

Springboard: sponsors and partners are the ”who’s who” of
the region’s leading investor, financial, business development and
legal communities. A national initiative, the Springboard: series
is hosted by the Center for Women & Enterprise, the National Women’s
Business Council and the Forum for Women Entrepreneurs. For more information
about Springboard:, including a full list of Springboard:
New England presenters, please visit the Web site at www.springboard2000.org.}

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