Where is Value Created in Digital Imaging?

6Sight Future of Imaging Conference Gathers Financial Experts

SAN MATEO, Calif. – October 5, 2006 – Last week Shutterfly, a leader in online picture sharing and printing, went public with a market cap of about $354 million, or about 4.2 times its 2005 revenues. Last month Google completed yet another acquisition of advanced imaging technology, snapping up Neven Vision. Every month new valuation records are set for Social Networking sites that depend on user generated photos and videos. Are we swinging back to bubble from bust? What will happen to all the new imaging companies that are being created and funded? These questions will be the focus of the “Where’s The Money” Financial Roundtable session at the upcoming 6Sight™ Future of Imaging Conference (www.6sight.com), on October 24 and 25 in Monterey, Calif.. 6Sight is hosted and produced by Future Image Inc., and co-hosted by both leading industry associations in imaging: PMA (Photo Marketing Association International) and I3A (International Imaging Industry Association).

The Financial Roundtable will address the important issues related to financing, building, and - most critical to investors - exiting investments in the digital imaging industry. These include:

• Other than the carriers and the leading device manufacturers, who will develop a profitable business from the explosive growth of communications that include pictures or videos from digital cameras or camera-phones? Software companies? Service providers? Printer manufacturers or print service providers?
• Which areas will be controlled by the major players, and where will there be room for innovation and entrepreneurship?
• Which hardware components will continue to generate attractive margins, and. which will be commoditized? Sensors? Displays? Lenses? Specialized Processors? Storage?
• How do the different revenue models in the market rank in terms of attractiveness — Advertising? E-Commerce? Subscriptions? Technology licensing? Specialized or niche services?
• Which are the loss leaders, and which are the profit generators? Is subsidized hardware, such as free or very inexpensive camera phones, the answer? Is it content, as for instance with You Tube? Or is it services such as Skype?

 

6Sight attendees will have the opportunity to hear some of Silicon Valley’s best informed venture capitalists and banking leaders express their views on these topics. They include: Raj Kapoor, Managing Director, Mayfield Fund and former founder of Snapfish, which was acquired by HP; Sam Jadallah, General Partner, Mohr, Davidow Ventures, a major investor in Shutterfly; and Patrick Chung, Principal of New Enterprise Associates, one of the largest VC funds in the world. A complementary perspective will be added by Tricia Saliniero, Managing Director, Newforth Partners LLC, a leading mergers and acquisitions (M&A) specialist. The panel session is moderated by Mark Kalow, Managing Director of the Soquel Group, an experienced imaging industry entrepreneur, venture capitalist and strategic consultant.

In addition, attendees at 6Sight will see demonstrations of new, cutting edge imaging technology by fifteen leading firms, during 6Sight’s three Technology Showcase sessions. These will include liquid lenses, specialized software-enhanced optics, nanomotors, new flash and image stabilization technologies, new generations of image sensors and imaging software, high-definition videoconferencing and more. Attendees will also have the opportunity to interact with the developers of these technologies in a relaxed environment during the event gala reception at the Monterey Bay Aquarium, while enjoying the world-famous displays of marine life, a program of entertainment in the movie theater featuring outstanding examples of user-generated visual content, and an array of gourmet food and refreshments.

According to Kalow, “this combination of industry leading companies and high-profile new technology promises a very exciting opportunity for smaller companies to meet major players, and for the established leaders to preview new and exciting technologies that will change the imaging industry.” The full program and speaker list for 6Sight are available on the event web site, at www.6sight.com.

 About 6Sight
6Sight (www.6Sight.com) is a two-day executive event focused on the explosive global spread of imaging technology, and its potential for exciting new opportunities to improve people’s lives in the personal, work, and community spheres.  It is hosted and organized by Future Image, Inc. publisher of The Future Image Report since 1993 and host of the Mobile Imaging Summit executive conferences, and co-hosted by the two leading industry organizations in imaging -- the International Imaging Industry Association (I3A) and the Photo Marketing Association International (PMA). The annual event brings together technologists, marketers, futurists, artists, educators, customers and members of the media for a program emphasizing innovative use cases, breakthrough technologies, and creativity.  The inaugural 6Sight conference will be held on October 24 and 25, 2006 in Monterey, Calif. The event is supported by the worlds leading photo and telecommunications associations including photokina, MIPC and the 3G Congress. For information about participating in 6Sight, please email Joe Byrd, Future Image’s VP of Conferences & Alliances at JByrd@FutureImage.com.

About Future Image
San Mateo, CA-based Future Image Inc (www.futureimage.com) is the leading independent center of expertise on the convergence of imaging, technology and business. Future Image hosts the 6Sight and Mobile Imaging Executive Summit conferences, and publishes two continuous information services, The Future Image Report which monitors the impact of new technologies on the imaging industry as a whole, and the Future Image MIR (Mobile Imaging Report) which focuses on camera-phones and the intersection of imaging and wireless communications. Future Image also underwrites and publishes primary research studies on the impact of emerging, imaging- focused technologies or business trends, and provides consulting services to vendors, investors and large-scale users. Future Image is the official information and research partner of the International Imaging Association (I3A).

About the International Imaging Industry Association (I3A)
I3A is the leading global imaging industry association, driving growth of and setting standards for the photographic and information imaging markets.  As the industry focal point, I3A offers a framework and environment where members can quickly find resources to solve critical issues and develop market solutions.  Members of I3A work together to find common ground for advancing the industry and to enable better products and services for their customers. 

 I3A is an accredited Standards Developing Organization, serving as secretariat for the International Organization for Standardization Technical Committee 42 (ISO/TC42) on Photography, and as administrator for the USA Technical Advisory Group for this committee.  Information about I3A can be found on the World Wide Web at www.i3a.org or by phone at 914-285-4933.

About PMA
For 81 years, PMA^® has served as an international trade association for the changing needs of the expanding photo imaging industry with more than 20,000 members in 100-plus countries, headquartered in Jackson, Mich. In addition to the United States, there are membership offices in Australia, Brazil, Canada, Germany, Italy, Latin America, New Zealand, Russia and the United Kingdom. PMA membership is open to any firm doing a substantial portion of its business in photo imaging retailing, scrapbook and custom framing retailing, processing (digital and silver halide) or service work. Cooperating memberships are held by firms that manufacture or distribute products or services for the imaging industry. PMA provides more than 100 services to its members, and holds the world’s largest annual international photo imaging trade show, typically drawing well over 600 exhibitors and 20,000-plus attendees.

 
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Media Contacts: Future Image 520 South El Camino, Suite 206A San Mateo CA 94402 V: +1-650.579.0493 F: +1-650.579.0566 Joe Byrd JByrd@FutureImage.com PMA Tom Crawford TCrawford@pmai.org 800-762-9287

I3A Judith Vanderkay Virtual, Inc. jvanderkay@virtualmgmt.com +1-781-876-6208 www.i3a.org