Hoover's Online Europe Launches New Web Sites In France, Germany, Italy And Spain

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Answers The Call For Accurate, Objective And Timely Company Information Worldwide

LONDON - January 25, 2001 -- Hoover's Online Europe Limited (www.hoovers.co.uk), the London-based subsidiary of Hoover's, Inc. (Nasdaq: HOOV), a leading provider of online business information, tools, and content integration and syndication technology, today announced it has expanded its European presence to four additional countries by launching new foreign language Web sites in French (www.hoovers.co.fr), German (www.hoovers.co.de), Italian (www.hoovers.co.it) and Spanish (www.hoovers.co.es).

Businesspeople can now access information, in their local language, on the leading companies in these major European markets. The new Web sites provide access to Hoover's Online information on more than 65,000 companies worldwide - enabling users to instantly access information about the companies that matter.

"The new sites are part of Hoover's strategy of providing businesspeople around the world with information to help them do their jobs more efficiently," said Patrick Spain, CEO of Hoover's. "Now we can offer them information about companies in their own country and in their own language, as well as improve access to the wealth of information in the global Hoover's Online database."

A U.K.-based editorial team supports this European expansion, with additional writers and researchers across Europe. Gehan Talwatte, managing director for Hoover's Online Europe, said, "The expansion of local-language Web sites in four new markets shows our commitment to making local business information as accessible as possible. Our extended coverage in these major markets will give businesspeople throughout Europe more of the information they need to conduct national and international business more effectively, and will enable companies with a pan-European reach to access timely, valued business information."

Hoover's Online Europe will strengthen its Web site presence with enterprise-wide Business Subscription sales and advertising opportunities in each country and, during 2001, will be adding features including local news in each market.

"Our expansion will also enable us to extend our network of partners, adding to the impressive lineup, which includes BreakingViews, eCountries, Hemscott.NET and London Business School," concluded Talwatte.

About Hoover's, Inc.

Hoover's, Inc. (Nasdaq: HOOV) provides online business information, tools, and content integration and syndication technology to help businesspeople get their jobs done. Hoover's information is available through the company's destination sites Hoover's Online and Hoover's Online U.K. (www.hoovers.com and www.hoovers.co.uk), through syndication and co-branding agreements with more than 30 other online services, and through customized applications developed for enterprise information portals, corporate intranets and business-to-business vertical and content sites. Hoover's investors include AOL Time Warner (NYSE: AOL), Media General (AMEX: MEG.A), NBC -- a unit of General Electric (NYSE: GE), and Knowledge Universe, through its Knowledge Net Holdings and Nextera Enterprises (Nasdaq: NXRA) units. Hoover's is headquartered in Austin, TX, and has offices in Linthicum, MD; London; New York City; Reston, VA; and San Francisco.

"Safe Harbor" Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995: This press release may contain forward-looking statements relating to future events or results that involve risks and uncertainties, including statements regarding the expected benefits of strategic relationships, future services and new products. Among the important factors which could cause actual results of Hoover's to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements are the market demand and acceptance of new and enhanced services, the success of new features and tools from Hoover's Online, Hoover's Online Europe and Hoover's Media Technologies, the retention of subscribers and customers, ability to attract new subscribers and customers, competition, economic conditions specific to the Internet, as well as general economic and market conditions and other factors described in Hoover's reports and documents filed from time to time with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including its prospectus and recent 10-K and 10-Q filings.

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