Wincap Software SA, the Paris, France-based information systems management company, has expanded rapidly from business generated by companies looking for Year 2000 compliance. But the subject that now is expected to bring in big money is the Euro. The huge scale of the Y2K problem has brought a vast range of solutions onto the market. Yet the Euro has generated little interest outside those European countries who will be in the first wave of members of the European Monetary Union (EMU). In terms of the solutions, all the solutions will come from Europe, said UK managing director Eugene Viscovik. Every company that deals commercially with Europe will need to be compliant with EMU and this opens up a vast potential market in the US particularly, without a great deal of competition. The coincidence of Y2K and EMU may be a nightmare for most companies but it is a perfect combination for Wincap. Our technology can be used on both subjects. They are using the same knowledge base, said Viscovik. With worldwide installations now up to 415, Wincap originally planned an IPO in June but this has now been delayed until late this year or early 1998. In the meantime, the company raised $9m of private funding from two equity investors earlier this month and will use the funds to accelerate international development.
