DARIEN, Conn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 17, 2002--Conference delegates from around the U.S. and thirteen nations will converge in New York City next week for the debut of Penton Media's (NYSE: PME, http://www.penton.com) NanoBusiness Spring 2002, the premier event focused on the emerging nanotechnology industry.

Produced in association with the NanoBusiness Alliance, NanoBusiness Spring (May 19 - 21 at the Roosevelt Hotel) is the first major event designed to drive forward the emerging business of microsystems and nanotechnology. Complete event information and online registration can be found at http://www.nanobusiness-spring.com

Highlighting the event are feature presentations from such luminaries as Ray Kurweil (Founder, Chairman and CEO, Kurzweil Technologies, Inc.), Christine Peterson (President, Foresight Institute), and Newt Gingrich (former Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives and Honorary Chairman of the NanoBusiness Alliance), who will also be participating in a roundtable discussion with a select gathering of CEOs in attendance at the event.

Following an opening reception on Sunday event with Mike Rocco (Chair, Subcommittee, Senior Advisor, Nanoscale Science, Engineering & Techology Council, National Science Foundation), the conference sessions will be held on Monday and Tuesday, including such topics as on Funding the Small Tech Revolution, Sizing The Small Tech Market, Small Tech in Europe, Emerging Markets for Nanoproducts, and The Intersection of Small Tech and Biotech. NanoBusiness Spring will also feature two in-depth case studies in the areas of Telecom and IT, as well as a Bootcamp for Entrepreneurs.

NanoBusiness Spring also features significant participation from Ardesta, an "Industry Accelerator" dedicated to developing the Small Tech industry ( http://www.ardesta.com). The company is building a portfolio of great companies by investing in start-ups and early stage companies; providing business and technical resources to support these companies; and developing industry-building resources. In addition to supporting NanoBusiness Spring as a Corporate Sponsor, Ardesta CEO Rick Synder and senior VPs Steve Johns and Chris Rizik will make presentations at the event.

Also supporting the event is NYSTAR (The New York State Office of Science, Technology and Academic Research), who provides resources to translate cutting-edge research into economic development. NYSTAR initiatives include STAR Centers, Advanced Research Centers, Centers for Advanced Technology (CATs), Regional Technology Development Centers (RTDCs), a technology transfer initiative, and the Science and Technology Law Center. Additional lead sponsors include Deloitte and Touche.

Penton Media (NYSE: PME - News) is a leading, global business-to-business media company that produces market-focused magazines, trade shows and conferences, and Web sites. Penton's integrated media portfolio serves the following industries: Internet/broadband; information technology; electronics; natural products; food/retail; manufacturing; design/engineering; supply chain; aviation; government/compliance; mechanical systems/construction; and leisure/hospitality. For more information, visit www.penton.com.

     Schwartz PR Interactive
     Steven Wright-Mark, 212/677-8700 ext. 29
     
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