Briefs

Montreal-based search marketing player Mamma.com has announced plans to acquire desktop search developer Copernic Technologies for an undisclosed cash and stock offer.

The transaction is expected to close in the first quarter of 2005. It will need to be approved by the directors of Mamma.com, as well as the shareholders of privately-held Copernic. Mamma.com has retained San Francisco-based investment bank Merriman Curhan Ford & Co. as an advisor in the pending acquisition.

Copernic has offered its Copernic Agent desktop Web meta-search application for the past eight years, and launched Copernic Desktop Search (CDS) in September. The move placed Copernic in the desktop search arena against Google, Microsoft, and a number of smaller players.

For more information, visit www.mamma.com