Hercules Technology Provides $15 Million of Equipment Financing to hi5 Networks,...

PALO ALTO, Calif.--(Business Wire)--Hercules Technology Growth Capital, Inc. (NASDAQ:HTGC), thepremier specialty finance company providing venture debt and equity toventure capital and private equity backed technology and life sciencecompanies at all stages of development, today announced that itprovided $15 million in debt financing in December 2007 to hi5Networks, Inc., founder of one of the world's leading social networks. "hi5 Networks has developed a global brand and a growing audiencearound the world," said Sam Bhaumik, senior managing director andgroup head of technology at Hercules. "hi5's ability to localize itssite to the specific language of each region in both content andadvertising makes it an extremely attractive company in the popularsocial networking space." Currently available in more than 12 languages, hi5 is ranked byAlexa(R) as a top 10 Web site globally and as the No. 1 or No. 2most-trafficked Web site in almost a dozen countries, including manyin Latin America, Europe and Asia. To date, more than 70 millionpeople in nearly 250 countries have registered for the service. "We designed the hi5 network with the international audience inmind and continue to strive to provide the most localized experiencefor our members," said Ramu Yalamanchi, hi5's CEO and founder. "Withthis capital infusion from Hercules, we will continue to invest in ourservice to expand the ways in which we meet the needs and interests ofthe diverse membership currently enjoying hi5." hi5 is also backed by leading venture capital firm, Mohr DavidowVentures. About Hercules Technology Growth Capital, Inc.: Hercules Technology Growth Capital, Inc. is a NASDAQ tradedspecialty finance company providing debt and equity growth capital totechnology and life science companies at all stages of development.Founded in December 2003, the company primarily finances privatelyheld companies backed by leading venture capital and private equityfirms. Hercules invests in a broad range of ventures active intechnology and life science industries and offers a full suite ofgrowth capital products up and down the capital structure. The companyis headquartered in Palo Alto, Calif. and has additional offices inthe Boston, Boulder, San Diego and Chicago areas. Providing capital topublicly-traded or privately-held companies backed by leading venturecapital and private equity firms involves a high degree of credit riskand may result in potential losses of capital. For more information,please visit www.HTGC.com. Companies interested in learning more about financingopportunities should contact info@HTGC.com, or call 650.289.3060. About hi5 Networks, Inc.: hi5 Networks, Inc. is a privately-held firm headquartered in SanFrancisco, CA. Its flagship service, hi5, was launched in 2003 and isnow one of the leading social networks in the world -- ranked byAlexa(R) as a top 10 website globally and the #1 or #2 most-traffickedwebsite in nearly a dozen countries, including many in Latin America,Europe and Asia. More than 70 million people have registered for hi5,which is available in more than twelve languages and offers a simple,fun and safe online experience. Individuals use hi5 to stay connectedand share information with friends and family around the world, meetnew people, express themselves, and discover linkages throughout theirlives. For more information, please visit www.hi5.com orwww.hi5networks.com. Forward-Looking Statements: The statements contained in this release that are not purelyhistorical are forward-looking statements. These forward-lookingstatements are not guarantees of future performance and are subject touncertainties and other factors that could cause actual results todiffer materially from those expressed in the forward-lookingstatements including, without limitation, the risks, uncertainties andother factors we identify from time to time in our filings with theSecurities and Exchange Commission. Although we believe that theassumptions on which these forward-looking statements are reasonable,any of those assumptions could prove to be inaccurate and, as aresult, the forward-looking statements based on those assumptions alsocould be incorrect. You should not place undue reliance on theseforward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements containedin this release are made as of the date hereof, and Hercules assumesno obligation to update the forward-looking statements for subsequentevents.Hercules Technology Growth Capital, Inc.Main, 650.289.3060 HT-PRinfo@htgc.comSally Borg, 650.289.3066sborg@htgc.comorhi5 Networks, Inc.Denise Graab415.962.7075dgraab@hi5.comCopyright Business Wire 2008