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VFM Interactive Inc. Announces the Completion of $13.5 Million
Financing to Support its Ongoing Expansion Lake Capital
Leads Investment in VFM Interactive Inc. 
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CHICAGO, IL / APRIL 23, 2008 - VFM Interactive Inc., the leading online video and rich media producer and distributor for the hotel and travel industry, today announced the completion of a $13.5 million financing to support its ongoing expansion.  Lake Capital, a private equity firm that invests exclusively in service-based companies, led the investment which also included investments from existing shareholders JLA Ventures and Centiva Capital. VFM plans to use the financing and the strategic resources that Lake Capital brings to expand into complementary travel-related verticals and accelerate its growth in North America and overseas.

In addition to offering a market-leading suite of online media production and distribution solutions for the hotel and travel industry, VFM has made significant progress in advancing its business plan over the past year by signing key strategic media management and distribution deals with Sabre Travel Networks and its sister company, Travelocity, and Galileo by Travelport, two of the world�s largest travel companies.  As a result of these deals, VFM�s online video and rich media distribution platform, Vscape®, is now utilized by over 35,000 hotels worldwide.  Vscape allows hotels to distribute their images, informational videos and marketing rich content to highly targeted travel consumers across thousands of travel related sites and distribution channels.  

�We are delighted to have Lake Capital as a long-term strategic partner,� said Paolo Boni, president and chief executive officer of VFM Interactive.  �This investment and the additional expertise and resources Lake Capital can provide will enable us to rapidly grow our business  by  accelerating our product development, broadening the suite of value-added services we offer and expanding both in the United States and abroad.�

Tony Broglio, Principal of Lake Capital said, �We are very excited about the opportunity to work with the VFM management team and continue to expand the company�s capabilities by building on  VFM�s recent successes and industry leadership. The company�s ability to deliver superior solutions is evidenced by its long-standing and growing relationships with its clients and partners. We believe VFM is uniquely positioned to deliver market-leading, world-class, video and rich media marketing services to the travel industry.�

About VFM Interactive
VFM Interactive is the leading end-to-end provider of online media production and distribution solutions for the hotel and travel industry. VFM helps hotel and travel companies enhance their online marketing through rich visual content including still images, videos, 360º virtual tours and Flash presentation. VFM�s Vscape® platform allows hotels to manage and distribute their rich media content on the industry�s largest and fastest-growing distribution network of more than 25,000 websites where consumers most often research and purchase travel products. This network includes online travel agencies, travel suppliers, search portals and Global Distribution Systems such as Travelocity, Orbitz, Priceline, TripAdvisor, American Airlines, Yahoo!, SideStep, Sabre Travel Network, Galileo and Worldspan. VFM�s Vscape media distribution platform is utilized by more than 35,000 hotels from dozens of major hotel chains and resorts from brands and management companies including Best Western, Choice, Crowne Plaza, Hilton, Holiday Inn, Interstate, La Quinta, Marriott, Outrigger, Radisson, Regent, Sheraton, Sol Meliá, W, Westin and Wyndham. For more information, visit www.vfmii.com.

About Lake Capital
Lake Capital is a private equity firm that focuses on investments in service-based enterprises across various industries. The firm currently manages more than $1.3 billion in equity commitments and seeks to build leading services companies through organic and acquisition-enhanced growth. More information about Lake Capital is available at www.lakecapital.com


 
Contact:

Paolo Boni
President & CEO
VFM Interactive Inc.
t. 416.263.5663
e. [email protected]
Website: www.vfmii.com
 
Tony Broglio
Lake Capital
312-640-7091
[email protected]

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Also See: Outrigger Hotels & Resorts and OHANA Hotels & Resorts Roll-Out New Online Videos for Their Hawaii Properties / March 2008
Myfidelio.Net And VFM Interactive To Provide Hotels With A Central Gateway For Distribution And Management Of Visual Content In All Channels; All myfidelio.net hotels now have access to VFM's Vscape solution to distribute and manage images in all GDS and thousands of Internet Channels / March 2008
VFM Interactive Announces Louise Meyer Joins Executive Team; Highly regarded industry veteran to help build VFM's hotel media production and distribution business / February 2008
Great Hotels Organisation Partners with VFM Interactive to Provide Rich Media Production and Distribution Services for their Member Hotels Worldwide; GHO adopts VFM's Vscape media management and distribution solution to distribute hotel photos and rich media to thousands of electronic channels / February 2008
Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants to Enhance Online Presence; Selects VFM Interactive as Rich Media Production & Distribution Provider; VFM to produce and distribute new rich media for all Kimpton properties / December 2007
VFM Interactive and Omni Hotels Complete Study on the Impact of Rich Visual Media On Hotel Bookings / October 2007
VFM Interactive's Vscape® Selected by La Quinta to Distribute Hotel Company's Photograph Images / January 2006
Galileo International to Add Still and Rich Media Image Content from VFM Interactive / November 2005
The Majority of Online Travelers Rate Hotel Visuals Among Top Influencing Factors in Selecting a Hotel Online / November 2005
Accor North America To Enhance Online Presence of Sofitel and Novotel Brands; Selects VFM Interactive as Rich Media Services Provider / November 2005
VFM Interactive�s Innovation and Expansion Delivers Strong Client and Distribution Growth Reinforcing VFM Market Leadership Position / September 2005
VFM Interactive Expands Board of Directors Amid Record Growth; Appoints 20-year Veteran Michael W. McCormick to New Seat / September 2005
Worldspan Becomes First GDS to Use VFM to Distribute Stills & Rich Media / August 2005
Le Méridien Adopts VFM's Vscape for Photo & Rich Media Distribution / July 2005
Sol Meliá Partners with VFM to Use Videos to Market Resorts Online / July 2005
Best Western Partners with VFM Interactive in Unprecedented Rich Media Strategy / June 2005
VFM Interactive Launches Vscape® � a Rich Media Distribution Solution Providing Unprecedented Control to Hotels / June 2005
After Seeing Tremendous Response to Pilot Online Videos, W Hotels Partners with VFM Interactive to Add Online Video Tours to All its Properties / March 2005
VFM Interactive releases PhotoFlicks®; Innovative Rich Media Turns Still Photographs into Audio-enhanced Slide Shows to Increase Hotel Bookings Online / November 2004
Vantis Partners with VFM Interactive to offer Hotel Clients Rich Media Solutions / October 2004
Rich Content Such as Internet Videos, Virtual Tours and Flash Presentations Significantly Impact the Buying Decision of Consumers Researching and Booking Hotels Online / December 2003
Online Rich Content Is an Important Branding Asset as Well as a Compelling Marketing Tool for Hotel Franchisees to Drive Revenues Through All Online Channels, Both Direct and Indirect / January 2004


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