MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif., July 14, 2003 -- Arena Solutions, Inc., the leading provider of online product lifecycle management (PLM) solutions, today announced that Start Magazine had honored the company as one of Start’s Up and Coming “Hottest Companies” of 2003. Start, the voice of the manufacturing executive, provides CEOs, presidents, CFOs, CIOs, CTOs, COOs, vice presidents, and other executives with a balance between the technology issues and the greater business management issues facing executives today. Its annual "Hottest Companies" award recognizes the hottest technology providers in manufacturing, companies exhibiting superior innovation and versatility, and leading manufacturers to successful technology investment and implementation.

"This year’s Hottest Companies have one very vital factor in common: they are all providing innovative and influential technology for manufacturers, and they’re doing it more successfully than their competitors," Start stated. "By and large, technology coming to market and maturing in manufacturing is polished, intelligent, and worthwhile to a degree the industry has never seen.
And the best part is, it has to be. That’s because manufacturers are wiser and justifiably more cynical to the ways of technology investment and implementation. If technology doesn’t cut costs and drive efficiency, and cannot prove beyond any doubt that it will deliver on its promises, it doesn’t get bought. In this economy, it’s that simple. Manufacturers simply know better now than to invest frivolously in business software."

"Arena Solutions is honored to be one of the very few PLM companies to make Start's �Hottest Companies’ list and one of only four companies to be included in the �Up and Coming’ category," said Michael Topolovac, Arena's Chief Executive Officer. "We couldn't agree more that customers today are demanding demonstrable value from software vendors, not vague promises. Arena's success stems from its web-native delivery model -- unique within the PLM market -- which enables us to provide enterprise-class PLM software with less risk, hassle, and cost than any other company in the market."

About Arena Solutions
Arena Solutions is the leading provider of online product lifecycle management (PLM) software. The Arena PLM solution facilitates rapid product development and efficient product management by unifying fragmented product teams, outsourced partners and remote suppliers into one cohesive design and manufacturing chain. As the system of record for product data, Arena PLM provides a unified product definition and a controlled change management process from product concept through end-of-life. By offering a real-time, integrated view of complete product information—which incorporates data authored in design tools and which can be automatically synchronized with production systems—Arena PLM enables the extended manufacturing enterprise to reduce errors, increase efficiencies, lower product costs and engage in more accurate planning. The web-native architecture of Arena PLM keeps the total cost of ownership low by eliminating the need to install, upgrade or maintain traditional software or hardware. Founded in February 2000, Arena Solutions is based in Mountain View, California. More information is available at www.arenasolutions.com.

About Start Magazine
Start, the voice of the manufacturing executive, provides CEOs, presidents, CFOs, CIOs, CTOs, COOs, vice presidents, and other executives with a balance between the technology issues and the greater business management issues facing executives today. Start offers the most sound technology advice coupled with solid coverage of the financial, political, and management news and events shaping manufacturing. Rather than simply pitching the latest concepts in technology, Start focuses on the business issues impacting the manufacturer's bottomline. That is exactly why Start has become, and will remain, the first word on manufacturing innovation, driven by technology. For more information, visit www.startmag.com.

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