WASHINGTON, DC -- (INTERNET WIRE) -- 02/18/2003 -- Bantu, Inc., a leading provider of secure, enterprise instant messaging and presence solutions, announced today that Battelle’s Information Systems Engineering (ISE) and Systems Analysis and Engineering (SA&E) groups have selected the Bantu IM and Presence Platform to enable secure, real-time communication for selected internal and client projects. Battelle is a leading developer of technology and products for government and industry, with annual revenues of $1 billion. The Bantu solution’s robust security, thin client architecture, and ease of integration were key purchase criteria for Battelle, as each is critical for its federal and state government clients.

In addition to providing an improved and secure means of communication with its client base, Bantu’s technology provides presence detection capability that encourages interactive conversations to assist in ensuring that the right information is getting to the right individuals, and proper actions are taken. Bantu’s technology is integrated into a knowledge management platform that the ISE’s and SA&E’s technology professionals use to coordinate and collaborate on selected internal and client projects.

“Bantu’s IM and Presence Platform will help us enhance communication between Battelle’s subject matter experts and our clients through real-time, secure conversations across geographically different workgroups,” said Moses Kamai, senior engineer at Battelle.

Bantu’s IM and Presence Platform provides companies with the ability to conduct secure, encrypted conversations with clients regardless of time or location, enabling clients to actively manage their availability to managers, co-workers and others based on their priorities, physical location and access to a laptop, PDA, mobile phone, or desktop. In addition, Bantu’s technology allows users to communicate without installing any software on their desktop, freeing clients from having to install and manage additional software.

“IM and presence technology tools provide organizations with a proactive solution to help increase operational productivity among employees and their customers and partners, by integrating real-time messaging and presence awareness with existing applications and business processes,” said Dave Basil, vice president, sales and marketing, Bantu. “Bantu’s IM and Presence Platform is intended to assist select Battelle project team members in working more closely with clients by facilitating ad hoc secure communication across company boundaries, allowing them to do anything from coordinating schedules and resolving project issues, to simply being more easily accessible to customers.”

About Bantu, Inc.: Based in Washington, D.C., Bantu is a leader in secure, business-grade Instant Messaging and Presence solutions. The Bantu IM & Presence Platform enhances communication and collaboration in industries such as financial services, telecommunications, government and education. Bantu is secure, platform-independent, interoperable, and it easily integrates into any application or service. Bantu’s customers and partners include the U.S. Army, U.S. Navy, Lockheed Martin, SAIC, Sprint, Blackboard, Citrix, The George Washington University and Johns Hopkins University. For more information visit www.bantu.com.

About Battelle Memorial Institute Battelle serves industry and government in the areas of technology development, laboratory management and technology commercialization. In the area of national defense and homeland security, Battelle develops innovative science and technology for defense purposes, to fight terrorism and to protect the security of the United States. With a worldwide staff of 7,800 at more than 100 locations, Battelle has annual revenues of $1 billion. For more information visit www.battelle.org/.